by Peter Criss
First published 2012
Peter Criss opens his memoir by taking readers back to 1950s Brooklyn, where young Peter Criscuola hammered away on makeshift drums while fantasizing about performing at Madison Square Garden. Criss chronicles his journey from surviving violent neighborhoods and navigating the chaotic sixties music scene to co-founding KISS in 1973. He details how the band pioneered their signature face paint and dramatic stage shows, transforming into one of rock's most recognizable groups. Criss describes his perspective from behind his explosive drum kit, watching devoted fans night after night as KISS built their theatrical empire. He recounts writing and performing "Beth," the ballad that became the band's biggest commercial success in 1976. Yet Criss refuses to sugarcoat fame's brutal toll. He confronts his battles with addiction that led to rehabilitation in 1982, his attempts at suicide, the collapse of two marriages, and his unexpected diagnosis and treatment for breast cancer. Throughout these revelations, Criss examines how his religious beliefs and family relationships provided stability during both his greatest triumphs and most desperate moments.
Genres: autobiography, biography-memoir, music, musicians
Vibes: emotional-atmospheric, intimate, thought-provoking
Tropes: overcoming-adversity, redemption
Setting: Brooklyn, Madison Square Garden, KISS
Period: 1950s, 1960s, 1970s, 1980s
384 pages · Hardcover · Scribner
Content warnings: addiction, mental-illness, suicide