Founding KISS Drummer Peter Criss Discusses New Memoir, Conflicts with Ex-Band Mates

12/12/12

Founding KISS Drummer Peter Criss Discusses New Memoir, Conflicts with Ex-Band Mates

Simon & Schuster

ABC NEWS RADIO
Founding KISS drummer Peter Criss' recently published memoir, Makeup to Breakup, gives an uncensored and no-holds-barred look at his life and exploits before, during and after his years with the famed costumed rock band. In the book, co-written with Larry "Ratso" Sloman, Criss opens up about the in-fighting and bad blood between him and his former band mates, particularly Gene Simmons and Paul Stanley. He also details his struggle with cocaine abuse and many other aspects of his often turbulent life.

The drummer, who sang and co-wrote KISS' biggest chart hit, "Beth," tells ABC News Radio that he thinks his story is one that will captivate KISS fans, as well as readers in general.

"This book is a roller-coaster ride," he maintains. "It's a real story...of a man's life that really went through rags to riches, to rags to riches again in a whole different way."

Criss digs into Simmons and Stanley throughout the book, criticizing them for what he calls the unfair way they treated him -- personally and financially -- both during his initial stint with KISS and on his second go-round with the group during the late 1990s and early 2000s. He complains about Gene's and Paul's egos, and about how they teamed up to take control of the band. He also lambastes Simmons for his womanizing and poor hygiene, and suggests that Stanley was confused about his own sexuality
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Meanwhile, he admits to ABC News Radio that, although he felt a sense of relief to be able to reveal his true feelings in the tome, he was nervous about how his old band mates would react to some of the harsh things he says about them.

"It was really cathartic, but trust me, many a nights I had many a horrible nightmares and sweats and I didn't sleep for weeks," he says. "I was thinking this was gonna happen, that's gonna happen…'Cause a lot of people don't really wanna hear the truth, and a lot of people have been hung and shot for talking the truth."

Meanwhile, Criss says he's happy about the success of Makeup to Breakup, which debuted at #7 on The New York Times' Hardcover Nonfiction Bestsellers List.

Read On ABC News Radio: http://abcnewsradioonline.com/music-news/2012/12/10/founding-kiss-drummer-peter-criss-discusses-new-memoir-confl.html#ixzz2EqK4AqGh