A KISS biography for true believers

KISS Behind the Mask by David Leaf and Ken Sharp gives hardcore fans a backstage view of the iconic band.

The book contains three parts, leading off with Leaf's unpublished book about the band compiled from interviews in 1979. 

Leaf's section provides the backstory of each original band member( Gene Simmons, Paul Stanley, Ace Frehley, and Peter Criss) with candid interviews. The honesty is impressive since the band was at its zenith then. The book's high point is these unguarded moments about each member and the struggles to create one of the most unique groups in rock and roll.

Following Leaf's 1979 time capsule take on the band, Sharp's first section highlights key moments in the band's history through 2000, supplemented by quotes from rock stars such as Alice Cooper, Joey Ramone, and Bob Seger. 

KISS knows what their audience wants, and they deliver it. If it were easy, everybody would do it. Anybody who slams them has never done it. I totally respect them. They're the best at what they do; history has proven that. - Bob Seger

There are also interviews with producers, managers, and technicians, which provide a resonant perspective of the band, especially how albums and songs were crafted. This part also covers the departures of Criss (1980) and Frehley (1982) and provides the details of when the original members reunited for a world tour in 1996.

For fans, the real value is in the third section, which is the in-depth descriptions of the genesis of albums and songs. Every song through the release of 1998's "Psycho Circus" is detailed. If you're not a true believer, this may seem like overkill, but fire-breathing fans will find every morsel revelatory. For example, "Alive," the album that helped put KISS on the map, is much less of a live album than listeners might think.

I rate KISS Behind the Mask five stars. The book is weighted toward Gene and Paul, but that's fair since they were the driving force behind Kiss' success. Fans of Ace and Peter may feel slighted by the content. Readers are encouraged to seek out Ace's No Regrets and Peter's Makeup to Breakup: My Life In and Out of KISS to get the full story from their perspectives. The book is an insightful look at the band's creative process and how the spark of uniqueness birthed KISS, its songs, and concert theatrics. 

I won't lie; this is a book for devout KISS fans. Casual readers and snooty rock fans may want to give the book a pass. Still, in the end, anyone who loves rock and roll will find the time spent with this KISS history worthwhile.