There is a common misconception about KISS, one of the greatest hard-rock/heavy metal-bands of all-time: that their ‘non-makeup’ era of 1983-1996 is not as enduring as the period when they stalked stages as the Starchild, the Demon, the Spaceman, and the Cat. This is untrue. In fact, this period helped resuscitate KISS’s career, as they reestablished themselves in arenas, on the charts, and via MTV, and yielded some of their most popular songs – including "Lick It Up", "Heaven’s On Fire", "Tears Are Falling", "Crazy Crazy Nights", "Hide Your Heart", "Forever", "Unholy" and more – many of which consistently found their way into the band’s set lists.

While the majority of KISS books are focused on the glitz and glamour of the iconic makeup era, the non-makeup years are ripe to be explored in book form, and "Take It Off" does just that, zeroing in on the eleven albums KISS issued during this period – including such gold- and platinum-certified hits as 'Lick It Up', 'Animalize', 'Revenge', and 'Alive III' – as well the resulting tours, videos, and other escapades.

"Take It Off" draws on all-new interviews with KISS experts and associates, including the band’s lead guitarist throughout most of this period, Bruce Kulick, plus 'Crazy Nights' producer Ron Nevison and video director Paul Rachman ("Unholy" / "I Just Wanna" / "Domino"). Among the other contributors are Charlie Benante (Anthrax), K.K. Downing (ex-Judas Priest), Derek Sherinian (ex-Dream Theater), and rock music experts Eddie Trunk, Katherine Turman, and Lonn Friend. The book also includes a foreword by Fozzy frontman Chris Jericho and an afterword by acclaimed producer Andreas Carlsson, as well as rare photographs and memorabilia from the period.

Greg Prato is a writer and journalist from Long Island, New York, whose writing has appeared in such renowned publications as Rolling Stone, Classic Rock, and Vintage Guitar. He is also the author of several popular books, including "Shredders! The Oral History Of Speed Guitar (And More)", "Grunge Is Dead: The Oral History Of Seattle Rock Music", and "The Eric Carr Story". And you may even have heard him on one of his many radio or TV appearances, which include interviews on The Howard Stern Wrap-Up Show, Eddie Trunk Live, and The Ron & Fez Show.

PROGRAMMING NOTE: This interview with Greg was originally recorded in February of 2020 for the podcast DISCovery with Eric Senich.

Purchase a copy of "Take It Off: KISS Truly Unmasked" through Jawbone Press: http://jawbonepress.com/take-it-off


Songs Discussed In This Episode: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/4iAxwaGzws3sZFqjTz21l2?si=a23ff3f906dc4766


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