Kiss and Make-Up

by Gene Simmons

Book Overview

Fueled by an explosive mix of make-up, costumes, attitude, and music, Kiss has sold 80 million records in 30 years and is second only to the Beatles and the Rolling Stones in number of gold records. From their 1996 reunion through their 2000-2001 Farewell Tour, they lead the pack of today's touring bands and their fans simply will not deny themselves anything Kiss-related.Gene Simmons is the master behind the madness and Kiss and Make-Up is the first...

• Format: Hardcover
• Language: English
• ISBN: 060960855X
• ISBN13: 9780609608555
• Release Date: December 2001
• Publisher: Crown Publishing Group (NY)
• Length: 275 Pages
• Weight: 1.39 lbs.
• Dimensions: 1.1" x 6.4" x 9.4"

Customer Reviews

KISS Family Jewels

Before Gene Simmons had Gene Simmons's Family Jewel on A & E. He was the front man for the rock group KISS. That no news there..However it is Simmons's retelling of the KISS story that is a page turner. What makes this book intriguing is the author's blunt retelling of his life and his band's back story. Simmons does hype his story nor the KISS empire, he shoot the truth from the heart and the gut. He is frank and honest about the band's up and downs. Its successes and it failures. The book ends in 2001, when the band reunites..and you feel like you been on a small rollercoaster ride of life. WOW what a ride! Get it and read it yourself Bennet Pomerantz AUDIOWORLD

It's all about the power.

I've never heard Kiss music; I first learned about Gene Simmons from his Gene Simmons - Family Jewels TV show, which I liked. It showed him to be a loving family man and I was curious to know more, so I listened to his audio book, "Kiss and Make-up." It was fascinating. One needn't be a fan to appreciate his strong hard work and unprecedented success. He was born in Israel and came with his mother to America at age 9. As a lonely boy he loved superhero comic books, because superheros were powerful, and that is what he wanted to be. He had the boundless love and encouragement of his mother and started playing in bands as a teenager. One thing led to another and his Kiss band became a worldwide phenomenon. He devotes much of the book to his legendary conquests of women, from groupies to Cher and Diana Ross. His relationships with bandmates is also discussed at length. His reading voice is a monotone, but the story is so interesting that one hangs on his every word. A shrewd businessman and tireless entertainer, Simmons has truly acquired the power he always wanted. This is a must for Gene's old fans and for new fans, like me.

Rock Forth GENE!!

KISS was the type of band (is the type of band) that you don't simply flirt with, you either completely buy into their majesty or call it schlock and walk on past. I chose the majesty and I have never regretted it. Great songs, with hooks, both vocal and musical. I am one of those fans who appreciated their later incarnations but found the original four talents my favorite. Gene's book allowed me backstage into the world of the actual acrimony that hung over the band. Although I learned alot about the not-so-swell side of the band, I still loved reading about it because, that's life folks, it's not all glitter and hi-fives. Sometimes it's ugly and I am happy that Gene was willing to be (I'll assume) honest. He doesn't seem eager to tell us any failures that he has produced, instead it is more complimentary when it comes to him. I honestly think however, after reading this book, that there might have been a KISS if Gene wasn't so savvy, but they wouldn't have hit it as big as they did. Love ya Demon , Curtis Earth

What a Great Story!!!.........

..............captivating, honest, funny, and heart-warming all in one autobiography! Gene Simmons has written a must for all KISS fans and for anyone intrigued with the life of rock stars. The story begins with his modest childhood in Israel, where he was an only child being raised by his devoted mother. We are then taken through his early life in New York and we clearly see the influences that begin to shape Gene's life, the most compelling being his love and respect for his mother. The story continues and shows us how KISS is started, how they reach super-stardom and all the great times (lots of women, lots of money, Paul being like a brother) and big problems (mostly bad things to say about Peter and Ace) that they hit along the way. Throughout the story, Gene is honest about his passions, his fears, his ambitions, his frustrations, the revelations he experiences, his influences, his life philosophy and ultimately his dedication to his companion, Shannon Tweed and his utter devotion to his children. There are parts of the story that will make you cheer for him (when his hard work and business attitude pay off), then denounce him as an egomaniac (which he seems to be unabashedly aware of), cry with him (when he falls in love and when his children are born), and just laugh out loud at his honesty about how he has chosen to lead his life. Overall, a worthwhile and enjoyable read!

Better than I ever imagined it could be

I knew Gene went to college, so odds were this would at least be a coherent story. It was so much more than that. There were many points in the book where I laughed out loud. There were many points where I said "Aha! so that's it!" I'm all grown up now, so there was nothing here to break my heart or anything. I was shocked to realize how bad it got with Ace and Peter, although I suspected it was much worse than what was made public at the time. I enjoyed the story, and I'm sincerely hoping Paul does the same. You have to read this, it was terrific. It was so well done, and so fascinating, I read it through in about six hours.