Where Are the Members of KISS Now? Inside the Hard Rock Bandmates' Lives Through the Years

With their look paint, pyrotechnics and larger-than-life attitude, KISS didn’t conscionable play stone euphony — they turned it into a full-blown spectacle that defined an era.

Formed successful 1973 successful New York City by Gene Simmons and Paul Stanley, pinch Ace Frehley and Peter Criss rounding retired nan original lineup, KISS changeable to fame successful nan 1970s pinch anthems for illustration “Rock and Roll All Nite” and “Black Diamond.” Though Frehley and Criss near nan set by nan early ’80s, each 4 original members were inducted into nan Rock and Roll Hall of Fame successful 2014.

After nan original lineup changed, KISS welcomed a bid of talented musicians who helped support nan band’s legendary power alive. Guitarists Vinnie Vincent, Mark St. John, Tommy Thayer and Bruce Kulick, on pinch drummers Eric Carr and Eric Singer, each brought their ain flair, contributing to nan band’s evolving sound while honoring its iconic legacy.

In summation to their music, nan group is besides known for their signature onstage constitution designs. Each look represented a different persona: nan "Demon" (Simmons), nan "Starchild" (Stanley), nan "Catman" (Singer) and nan "Spaceman" (Thayer). In 1983, nan set ditched their costumes and constitution during what became known arsenic KISS' "unmasked" era. It lasted for complete a decade earlier nan group's original lineup reunited concisely successful 1996, bringing their iconic personas backmost on pinch them.

In September 2018, nan group announced their farewell tour, revealing that they planned to discontinue from touring aft nan last concerts.

"All that we person built and each that we person conquered complete nan past 4 decades could ne'er person happened without nan millions of group worldwide who've filled clubs, arenas and stadiums complete those years," KISS said astatine nan time. "This will beryllium nan eventual ceremony for those who've seen america and a past chance for those who haven't."

The End of nan Road Tour began successful 2019, but was put connected region owed to nan COVID-19 pandemic. It yet concluded successful December 2023 astatine Madison Square Garden successful N.Y.C. However, nan set will return to nan shape for KISS Kruise: Land-Locked In Vegas in November 2025.

Just a period earlier then, Frehley died.

Here's a look into nan lives of nan members of KISS, past and now.

Gene Simmons, 76

Gene Simmons, né Chaim Witz, was calved successful Israel connected Aug. 25, 1949. He immigrated to New York City astatine property 8 pinch his mother and changed his sanction to Gene Klein, taking connected his mother's maiden name. For his shape name, nan band's co-lead vocalist and bassist took inspiration from rockabilly vocalist Jumpin' Gene Simmons.

Simmons was successful his first band, The Lynx, arsenic a teenager. In 1968, he joined Bullfrog Bheer, and later formed nan group Wicked Lester pinch Paul Stanley. The duo ended up stepping distant from nan group and a grounds woody to create KISS. Outside of music, Simmons worked arsenic a sixth-grade coach successful New York for six months and was nan adjunct to a Vogue editor successful 1973.

Simmons has remained KISS' bassist and co-lead vocalist since nan group's inception. His persona, nan "Demon," is infamous for sticking retired his tongue, vomiting clone humor and moreover spitting occurrence connected stage.

In summation to nan band, Simmons has launched respective different successful ventures, including a magazine, grounds explanation and an animated show, My Dad nan Rock Star.

The rocker is nan father of 2 children, girl Sophie and boy Nick Simmons, whom he shares pinch his woman Shannon Tweed-Simmons. The mates has been together since 1983, but waited 28 years to officially necktie nan knot successful 2011. His family life was chronicled connected Gene Simmons Family Jewels, his reality bid that ran connected A&E from 2006 to 2012.

Simmons prefers to support his individual circle small, telling Goldmine mag that extracurricular of his bandmate Stanley, he doesn't person friends.

"Even coming arsenic I beryllium here, different than Paul [Stanley], and we only get together erstwhile we do worldly for nan set … How do I opportunity this without sounding inhuman? I don't person friends," he told nan outlet.

Paul Stanley, 73

Born Stanley Bert Eisen successful New York City connected Jan. 20, 1952, KISS hit guitarist and co-lead vocalist Paul Stanley was influenced by euphony from a young age, receiving his first guitar astatine nan property of 7. He first linked up pinch his early KISS bandmate Simmons successful nan early 1970s, joining Simmons' group Wicked Lester.

After Wicked Lester collapsed up successful 1972, nan brace teamed up pinch Peter Criss and later Ace Frehley to shape KISS, a sanction Stanley came up pinch aft taking inspiration from Criss' erstwhile band, Lips.

After KISS' self-titled medium debuted successful 1974, Stanley decided to legally alteration his sanction to "Paul Stanley," citing trading reasons successful summation to nan truth that he'd ne'er been fond of his moniker. He besides officially took connected his KISS persona, nan "Starchild," and became known for wearing a painted prima complete his correct eye.

Stanley released a self-titled solo medium successful 1978, followed by a 2nd solo album, Live to Win, successful 2006. He established a tribute band, Paul Stanley's Soul Station, successful 2015 to play soulful euphony from nan 1960s and 1970s. The group released its first album, Now and Then, successful 2021.

In summation to collaborating pinch Simmons successful KISS, Stanley has worked connected a number of extracurricular ventures pinch his bandmate, including nan edifice franchise Rock & Brews and a now-defunct shot squad called Los Angeles Kiss.

As for his individual life, Stanley was joined to character Pamela Bowen for 9 years until their divorcement successful 2001. The erstwhile mates stock 1 son, Evan Shane, calved successful June 1994.

In November 2005, nan rocker joined his 2nd wife, Erin Sutton, pinch whom he shares 3 children: boy Colin Michael, calved successful September 2006; girl Sarah Brianna, calved successful January 2009; and girl Emily Grace, calved successful August 2011.

"There is thing greater successful life than family, and my accomplishments arsenic a begetter rank astatine nan apical of my successes," he told PEOPLE successful 2011.

Ace Frehley

Paul Daniel "Ace" Frehley was calved connected April 27, 1951, and grew up successful nan Bronx. After playing arsenic a personnel of various bands done his teens, he officially joined KISS successful January 1973, coming up pinch nan group's iconic lightning bolt logo.

Frehley took connected nan persona of nan "Spaceman," known for his over-the-top and out-of-this-world guitar style (during his solos, his signature Les Paul Custom guitar would fill nan shape pinch fume as he played).

Despite becoming 1 of nan astir celebrated guitarists successful nan world, Frehley was famously self-taught and ne'er had immoderate general instruction. "I ne'er took a guitar lesson, and conscionable astir each day, personification comes up to maine and says, 'If it wasn't for you, I ne'er would person picked up a guitar,' " he said successful 2018.

Though he had occurrence arsenic an original group member, Frehley departed successful December 1982 and was replaced by Vinnie Vincent. After leaving KISS, he formed his ain band, Frehley's Comet, which put retired 2 albums successful 1987 and 1988. He besides began a solo profession and released complete 10 albums betwixt 1978 and 2024.

The rocker later rejoined KISS successful 1996 for a reunion tour, pinch each 4 original members performing together for nan first clip since 1980. In September 1998, nan set released their 18th medium together, Psycho Circus, nan first to impact nan original 4 members since their 1979 release, Dynasty. He near nan group again successful 2002.

Frehley joined Jeanette Trerotola successful 1978 and welcomed their daughter, Monique, 2 years later. The KISS guitarist died connected Oct. 16, 2025, at nan property of 74.

“We are devastated by nan passing of Ace Frehley," Simmons and Stanley told PEOPLE successful a associated statement. "He was an basal and irreplaceable stone worker during immoderate of nan astir formative foundational chapters of nan set and its history. He is and will ever beryllium a portion of KISS’s legacy."

Peter Criss, 79

Born connected Dec. 20, 1945, Peter George John Criscuola grew up successful Brooklyn and is known by his shape sanction Peter Criss.

He played pinch different bands successful nan mid-to-late 1960s, but joined KISS aft Stanley and Simmons saw his advertisement successful nan East Coast version of Rolling Stone. He developed nan "Catman" persona and joined nan recently formed group arsenic their drummer.

Criss besides served arsenic nan lead vocalist connected a fewer KISS songs, including their 1976 deed "Beth," for which he is credited arsenic a co-writer. However, conscionable a fewer years later, successful 1980, Criss ended up leaving nan band, though nan circumstances of his departure person been mostly debated (Simmons and Frehley person some said that he was fired, while Criss maintains he quit).

After leaving KISS, Criss said to PEOPLE astir immoderate of his struggles while successful nan band. "It ever had to beryllium Gene's way. It was an ego thing," he said. "There's much to euphony than 3 chords."

At nan time, nan musician was preparing to spell connected circuit for Out of Control, his 2nd of 4 solo albums. For his first task extracurricular of KISS, Criss explained he was aiming for "a much blase following. I don't want to duck bottles anymore. I've had it pinch occurrence and bombs onstage. I spot myself successful a tux successful Las Vegas."

He rejoined KISS on pinch Frehley successful 1996 for the group's reunion tour, but near again successful 2001 pursuing a statement dispute. He returned by precocious 2002, but near permanently successful March 2004 and was replaced by Eric Singer.

Outside of nan band, Criss was joined to his puerility sweetheart, Lydia Di Leonardo, from 1970 until 1979. He met erstwhile Playboy playmate Debra Jensen while attending a statement astatine Rod Stewart's mansion, and nan brace joined successful 1979. They welcomed a daughter, Jenilee, together successful 1981, but divided successful 1994. In May 1998, he joined his 3rd wife, Gigi Criss.

In 2007, Criss discovered a lump connected his thorax while moving out. In February 2008, doctors removed a nodule from his breast, which they diagnosed arsenic bosom cancer. A room nan pursuing period removed nan cancer.

"So galore group must dice from this," he told CNN successful 2009. "Somebody has to measurement up to nan sheet and opportunity thing to get them alert of really vulnerable this is. Lots of men die: They wait, they don't spell in, they put it off."

Eric Carr

Paul Charles Caravello, calved July 12, 1950, grew up successful Brooklyn, New York. He replaced Criss arsenic KISS' drummer successful 1980 and adopted nan shape name Eric Carr.

Carr's first nationalist capacity pinch nan group was connected July 25, 1980, astatine nan Palladium successful N.Y.C. Instead of utilizing Criss' "Catman" persona, he came up pinch nan "Fox" character. Music from "The Elder" was nan first medium he worked connected pinch nan group, and he besides dabbled successful guitar, bass guitar, soft and inheritance vocals.

In early 1991, Carr was diagnosed pinch bosom cancer, and began undergoing a bid of surgeries and chemotherapy. He was temporarily replaced by Singer successful KISS while he focused connected his health, though he reportedly pleaded pinch Simmons and Stanley, arsenic good arsenic his doctors, to fto him rejoin nan band. After learning from Carr's doctors that he only had a fewer much months to live, Simmons and Stanley agreed to fto him look successful nan "God Gave Rock and Roll to You II" euphony video.

Carr's last nationalist quality pinch nan set was astatine nan September 1991 MTV Video Music Awards. Shortly after, he died astatine nan property of 41. The set dedicated nan 1992 medium Revenge to Carr, which contained "Carr Jam 1981," a demo he recorded aft joining nan group. In 1999, nan musician's family, on pinch erstwhile KISS guitarist Bruce Kulick, posthumously released his solo medium Rockology.

Eric Singer, 67

Eric Singer was calved successful Cleveland, Ohio, connected May 12, 1958. The drummer's begetter was a section bandleader and played a ample domiciled successful influencing his emotion of music.

Singer first joined KISS successful December 1991 pursuing nan decease of Carr. He played connected nan band's 16th and 17th workplace albums, Revenge and Carnival of Souls: The Final Sessions, and embarked connected respective tours.

In 1996, however, nan band's first drummer Criss returned to nan group erstwhile nan original members reunited for nan Alive/Worldwide tour. Singer stepped away, only to rejoin again successful 2001. After temporarily departing erstwhile again successful 2002, he permanently rejoined nan set successful 2004.

Outside of KISS, Singer has toured and/or performed pinch Queen's Brian May, Alice Cooper, Black Sabbath and more. He is besides nan drummer for his KISS bandmate Stanley's broadside project, Soul Station.

Tommy Thayer, 64

Tommy Thayer was calved connected Nov. 7, 1960, and grew up successful Beaverton, Ore. He was raised successful a family of musicians, and first picked up an electrical guitar astatine property 13.

Pre-KISS, Thayer co-founded nan set Black 'n Blue, which opened for KISS connected circuit successful 1985. In summation to being portion of their opening act, nan rocker was progressive pinch nan set successful various capacities earlier officially taking connected nan domiciled of lead guitarist.

In 1994, he began moving pinch Simmons and Stanley connected their book Kisstory, and managed their 1995 Worldwide Kiss Convention tour. He besides served arsenic a shaper and editor of respective long-form video and movie releases for nan group. Thayer officially joined nan group arsenic nan lead guitarist during a backstage performance successful Jamaica successful March 2002, replacing Frehley and wearing nan "Spaceman" constitution and costume for nan first time.

Outside of nan band, Thayer is involved successful aggregate charitable organizations, including serving connected nan committee of board of nan Arnold Palmer Education Fund and nan Thayer Family Foundation. He is besides connected nan committee of trustees astatine Pacific University successful Oregon. In May 2018, nan assemblage honored nan musician pinch an honorary doctorate of humane letters "in nickname of his tremendous profession and philanthropic activity efforts."

Thayer joined Amber Peek successful 2006, though nan mates person since separated. In March 2021, nan guitarist announced via Instagram that he had connected pinch his daughter, Sierra, nan erstwhile summer, whom he had not antecedently known about.

Vinnie Vincent, 73

Vincent John Cusano, known by his shape sanction Vinnie Vincent, was calved connected Aug. 6, 1952, successful Bridgeport, Conn. In 1982, he was brought successful arsenic a replacement lead guitarist pursuing Frehley's departure from nan group. Like Carr, Vincent took connected a different persona than his predecessor. He utilized nan "Ankh Warrior" character, a look created by Stanley.

His clip successful nan group was short-lived, however, because he refused to motion nan employment contract offered by Simmons and Stanley and was reportedly fired aft nan extremity of nan Lick It Up circuit successful March 1984.

After departing KISS, Vincent formed a caller band, Vinnie Vincent Invasion, successful nan mid-1980s, and released 2 albums earlier breaking up successful 1989. He concisely reunited pinch KISS successful 1992, appearing arsenic a songwriter connected nan medium Revenge, but again butted heads pinch Simmons and Stanley during nan project. ("Vinnie was up to his aged tricks again," Simmons told Rolling Stone, alleging that Vincent sued nan set complete a statement dispute).

Following nan merchandise of his 1996 solo task Euphoria, Vincent retreated from nationalist life. In 2018, however, he agreed to reunite pinch Simmons connected shape for a capacity to beforehand nan latter's Vault collector's set. The erstwhile bandmates appeared successful Nashville together that April, marking their first associated quality successful complete 2 decades.

A fewer years later, successful May 2022, Vincent appeared pinch erstwhile KISS guitarists Frehley and Kulick for a capacity of 4 of nan band's songs astatine Creatures Fest successful Nashville.

As for his individual life, nan guitarist shared copy daughters pinch his ex-wife AnnMarie Peters, who was murdered successful 1998 aft they had divorced. Vincent later cited his daughters arsenic 1 of nan reasons he refused to motion his first statement pinch KISS.

"I had a family," he said successful 2018. "I had twins that I didn't cognize I was gonna have, and location was nary money to return attraction of them, and location was nary money to bargain a home. We were surviving pinch relatives, and I was connected telephone 24 hours a day, which was OK — it was each OK. But I couldn't move on; location was nary future."

In 1996, he joined his 2nd wife, Diane Kero, an ex-girlfriend of Frehley whom he had met nan erstwhile twelvemonth astatine a KISS normal successful Chicago. She died connected Jan. 13, 2014, astatine property 47.

Mark St. John

Mark St. John, calved Mark Leslie Norton connected Feb. 7, 1956, successful Hollywood, Calif., was nan 3rd lead guitarist to subordinate KISS. He was concisely successful nan group aft Vincent near successful early 1984, exiting by December of that aforesaid year.

St. John ne'er performed successful a persona for nan group, arsenic they had their unrecorded unmasking nan twelvemonth prior. He only appeared successful 1 video for nan band, nan deed azygous "Heaven's connected Fire" from their Animalize album, nan only medium he was featured on. St. John reportedly fought pinch different members of nan set while signaling Animalize, and Stanley later said they had problem solidifying his solos owed to a deficiency of "structure" successful his playing.

The musician's clip successful nan group was trim short erstwhile he developed reactive arthritis, which caused swelling successful his arms and hands. He was only capable to execute 2 afloat shows and 1 partial show earlier Kulick began filling successful for him, yet officially replacing St. John successful nan set successful December 1984.

Following his clip pinch KISS, St. John formed nan set White Tiger and released a azygous medium earlier they divided successful 1988. In 1990, he teamed up pinch erstwhile KISS personnel Criss connected a set called Keep, though they had problem shopping their demo around. St. John ended up leaving nan group, and Criss later renamed nan set aft himself.

In September 2006, St. John was incarcerated astatine nan Theo Lacy Jail successful Orange County, Calif., for possession of supplier paraphernalia and attempted demolition of evidence. While successful jail, he sustained terrible injuries aft he was allegedly beaten and stabbed pinch pencils by a group of inmates.

Following his release, St. John suffered from headaches and assemblage aches, telling his woman that they were nan consequence of nan injuries he sustained. On April 5, 2007, astatine nan property of 51, he died of a encephalon hemorrhage brought connected by an accidental overdose of methamphetamine.

Bruce Kulick, 71

Bruce Howard Kulick was calved connected Dec. 12, 1953, successful Brooklyn. Prior to joining KISS arsenic their lead guitarist, Kulick worked pinch artists including Michael Bolton and Meat Loaf. Like St. John, he ne'er took connected an onstage persona aliases wore constitution while a personnel of nan group.

Kulick became an charismatic personnel of KISS successful September 1984 to switch St. John pursuing his arthritis diagnosis. During his clip pinch nan band, he appeared connected 5 workplace albums and 2 unrecorded albums.

Kulick near KISS successful 1996 pursuing nan Alive/Worldwide tour, which saw each 4 original members of nan set reunite, though he did lend to nan group's 1998 medium Psycho Circus.

Following his departure, Kulick formed nan set Union successful 1997, pinch whom he recorded 3 albums. Additionally, he released 3 solo albums and has served arsenic nan lead guitarist for Grand Funk Railroad since 2000. He has besides been a featured performer connected nan KISS Kruise since 2017.

Kulick began making love Lisa Lane successful 2008, and they joined successful 2014. The mates lives successful Las Vegas together, and occasionally records acoustic covers of celebrated KISS songs, which they stock connected Kulick's YouTube channel.