Kiss's Unmasked Era: Gene Simmons & Makeup Secrets REVEALED!

Can you imagine a world where rock and roll royalty shed their armor, their masks, and their iconic makeup? This is the story of KISS, a band that dared to defy its own image, and in doing so, redefined its legacy.

The tale begins, as many rock and roll sagas do, with a collision of ambition, artistry, and a dash of rebellion. The photographer, eager to capture a different side of KISS, approached the band with a proposition: a few photos, sans the signature leather and makeup. Initially, Gene Simmons, Paul Stanley, and the rest of the crew were hesitant. But with the supposed green light from their management, they agreed to a series of candid shots. This decision, a seemingly innocuous one, would become a ripple in the vast ocean of the band's history, a subtle shift in the tectonic plates of their carefully constructed image.

The upcoming event in Las Vegas is poised to be a seismic shift, a departure from KISS's tradition of flamboyant performances. The band has declared, in no uncertain terms, "We will not do the makeup." This bold statement underscores a commitment to authenticity, to a vulnerability rarely seen from these larger-than-life characters. This unmasked performance, this unveiling of the "real" KISS, is not just a performance; it is a promise. A promise to their fans, to themselves, and to the very essence of rock and roll, to embrace change and evolution.

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The genesis of the band, as Gene Simmons himself has recounted, was born in the vibrant, ever-evolving New York music scene of the early 1970s. Competing with other bands in the glitter rock era KISS members decided to create their unique iconic looks. During the bands formation, the glam and glitter scene was very prominent and boys were dressing up as girls wearing makeup.

The first time KISS officially appeared in public without makeup was on MTV on September 18, 1983, but the unmasked live performance was not far behind. The date, October 11, 1983, marks a pivotal moment. The band, known for their iconic face paint and elaborate stage costumes, took to the stage in a new light. This monumental change not only breathed new life into the bands commercial success, but it also stripped away a layer of theatricality, revealing the raw, unadulterated musicians beneath the masks.

Gene Simmons has a vision that continues to evolve. He is a man of many faces, from a grocery shopping spree to a family event. In a new interview with Michael Franzese, Gene Simmons was asked how he got the KISS phenomenon started more than five decades ago. He responded in part (as transcribed by blabbermouth.net.

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The band's willingness to experiment, to push boundaries, is part of what makes them so enduring. In the ever-changing landscape of rock and roll, they have always managed to stay one step ahead, reinventing themselves to remain relevant and captivating. As the KISS Army storms Las Vegas, the anticipation builds. The promise of a show without makeup means that Stanley, Simmons, and their special guests will be on the stage, stripped bare to face the world. In May 14th, 2023 the KISS tour rolled into Hartford, CT. And one fan even filmed the whole 38 minutes, including the whole band in their every day wear, sans makeup or costumes, and even includes gene mostly wearing just a robe.

It is a testament to their enduring appeal, a reminder that sometimes, the most captivating performance is one where the veil is lifted, and the artist stands before the audience, exposed and real. Years later, Simmons recalls the night and said that he remembers fans hating the makeup removal. He admitted that they were excited to finally see what was underneath all of the flashy makeup and tricks but ultimately, some were disappointed.

This evolution began long before the official announcement. The band had been hinting at a transformation for years. In a new interview with Michael Franzese, Gene Simmons was asked how he got the kiss phenomenon started more than five decades ago. This act of defiance, of embracing the impermanence of image, is a bold move. The news of the "Kiss Army Storms Vegas" event, announced by the band, sent ripples of excitement and curiosity through the music world.

The members of KISS played their first official concert without their signature makeup in 1983, but they took the stage together au naturel years before that at guitarist Ace Frehley's wedding. And it's not just the makeup; it's the costumes, the pyrotechnics, the sheer spectacle that has defined KISS for so long. Gene Simmons is putting away his makeup and saying goodbye to his time with kiss. They do wear the makeup when they play live and were in the middle of their farewell tour when the pandemic hit. The Gene Simmons Band will soon announce headlining festivals across Europe, South America, he added in an interview with entertainment tonight. I give gene and paul credit, with gene recently turning 71 and paul 68 they still put on a great show ace and peter are no longer with the band (now tommy thayer plays ace, eric singer plays peter).

And yet, amidst the fanfare, there is an air of melancholy. This is the end of an era. The end of an illusion, the end of a carefully crafted image. Gene Simmons, the man who has become synonymous with the KISS persona, has embraced his grey hairs and wrinkles. "At the same time that we were forming in new york, there was a very big glitter scene, where boys were basically acting like girls and putting on makeup," KISS frontman gene simmons told the. After the classic lineup of simmons, stanley, frehley, and criss reunited in august 1995 (without cosmetics) for a warmly received mtv unplugged episode, they decided to kiss and make up, so to.

The story of KISS without makeup is more than just a visual transformation. It is a lesson in artistic growth and self-acceptance. As the band embarks on this new chapter, they invite us to witness a band that refuses to be defined by its past, a band that is determined to embrace the future on its own terms. Gene simmons was spotted grocery shopping alone in malibu on thursday. The kiss bassist had on a very casual look as he ventured out without the standard teased hair and heavy makeup that he uses. Watch gene simmons recreate his iconic kiss makeup on his daughter sophie tweed simmons.subscribe to cosmopolitan, like now!

The decision to shed the makeup, the costumes, the carefully constructed image, was not an easy one. There was the fear of alienating fans, of betraying the image that had defined them for so long. There was the risk of failure. But KISS, in their wisdom, knew that stagnation was the greater enemy. "We will hold true to the promise [of never playing another kiss show in makeup]," Simmons stated. The band was caught in the middle of their farewell tour when the pandemic hit.

Kip winger doesnt want to pull a kiss with winger farewell. And one fan even filmed the whole 38 minutes, including the whole band in their every day wear, sans makeup or costumes, and even includes gene mostly wearing just a robe. The irony here being that when they started kiss pre make up they were going for the early 70s glam and glitter scene look with an infasis on new york dolls with women outfits and make up only to abandon that all together stating they were physically too big or looked liked football player's in a tutu lol then shoot forward 10 years later. I do remember it being mentioned that a few pictures got published, though.

The stage, once a canvas for elaborate makeup and towering platforms, will now be a space of raw vulnerability. The unmasked KISS is a band in transition, a band embracing its legacy while carving out a new path forward. Gene simmons, without makeup and with tongue out, from kiss. Get premium, high resolution news photos at getty images. Ace frehley and peter criss reunited and put the slap back on.