MUSICAL GUEST: Richard Christy
Christy is known by the masses for his work on The Howard Stern Show, but he is also an accomplished drummer. The guys talked about his reputation for not showering. He said that the longest that he’s ever gone was two weeks when he lived inside of a storage unit. Christy also discussed wearing a diaper to concerts because he drinks a lot and doesn’t want to miss any of the songs. The diapers don’t really work for him anyway because adult diapers are not meant to absorb tons of liquid. He is currently working on his third record with his band, Charred Walls Of The Damned.
TAKE IT OR TAKE IT: Concert Double Bills with Co-Headliners
Jim – Take it because the prices are so high, that you want to get your money’s worth.
Don – Takes it for the same reason as Jim. Both discussed that they get to discover the new bands by going to club shows.
Eddie – Leaves it because he likes the exposure of being turned onto something new and it takes away from the big buildup of the headliner taking the stage. The other reason that he leaves it is because the co-headliners both end up playing abbreviated sets that are mostly hit-driven.
TMS TOP 5: Top 5 KISS Songs of the 70’s (original lineup)
- “Detroit Rock City”
- “Deuce”
- “Strutter”
- “Shock Me”
- “Black Diamond”
GUEST: Peter Criss
Criss came on and started out by evaluating the TMS Top 5. He said that his favorite songs to play were “Strutter” and “Nothin’ To Lose.” Don asked him if the setlist was done by democracy back in the day, and he said that it was, which is hard to imagine given the power that Gene Simmons and Paul Stanley wield nowadays.
Eddie asked him about the time that they spent getting ready with makeup. Criss said that it was a very therapeutic time. They would all bond and listen to music through a boombox that they brought with them. The whole procedure to get ready was limited to the band and their manager Bill Aucoin, and it really got them ready to play.
Criss credits Aucoin for KISS ever reaching their pinnacle. He said that he was like a father figure to all of them, and when they were fighting, he would lock them in a room until they all made up. The process worked. Eddie said that it’s too bad that Aucoin is no longer with us because he might be the only one who could settle the current dispute going on surrounding KISS’s Rock and Roll Hall of Fame induction.
After 15 years of waiting, Criss said that he felt that they should have been voted in long ago, however, he still is honored to finally be getting inducted.
He and Ace Frehley hadn’t played together for 13 years, until reconnecting at Eddie’s 25th Radio anniversary party. There were hurt feelings over what Criss wrote in his book Makeup to Breakup: My Life In and Out of KISS. At the party, Ace gave him a hug and apologized for getting crazy and said that the things that he wrote in the book were all true. He still thinks of Ace as his brother. He was nervous to play with him again because he hadn’t played in so long due to leaving KISS and suffering from male breast cancer. All of the guys were wearing male breast cancer ribbons to show their support. Because of all of the work that Criss has done to raise awareness, The Beauty Foundation For Cancer Care has created the Peter Criss Man Of Courage Award.
The interview wrapped up with Eddie asking Criss about the drama surrounding the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame induction.
He said that he was very excited when he got the call telling him that KISS was finally getting inducted. He attributes the amazing life that he’s had to KISS fans, and said that for him, KISS has always been about the fans. Things started out well, but quickly deteriorated after he got a call from Gene and Paul (neither of whom called him during his cancer battle). They offered congratulations, but took everything with a grain of salt because of all of the bad blood between them.
Criss is heartbroken over the fact that they are not going to be performing at the ceremony. He would have been happy to get back into the cat costume because it is his persona. He couldn’t imagine sitting there and watching someone else wearing his makeup and performing. He had no desire to be there watching someone else performing with his costume. Not only would it be wrong, but also disrespectful to KISS fans around the world.
To Criss, there is only one band in the world…KISS. That is the reason that he never joined another band. He absolutely would bury the hatchet and play for one night. He cannot understand how Gene and Paul would refuse to give 10 minutes of their time for the 40 years of support that fans have given to them, which also helped them all to enjoy an extraordinary lifestyle. His cancer has given him a new perspective on life…“you have to forgive to live.”
PUT IT ON THE TABLE: Peter Criss
If you could be in any other band – The Rolling Stones
One song you wish you wrote – “Imagine” – by John Lennon
One vice – Oreo cookies
Weirdest rumor you’ve heard about yourself – That I was sleeping in the toilets of Santa Monica. The story appeared in Star Magazine, and it wasn’t true at all. His mother had just passed away, and he was out of touch. He got a call from his drum company telling him about the story. Roseanne Barr and Tom Arnold were fans of his, and they ended up driving around the streets looking to help him out. Ultimately, Criss and his wife ended up becoming good friends with Barr and Arnold.
Favorite new band – The Winery Dogs.
UNDERRATED:
Eddie – Vain – Enough Rope
Jim – Epic – Zombie Hunters Inc.
Don – His own comedy album
THROWDOWN: KISS Alive I vs. KISS Alive II
Peter – Alive I
Richard – Alive I
Eddie – Alive I
Jim – Alive I
Don – Alive I
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