On New Years Eve 1973, Kiss played Academy Of Music, New York. During the fire breathing at the end of "Firehouse", Gene Simmons unwillingly set his hair on fire for the first time (of many). On the same night Paul Stanley used his bandit make-up for the first time, and [...]
On 31. December, 1973, Kiss used their stage sign logo for the first time when they played Academy Of Music in New York. The sign was Bill Aucoin’s idea and made by Mark Ravitz. The cost was $3,750 and they used it for almost two years. On the same night [...]
On 31. December, 1973, Paul Stanley played his first of three shows with the bandit make-up. The first version of the bandit make-up, was just a black Lone Ranger mask, with silver edges, and silver around the eyes, while the second version was more diamond shaped than the first version. [...]
On 26. December, 1973, Kiss officially became the first act signed to former teen pop singer and Buddah Records executive Neil Bogart's new label, Emerald City Records, which was shortly afterward renamed Casablanca Records. Neil Bogart signs up Kiss officially, and the band photos with staff. Bogart has Paul changing [...]
On December 21. and 22. 1973, Kiss returned to the Coventry, NY, for a pair of farewell shows. "Before we played Coventry," Gene recalls, "Bill had brought a magician to one of our rehearsals. Bill said, ‘If we're gonna do it, let’s take it all the way.’ And the magician [...]
On 10. November, 1973, Kiss entered Bell Sound Studios on 54th Street in New York City with producers Kenny Kerner and Richie Wise to record their debut album. The album took six days to record and seven days to mix. The album was engineered and mixed by Warren Dewey. Art [...]
On 1. November, 1973, Kiss became the first act signed to former teen pop singer and Buddah Records executive Neil Bogart's new label, Emerald City Records (which was shortly afterward renamed Casablanca Records) after seeing Kiss doing a showcase at LeTang's rehearsal space on 28. September. Larry Harris "The band [...]
On 15. October, 1973, Kiss signed with Bill Aucoin's Rock Steady management after he first saw them live at the Crystal Ball Room of the Hotel Diplomat in New York City on August 10. 1973, and five days later promising them a record deal within 30 days. Aucoin held on [...]
On 28. September, 1973, Kiss played a showcase for Casablanca Records at LeTang's Rehearsal Hall for producers Kenny Kerner and Richie Wise, Neil and Joyce Bogart, Bill Aucoin, Sean Delaney, and other executives at the fledgling Casablanca label. It is at this showcase that Gene admits "borrowing" the facial grimace [...]
On 24. and 25. September, 1973, Kiss entered the Bell Sound Studios to do a rough demo of their entire song catalog at that point. The Bell Sound demos were essentially quick and dirty recordings of Kiss' entire song catalog at that point. The recordings were to be used by [...]
