KISS: Behind the Mask - Official Authorized Biogrphy | 
| Authors: David Leaf, Ken Sharp
Publisher: Grand Central Publishing
Category: Book
List Price: $15.95
Buy New: $6.38
You Save: $9.57 (60%)
New (28) Used (19) Collectible (1) from $4.95
Rating:  52 reviews
Sales Rank: 98470
Media: Paperback
Pages: 448
Number Of Items: 1
Shipping Weight (lbs): 1.4
Dimensions (in): 8.6 x 5.9 x 1.2
ISBN: 0446695246
Dewey Decimal Number: 920
EAN: 9780446695244
ASIN: 0446695246
Publication Date: June 2, 2005
Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days
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Product Description
With unprecedented access to all four members of KISS-including their private archive of 30 years of photographs-here is the complete story of one of the most influential hard rock bands of all time. Dressed like leather-clad rock 'n' roll warriors from another planet and adorned in colorful greasepaint, KISS has sold more than 80 million albums and transfixed audiences around the world. In this shockingly revealing and comprehensive biography, the group unveils all the previously untold details of their struggling birth in New York City, to the breakthrough success of their seminal 1975 album, Alive!, to the triumphant reunion that propelled them right back to the highest ranks of music superstardom.
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| Customer Reviews: Read 47 more reviews...
 Very interesting and well written June 20, 2009
Tigger (Pueblo, CO)
This is the first KISS book I've read; I've been a casual fan until recently, when I decided I wanted to know more details about the band's history and its music. This book is different from many "band biographies" in that the entire first section was transcribed from interviews done by David Leaf in 1979 -- although he transcribed the interviews in 1979, they were never published until this book was released -- and the second half is comprised mainly of interviews done by Ken Sharp (well after 1979); this part includes extensive song-by-song, album-by-album commentary by the band, managers, producers, session musicians, songwriters, etc. involved in creating each album and song. It gives an interesting perspective into what went into making each song and each album, and was actually very helpful in directing my attention to certain tracks which I might be interested in downloading but which were not the most commercially successful songs by KISS. As a direct result of reading this book, I ended up buying multiple MP3 downloads which I'd never heard before but which I really enjoy (of course, the 30 second previews are crucial!).
 THIS BOOK BLEW ME AWAY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! May 23, 2009
Pedro Valery
If you're a hardcore KISS FAN you've got to have this book.
This is a complete view of KISSTORY
 the kiss museum news... February 9, 2009
Tracy Barrionuevo (n/a)
1 out of 2 found this review helpful
many of the transcripts used to write this book were stolen from the editors of "the kiss museum news" a fan based publication out of detroit michigan, gene and paul and fbi agents stole this material from edward przydzial and his photos too. many of which have appeared in kisstory as well as metal edge and are also being sold via kissonline and pictopia photo services...
 A great gift for any KISS fan January 18, 2009
Indy (Mississippi, USA)
0 out of 1 found this review helpful
I bought this book for a friend who is a huge KISS fan. He doesn't like to read much but he devoured this book.
Great book...packed with information on songwriting, tours, etc. October 14, 2008
Chet L. Young
2 out of 2 found this review helpful
A lot of other rock writers could--and should--take "Behind the Mask" as their model. The first section, written during the "Dynasty" tour in 1979, is readable but has a fawning, cutesy-poo quality that wears thin pretty quickly; it's very similar to Robert Duncan's unauthorized KISS bio from the year before. "KISS is awesome and they'll go on being awesome forever. There will be more movies and solo albums! Peter will assemble and conduct a 300-piece jazz band! Gene will play a cross between Dracula, the Phantom of the Opera, and Mr. Spock in a major motion picture!" Whatever. The other two sections of the book are rock-solid, though, documenting the band's rise, fall, and comeback(s) in great detail. I love the various accounts of how KISS's songs were written, especially the early ones. Gene and Paul are characteristically catty: Wow, Ace recorded a good solo album! We honestly didn't think he had it in him. (Paul McCartney said something very similar to this when discussing George Harrison's contributions to "Abbey Road".)
If you appreciate the KISS phenomenon as a whole, you'll love this book. If you're only interested in groupie-banging stories, look elsewhere.
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