Even for those who aren’t the biggest rock ‘n roll fans, there is a certain curiosity about the band
KISS and about their fans, known as the
KISS Army. This two-part documentary gives up some of their deepest secrets, and the obstacles they overcame to become “the hottest band in the world/land.”
Originally named
Wicked Lester, KISS has been performing and recording for almost 50 years, and the beginning of this documentary goes back even further. We learn that Gene Simmons was born in Israel and moved to the U.S. in 1958, while Paul Stanley was born in Queens, and was a very awkward, lonely child. We also learn that Stanley has a congenital handicap, a deformed ear, and can only hear out of his “good” ear. Neither man uses their given names of Stanley Bert Eisen (Paul) and Chaim Weitz (Gene). And that’s just for starters.
The two men met in 1970, and much of the first episode is spent with the two...
