On 31. March, 1974, Kiss played their first outdoor gig at 'The 4th Annual KSHE Kite Fest' in Forest Park, St. Louis, Missouri. This free entrance daytime festival was organized by the local radio rock station KSHE-95. A local group called the Thirteenth Floor played various popular songs, including several [...]
On 20. December, 1974, Gene Simmons got high for the one and only time in his life, after he ignored Creem journalist Jaan Uhelszki's warning to avoid eating brownies, not knowing they contained hash. Kiss was playing two shows at the Michigan Palace, Detroit, and the promoter held a reception [...]
On 7. November, 1974, Kiss played their first-ever sold out headlining concert in an arena, at the 9,300 seat Kiel Auditorium in St. Louis, Missouri, while on their "Hotter Than Hell" Tour. This was the KSHE radio's "7th Anniversary Party of Real Rock Radio" show, and tickets for the event [...]
On 26. October 1974, Kiss did the photo session for the Dressed To Kill album with Bob Gruen. The front cover photo was taken on the southeast corner of W23rd Street and 8th Avenue looking east in New York City. The band also did a second photo session with the [...]
On 22. October, 1974, Kiss' second album "Hotter than Hell" was released by Casablanca Records. It was certified gold on June 23, 1977, having shipped 500,000 copies. The album was re-released in 1997 in a remastered version. It peaked on the Billboard 200 charts at No. 100, without the benefit [...]
On 14. October 1974, Kiss was invited by Rock Scene magazine to speak at the New York chapter of the Recording Academy (NARAS) at Radio Show Extravaganza, CBS Studios B, in Manhattan, New York, moderated by Allison Steel. The members of Kiss and Wayne County joined the panel for a [...]
On 14. September, 1974, Kiss appeared on the CityTV show "Boogie" in Toronto, Canada. Little is know about this appearance and the footage apparently hasn't survived. "Boogie" was an "American Bandstand" rip-off, with people dancing to the hits of the day. This is probably where Kiss met producer Bob Ezrin [...]
On August 25. 1974, the second "Hotter Than Hell" photo session took place at The Stage, Hollywood, California, with photographer Norman Seeff. Ace Frehley: "For one photo session we did for the "Hotter Than Hell" album, this doctor told me I could only put makeup on half of my face. [...]
On 23. August 1974 Ace Frehley crashed the crew's car, a brand-new Monte Carlo, while driving drunk in the Hollywood Hills, hitting a telephone pole. Ace Frehley: "For the photo session we did for the “Hotter Than Hell” album, the doctor told me I could only put makeup on half [...]
On 18. August 1974, Kiss did the "Hotter Than Hell" photo session at The Stage, Hollywood, California, with photographer Norman Seeff. Gene Simmons: "We did a photo session with Norman Seeff in Los Angeles. Norman was a very bright but strange guy who believed that photo sessions should be this [...]
