Lydia Criss Interview

Revolution Magazine
By Stacy Arrington
Brooklyn-born Lydia DiLeonardo became Mrs. Peter Criscuola (aka Peter Criss) in January of 1970. Lydia was there for the beginning stages of KISS. Most of us can only imagine what it would be like to be there at the beginning, the middle and in some regards even the present day.
Peter Criss is without a doubt the most famous drummer to ever grace the stage with KISS. In 1976 Peter co-wrote a song for the band called “Beth” said to have been written for Lydia. The song became a Top 10 hit and in interviews Peter has said the lyrics “reflect Lydia’s lamenting that she missed him while on tour”. In 1977, KISS won the People’s Choice Award for “Beth” and Lydia accepted it on behalf of the band.
In 1979 Lydia and Peter divorced. Lydia wrote an autobiography of sorts entitled “Sealed With A Kiss” which documents her time with Peter.
Revolution recently had the chance to speak with Lydia Criss about the past and the present and where she finds herself today.
It took close to 10 years to finish and publish the book “Sealed With A Kiss”. I am sure it was like reliving both the good times and the bad times, a roller coaster of emotions. Was this a hard process and is that why it took so long? Or were you just finally ready?
This was the hardest thing I have ever had to do. The attention to detail is one of my strong points so I made sure that everything in the book was accurate and true. There were times when I would have to proofread the text and relive the incidents. I would usually do this late at night when the phones stop ringing. I was all by myself and it was so fresh in my mind that at times I would start crying, and then read the next paragraph and go hysterical laughing. It took so long because I started in 1997 and my publisher went bankrupt. It took me years to get my stuff back. Then I had to find the funds and the people to work with me. Even though it seems like it took me 9 years, the actual working time was only 3 years.
Did you find closure in the process?
Yes, closure that I didn’t have to keep all of this in my memory anymore. After I was finished I felt I could take the whiteout and erase everything and was relieved that it is now on paper.
Let’s go back in time… How did you meet Peter?
It was in the mid 1960s when the British invasion had just hit America. I was just starting to go to dance clubs like the Cheetah in Manhattan with my girlfriends. We would go every weekend and one weekend one of my friends asked me if I wanted to go to see her boyfriend’s band play in a local club in Williamsburg, Brooklyn. I said sure. I was introduced to everyone and the drummer in the band was Peter Criscuola. After talking in-between breaks, Peter asked me if I wanted to go to the beach with him and his friends the following day. I said yes and from then on we started dating. Three and one half years later we got married.

Read the rest herehttp://revolutionmagazineonline.com/lydia-criss-is-sealed-with-a-kiss/

You can order “Sealed With A Kiss” at LydiaCriss.com