KISSmissed in 1979

I sometimes wonder how different my life would be if I’d gone to a KISS concert when I was 9.

The talk of it was big in 1979. This was the KISS on its last legs of being the “hottest band in the world” as they self-proclaimed endlessly. This was after the solo albums, and hot on the heels of the “disco song” of “I Was Made for Loving You.”

To me, the band could do no wrong. Ditto that my cousin, J.J., who like me worshipped everything that Ace, Peter, Paul and Gene did. Notice the order of the band members, it is no accident.

I got the Ace, Peter and for some reason Gene albums. The Ace one is still in rotation today. The Peter one was cool, but didn’t stand the test of time. The Gene one? Dreck. I don’t think I made it to a second listen. The Paul one? I still have not heard.

This was after getting KISS albums for doing things. I remember when I was on the high dive board at the swimming pool. Scared out of my wits. I was offered anything I wanted to jump. I said “the new KISS album?” My mom said yes. Soon, I had “KISS Alive! II”. My sister already had “Rock and Roll All Over” and “Detroit Rock City”, which soon became mine. I had a poster of Gene Simmons behind my door. Behind it because it actually scared me as a kid. Ha! But I loved KISS.

“Dynasty” came out after the disappointment of the solo albums. Soon after, a tour announcement came.

The band listed its ”Dynasty” tour for 1979 and on it was the Hampton Coliseum. July 5, 1979 to be exact. This was, of course, in the minds of an 8 and 9 year old, the be-all and end-all of the universe. An occurrence that would never happen again.

Sadly, it would turn out to be true.

At this point, Peter Criss was saddled with drug-addiction. Ace Frehley was a drunk, who probably had other issues with drugs as well. The band was a marketing empire, but it was crumbling due. And much of it had to do with the fact that people like me and my cousin – little kids – wanted to go to see them perform.

I begged my mother. Pleaded with her. But she was adamant. When did my mother, who was so cool, become the mom that would later be portrayed in the movie “Detroit Rock City”? KISS wasn’t going to turn me into some demon. I wasn’t going to start smoking pot because I went to see them. I wasn’t going to get herpes from some slut in row 15. No, I was going to just watch them. And love it.

In the end, J.J. and his mom – my mom’s sister – went to the show. It wouldn’t be until 1985 that I was allowed to go see an arena rock show. Ironically, with my cousin J.J. and his mother when Van Halen with new lead singer Sammy Hagar took the stage at the Coliseum. I was so disturbed by the lack of one David Lee Roth, that a plan was hatched to sneak toilet paper rolls into the arena and throw them at Mr. Hagar. We succeeded. It was glorious.

But back to 1979.

This kid was now sullen. I have no idea if this was the moment where I changed. I think it had to do with other things, but this coming on top of it? Well, it wasn’t a help.

I had hoped to be able to brag to my classmates, including one little girl that I had a huge crush on, that I was going to see KISS play! Yes, the same KISS that was on the television with “KISS Meets the Phantom of the Park”! Coolness and awesomeness would follow.

Instead, I didn’t go. My cousin did.

I stewed all summer and into the next school year. The lovely girl I’d had a crush on was gone, moved away. Summer turned to fall and fall to winter.

And then the news came via the magazines – Hit Parader, Creem and such. Peter Criss was leaving the band. He was my favorite KISS member. Loved the cat theme and the #3 all over things. But now he was gone. The album “Unmasked” came out with a new drummer.

I hated it simply for that.

It didn’t help KISS’ cause that “Music from The Elder” was next. More dreck.

The final straw for the band in my mind was 1982’s double shot of awful “Killers” and “Creatures of the Night.”

At 11, I was done with KISS. My first favorite band. Certainly not my last, but one that I still have a soft spot for despite knowing how bad most of the music really was.

From a distance I watched as Ace Frehley was replaced. Had Eddie Van Halen or Richie Sambora taken the job, maybe things would have changed. I doubt it, though.

Vinnie Vincent? “Lick It Up”? Ugh.

Then the makeup came off on MTV. It was horridly sad. I watched, now an awkward 14 year old. The last KISS myth was now destroyed.

Mark St. John, I think, came next. After that, I don’t remember much.

Soon, I was listening to Metallica and Slayer or The Clash and Sex Pistols or U2 and INXS. My musical tastes and my ability to find it were expanding (nothing like how easy it is today).

When the original band got back together in the mid-1990s, I thought about going. I didn’t.

Each subsequent reunion tour has sort of made me want to go, simply for nostalgia, but I don’t.

Seeing them live from New Orleans this year via the Internet confirmed that I’d made the right call over the last decade-plus.

It just wouldn’t be the same, seeing them now, as they are. The wide-eyed 9 year-old is still in there, but it would have been the 30something or 40something me there. Much like if you see Star Wars for the first time now, not then. It’s just not the same.

And I’ll always wonder what I would have been had I seen KISS in 1979?