The Birth of KISSTORY!
The following text is taken from the message boards of KISSFaq.com. Author credit to the admin.
Date: January 30, 1973. Location: 47-03 Queens Boulevard in the Sunnyside neighborhood of Queens, New York City. The Popcorn Pub is a fixture of the early 1970's glitter scene that has seen the emergence of acts such as the New York Dolls, Link Wray, and Magic Tramps (who went with the face paint before Kiss took it to another level). It's nothing spectacular, but that's not important, anyone (pretty much) can play there. Owner Paul Sub was pretty much willing to let anyone play; as long as they weren't too expensive. On this winter night the pub is in the process of rebranding itself as the Coventry. Many other artists will come through the doors, such as the Brats, Teenage Lust, or Cyndi Lauper's Doc West, but few will ever make it. It's not the Mercer Arts Center, Max's Kansas City, or CBGBs. However, that's not the point. An unknown band named Wicked Lester is able to make a booking for the dead mid-week nightly Tuesday through Thursday, February 1. Most people will be doing their regular weekly routine. This band will be breaking in their recently added lead guitarist and taking their music out of their rehearsal loft.
By the time Tuesday the 30th comes around the band has changed its name. It's taken on the simple and evocative "Kiss." Take from that what you will, it has many connotations. The band is unsure, they don't have an image yet, just some ideas. They've messed around with the glam image that was popular at the time, and that's how they're going to take to the stage. It doesn't really matter. The audience is going to essentially be girlfriends, a wife, family and friends. Not enough people to challenge the staff at a restaurant. Regardless, those people are going to witness the birth of a juggernaut of rock. The beast isn't coming into the world screaming with flames, but more as a shadow sneaking up on an unsuspecting public. It's Jack the Ripper slinking in the mist of London, New York style, and as soon as their debut series is complete the band beats a hasty retreat to the rehearsal loft to keep honing their material and develop their visual presentation. Music they have. Ideas, they have far more of. The band is driven. They want to be something, but aren't sure yet what that "something" may be. It's all a bit mad scientist.
January 30. Core songs in Kiss' musical catalog are about to be cemented. The band performs "Deuce," and "Firehouse." These songs were the same that had provided the final nail in Wicked Lester's coffin when the band, then a trio (without Ace), performed them for Epic's Don Ellis and Tom Werman in November 1972 (along with "Strutter"). But tonight the songs are different. They've taken on something special with a lead guitarist. There's something different about the band as they pull songs out of Wicked Lester's past such as "Love Her All I Can," "She," "Simple Type," and "Keep Me Waiting." But there's also "Watchin' You," "Let Me Go, Rock 'N' Roll," and "Black Diamond" (still sung by Paul); plus the long-discarded "Want You Beside Me." It's a Genesis of sorts... Before there was light there was darkness. And then there was sound. Fire. Explosions. Sirens. It's the birth of Kisstory.
Congratulations to Gene, Paul, Peter, and Ace as January 30, 2013 marks the first public performance by Kiss and the birth of an icon!
This footage was filmed in the same club later that year. Two years later they would be headlining arenas. :)
Date: January 30, 1973. Location: 47-03 Queens Boulevard in the Sunnyside neighborhood of Queens, New York City. The Popcorn Pub is a fixture of the early 1970's glitter scene that has seen the emergence of acts such as the New York Dolls, Link Wray, and Magic Tramps (who went with the face paint before Kiss took it to another level). It's nothing spectacular, but that's not important, anyone (pretty much) can play there. Owner Paul Sub was pretty much willing to let anyone play; as long as they weren't too expensive. On this winter night the pub is in the process of rebranding itself as the Coventry. Many other artists will come through the doors, such as the Brats, Teenage Lust, or Cyndi Lauper's Doc West, but few will ever make it. It's not the Mercer Arts Center, Max's Kansas City, or CBGBs. However, that's not the point. An unknown band named Wicked Lester is able to make a booking for the dead mid-week nightly Tuesday through Thursday, February 1. Most people will be doing their regular weekly routine. This band will be breaking in their recently added lead guitarist and taking their music out of their rehearsal loft.
By the time Tuesday the 30th comes around the band has changed its name. It's taken on the simple and evocative "Kiss." Take from that what you will, it has many connotations. The band is unsure, they don't have an image yet, just some ideas. They've messed around with the glam image that was popular at the time, and that's how they're going to take to the stage. It doesn't really matter. The audience is going to essentially be girlfriends, a wife, family and friends. Not enough people to challenge the staff at a restaurant. Regardless, those people are going to witness the birth of a juggernaut of rock. The beast isn't coming into the world screaming with flames, but more as a shadow sneaking up on an unsuspecting public. It's Jack the Ripper slinking in the mist of London, New York style, and as soon as their debut series is complete the band beats a hasty retreat to the rehearsal loft to keep honing their material and develop their visual presentation. Music they have. Ideas, they have far more of. The band is driven. They want to be something, but aren't sure yet what that "something" may be. It's all a bit mad scientist.
January 30. Core songs in Kiss' musical catalog are about to be cemented. The band performs "Deuce," and "Firehouse." These songs were the same that had provided the final nail in Wicked Lester's coffin when the band, then a trio (without Ace), performed them for Epic's Don Ellis and Tom Werman in November 1972 (along with "Strutter"). But tonight the songs are different. They've taken on something special with a lead guitarist. There's something different about the band as they pull songs out of Wicked Lester's past such as "Love Her All I Can," "She," "Simple Type," and "Keep Me Waiting." But there's also "Watchin' You," "Let Me Go, Rock 'N' Roll," and "Black Diamond" (still sung by Paul); plus the long-discarded "Want You Beside Me." It's a Genesis of sorts... Before there was light there was darkness. And then there was sound. Fire. Explosions. Sirens. It's the birth of Kisstory.
Congratulations to Gene, Paul, Peter, and Ace as January 30, 2013 marks the first public performance by Kiss and the birth of an icon!
This footage was filmed in the same club later that year. Two years later they would be headlining arenas. :)
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