Kiss were always about more than the music. From the start, when they covered their faces in makeup, strapped on spiked platform boots and gave themselves nicknames like the Demon and Starchild, the concept behind Kiss mattered more than the music. That’s not to say they haven’t made some great records during their 40-year career; their 1975 ‘Alive!” album remains one of the best concert LPs ever released. But the band’s shrewd marketing campaigns over the years – which has included TV specials to candy to coffins and pretty much everything in between – has made them one of the most recognizable brand names on the planet. All of which makes the music almost secondary in Kiss’ worldview. But their mix of heavy-metal thunder and hard-rock hooks has guaranteed a spot among the most durable bands of the past four decades. Paul chats with Slacker.