KISS is one of the world’s most iconic rock bands. They’ve had many hits that have topped the charts. Songs like “Rock and Roll All Night,” “Crazy Crazy Nights,” “Detroit Rock City,” and “God Gave Rock ‘N’ Roll To You II” were all successful in different markets, with America and the UK proving to be two highlights for the band.
However, while some of their tracks helped cement their legacy as one of the top rock bands, many may associate them with makeup and costumes, with the band members taking on the personas of comic book-style characters.
KISS & Makeup
KISS sought to create a buzz within an incredibly crowded music genre. When they formed in New York in 1973, there were already a number of established bands in the industry, which led the band to implement various gimmicks, mainly influenced by some big names from the glam rock genre, like Alice Cooper and David Bowie aka Ziggy Stardust.
Gene Simmons, the band’s singer-bassist, came up with various ideas and approaches to try and make the group different. He learned how to breathe fire, and props were incorporated into their performances. However, the biggest change that really helped them stand out was in terms of makeup.
The band experimented with their style during their early days in New York. “The very first pictures we took when the band first got together, we looked like drag queens,” Simmons told the fanzine. He noted that a big glitter scene was emerging and took inspiration from that. He admitted the makeup looks came about — completely organically: “I just remember being in a loft in downtown New York and looking in the mirror and just starting to draw, It was very stream-of-consciousness. What you see is really what just happened. … Nobody else was involved.”
Kabuki-inspired makeup
The band adopted kabuki-inspired makeup to achieve the desired outlandish look that was honest, respectful, and designed to create authenticity. The makeup used a “clown white” base, with the familiar black shapes painted on top to bring the design to life.
This helped them create unique personas for each band member. The use of this type of makeup birthed characters known as the Star Child, the Demon, the Cat, and the Space Ace. Feeling it was time for a change, Kiss left their makeup and costumes. The group stopped using makeup designs between 1983 and 1996, with the original lineup bringing them out of retirement.
Makeup Has Made KISS More Iconic Than Their Music
KISS’s status and legacy in popular culture are safe and won’t be going anywhere. As mentioned, they were a hugely successful rock band in their heyday and had millions of fans.
They were active until 2023 but plan to live on in a digital capacity. Following ABBA’s example, digital avatars are being created that will perform fully virtual stage shows after being sold to Pophouse for a reported $300 million. This fee includes their songs, the brand, and all intellectual property.
It won’t be the first time they have been immortalized in digital form. They have also inspired a slot game on Unibet’s casino NL site. The game, “Kiss Reels of Rock,” features some of the band’s top songs and iconic looks.
Perhaps the band’s appearance has helped it become as popular as it has with fans. Almost anyone you ask about the group will immediately talk about the face paint they used before discussing any of the songs they have sung.
Taylor Swift Has Taken Inspiration From KISS’s Iconic Look
To further amplify how iconic the look has been, some of the world’s most prominent artists have been spotted donning the same makeup designs that KISS became synonymous with.
Although it was part of a prank, Taylor Swift has been known to copy one of the designs. When she was just a support act and not selling out global tours worth over a projected $1 billion of her own, Swift pranked Keith Urban on his 2009 world tour.
She would copy the design Ace Frehley had used during his time as the initial lead guitarist over two spells, who was known as “Spaceman.” Taylor Swift and her band members would come out on stage in full gear, with custom hair and wearing the iconic clothing that the rockers were known for wearing when performing on stage.
Taylor Swift isn’t the only artist to have copied their iconic look, but she’s arguably the most famous to have done so. We’d even expect many more in the future to don the face paint and replicate how the band looked just because of how famous it has become in popular culture.
