Gene Simmons does the gargoyle photo session

On 5. August, 1980, Gene Simmons participated in a solo photo session with photographer Bernard Vidal at Gold Studio, Room 301, located at 873 Broadway, Manhattan, New York City. The session produced a series of striking promotional portraits of Simmons in his classic Demon makeup during the early *Unmasked* era, only weeks after the introduction of Kiss’ new drummer, Eric Carr.

Several portraits feature Gene Simmons posing beside a large Gothic gargoyle. According to Kiss art director Dennis Woloch, Bernard Vidal had connections with New York prop makers and borrowed the cathedral-style sculpture for the session. Although the exact source of the prop remains unknown, it was almost certainly a theatrical or commercial photography rental rather than an architectural feature.

The session took place the day after Vidal photographed Eric Carr at St. Paul’s Chapel and Grand Central Terminal in New York. It also followed Kiss’ filming in New York City on 4. August for the popular Australian ABC television program Countdown, where the band was interviewed by Ian “Molly” Meldrum to introduce Eric Carr to Australian audiences ahead of Kiss’ first-ever Australian tour later that year.