KISS legend Peter Criss announces first solo album in 18 years
The drummer shares the exciting news with fans
KISS co-founder and former drummer Peter Criss has surprised fans by announcing he will release his first solo record in 18 years this autumn.
The 79-year-old rock legend made the new music revelation in a special video message with KissFAQ podcast host and esteemed KISS historian Julian Gill.
The as-yet-untitled record, Peter Criss’ first since 2007’s ‘One for All’, features guest musicians Billy Sheehan and Matthew Montgomery (Piggy D.) on bass, keen KISS aficionado John 5 on guitar with Mike McLaughlin, and Paul Shaffer on piano.
John 5 collaborator Barry Pointer has been drafted in to co-produce the record.
In the two-minute clip, Criss says: "I have an announcement. I have my new rock and roll album to you, Kiss Army guys, coming out in the fall. And I really hope you like it, man. And I wanna say God bless to each and every one of you."
Julian Gill adds: "Now, this is a hard rock kick-ass album, co-produced by Barry Pointer, who's worked with Ozzy (Osbourne), Marilyn Manson, Fred Coury, Steve Stevens, amongst others, and, of course, John 5.”
The Catman then chips in: “What can I say, we had a ball (in the studio)!”
Shedding more light on the direction of the record, Gill comments to the camera: “I was honoured to listen to this album at Peter's studio with him last night, and it was absolutely amazing to hear this new music. It was vibrant and powerful.
“I'm so excited for it to be released, and I think KISS fans are gonna love this album. Peter's drum sound is absolutely massive, and his vocals are powerful. Barry Pointer's production is stunning, and Peter's got an incredible group of musicians and background vocalists behind him.
"Billy Sheehan, as you would expect, delivers incredible, perfect and spectacular bass lines, and he and Peter are locked in so tight, it's amazing. Guitarist Mike McLaughlin, better known as Angel from CRISS circles, delivers some scorching guitar work on this album, as, of course, does the electric troubadour himself John 5.
“Matthew Montgomery, better known as Piggy D., who played with Marilyn Manson and Alice Cooper, is on bass on some songs, and Paul Shaffer is a monster on (Hammond) B-3 and piano.
"You know what? Peter has written some very powerful songs here, and I'm so excited for you to hear them. Peter will be doing more in-depth interviews closer to the release date in the fall."
Peter Criss officially retired from touring in June 2017 following his appearances at the KISS Convention shows in Sydney and New York.
Although many KISS fans hoped he would appear at the band’s ‘final’ show in New York in December 2023, no guest musicians performed with Paul Stanley, Gene Simmons, Tommy Thayer and Eric Singer on the night.
John 5 is a keen KISS fan and earlier this year announced he is opening a KISS memorabilia museum containing items he’s collected over the decades.
The guitarist drafted in Peter Criss to perform on his cover of ‘Georgia on my Mind’ on his 2021 album ‘Sinner’.
The real names of famous rock stars, including Peter Criss:
Cozy Powell’s real name: Colin Trevor Flooks
Alex Lifeson’s real name: Alexandar Živojinović
'Lifeson' is a semi-literal English translation of the Yugoslavian surname Živojinović, which means 'son of life'
Ginger Baker's real name: Peter Edward Baker
John 5’s real name: John William Lowery
Yngwie Malmsteen’s real name: Lars Johann Yngwie Lannerback
Rudy Sarzo’s real name: Rodolfo Maximiliano Sarzo Lavieille Grande Ruiz Payret y Chaumont
Eric Carr's real name: Paul Charles Caravello
Vinnie Vincent’s real name: Vincent John Cusano
Tina Turner’s real name: Anna Mae Bullock
King Diamond’s real name: Kim Bendix Petersen
Joey Tempest's real name: Rolf Magnus Joakim Larsson
Michael Monroe’s real name: Matti Antero Kristian Fagerholm
Mikkey Dee’s real name: Micael Kiriakos Delaoglou
Jonathan Cain’s real name: Jonathan Leonard Friga
Nikki Sixx's real name: Frank Ferrano
Steven Adler’s real name: Michael Coletti
Axl Rose's real name: William Bruce Rose
Bon Scott's real name: Ronald Belford Scott
Fish’s real name: Derek William Dick
Eddie Vedder's real name: Edward Louis Severson III
Peter Criss’ real name: George Peter John Criscuola
Freddie Mercury's real name: Farrokh Bulsara
Flea's real name: Michael Peter Balzary
Perry Farrell's real name: Perry Bernstein
Geddy Lee’s real name: Gary Lee Weinrib
Mick Mars' real name: Robert Deal
Tré Cool's real name: Frank Edwin Wright III
Courtney Love's real name: Courtney Michelle Harrison
Pat Smear's real name: Georg Albert Ruthenberg
Gene Simmons' real name: Chaim Klein Witz
Spike’s real name: Jonathan Gray
Iggy Pop's real name: James Newell Osterberg, JR.
Alice Cooper's real name: Vincent Damon Furnier
Slash's real name: Saul Hudson
Mike Dirnt's real name: Michael Ryan Pritchard
Ronnie James Dio's real name: Ronald James Padavona
Brody Dalle's real name: Bree Joanna Alice Robinson
Skin's real name: Deborah Anne Dyer
Nicky Wire's real name: Nicholas Jones
Amy Lee's real name: Amy Lynn Hartzler
Bill Wyman's real name: William Perks
Izzy Stradlin's real name: Jeffrey Isbell
Paul Stanley's real name: Stanley Eisen
Vince Neil's real name: Vincent Neil Wharton
Duff McKagan's real name: Michael McKagan
Jack Black’s real name: Thomas Jacob Black
Lemmy's real name: Ian Fraser Kilmister
John Paul Jones' real name: John Baldwin
Joan Jett's real name: Joan Larkin
Eric Clapton's real name: Eric Patrick Clapp
Siouxsie Sioux's real name: Susan Janet Ballion
Rachel Bolan’s real name: James Richard Southworth
David Bowie's real name: David Robert Hayward Stenton Jones
Little Richard's real name: Richard Wayne Penniman
Sid Vicious' real name: John Simon Ritchie
Ace Frehley's real name: Paul Daniel Frehley
Lou Reed's real name: Louis Firbank
Joe Strummer's real name: John Graham Mellor
Marc Bolan's real name: Mark Feld
The Edge's real name: David Howell Evans
Meat Loaf's real name: Marvin Lee Aday
Steven Tyler's real name: Steven Victor Tallarico
Ozzy Osbourne's real name: John Michael Osbourne
Jon Bon Jovi's real name: John Francis Bongiovi
Joey Belladonna’s real name: Joseph Bellardini
Jack White's real name: John Anthony Gillis
Bono's real name: Paul David Hewson
Sting's real name: Gordon Sumner
Billy Idol’s real name: William Michael Albert Broad
Geezer Butler’s real name: Terence Butler
Pat Benatar’s real name: Patricia Mae Giraldo
Bo Diddley’s real name: Ellas McDaniel
Muddy Waters’ real name: McKinley Morganfield
Stevie Nicks’ real name: Stephanie Lynn Nicks
Doro’s real name: Dorothee Pesch
Sebastian Bach’s real name: Sebastian Philip Bierk
Joe Perry’s real name: Joseph Pereira
Jimi Hendrix’s real name: James Marshall Hendrix (born Johnny Allen Hendrix)
Zakk Wylde’s real name: Jeffrey Phillip Wielandt
Maynard James Keenan’s real name: James Herbert Keenan
Blaze Bayley’s real name: Bayley Alexander Cooke
Biff Byford's real name: Peter Rodney Byford
M. Shadows' real name: Matthew Charles Sanders
Syd Barrett's real name: Roger Keith Barrett
Chris Jericho's real name: Christopher Keith Irvine
Ginger Wildheart's real name: David Leslie Walls
Paul Di'Anno's real name: Paul Andrews
Phil X’s real name: Theofilos Xenidis
Peter Green’s real name: Peter Allen Greenbaum
Nicko McBrain’s real name: Michael Henry McBrain
Noddy Holder’s real name: Neville John Holder
Steel Panther’s real names
Michael Starr: Ralph Michael Saenz, Satchel: Russell John Parrish, Stix Zadinia: Darren Leader, Spyder: Joe Lester.