Rating: 
Summary: An American Success Story
Review: I loved this book, because it is a true rags-to-riches, all-American success story. Gene did things HIS way, and I admire his gutsy, no B.S. approach to music, business, and life in general. Gene gives us a fascinating look at his background, from growing up in Israel and later in the USA. We learn all about the long career of Kiss, and the members of the band and extended organization. We also learn about Gene's projects and interests outside of Kiss. It was Gene and Paul Stanley that kept the Kiss machine running, and they rightly reaped most of the financial rewards. Undoubtedly, Peter Criss and Ace Frehley (and, during later years of Kissstory, Vinnie Vincent) provided much of the necessary creative spark that all great rock bands need, but they are where they are today because of their substance abuse and stupidity. Why waste time being a boozer and/or druggie when there is a world to conquer? I was glad that Ace seemed to finally be getting his act together by the end of the reunion tour.
Rating: 
Summary: genuine, smart, and egotistical
Review: I didn't know much about KISS before reading this book, but I still found Simmons' stories fascintating. This is the auto-biography of Gene Simmons, who begins as a poor Israeli immigrant and eventually becomes one of the most famous rock stars in history. The book covers his younger years including some vivid stories of homelife. The bulk of the book is about the band and what went on behind the scenes. He is extremely critical of Ace and Peter's bad work ethic and chemical problems, and pretty much always praises his own behavior. It's unclear how accurate this perspective actually is, but Simmons comes across as genuine, smart, and egotistical.
I listened to the unabridged audio version of the book, which was great because Simmons reads it himself. But what keeps this version from getting 5 stars is that there are no audio clips of any KISS music. That would have been a great feature, but still it is a great book (at least from a non-kiss-fan perspective). If you liked this book I would also recommend Joe Eszterhas' autio-biogrpahy "Hollywood Animal".
Rating: 
Summary: Two Tongues Down
Review: Simmons is no James Joyce, but you'd think even the least agile of wordslingers could avoid making such an outrageous life seem, well, kind of dull. At this point I'd advise Gene to trade in his thigh-high dragon boots for a pair of Reeboks -- but I remember thinking something along those lines about 20 years ago, too, so what do I know? Rock on, dude.
Rating:
Summary: An interesting look behind the scenes
Review: I'm not even a KISS fan. My daughter was, though, when she was 3 years old and I was in labor with my son at the hospital. KISS's fans apparently ran the gamut and crossed all barriers, and that is to their credit. Of course, the ballad "Beth" was a beautiful piece of music -- but that's my style.
So why did I buy -- and read -- this book? Because I saw Gene on the Today show. I heard some of his beliefs about women and relationships. I found that intriguing. Here, I thought, was an intelligent man who didn't treat women like meat, who honored and respected their freedom, wasn't controlling or demanding. What made this man tick?
Uh oh. The flip side of that is that he *did* treat women like meat. He became a rock and roll star "to chase skirt". He didn't drink or drug, but bedded every woman that crossed his path until he matured enough to comprehend what it meant to have a relationship with one. To his credit, however, jealousy and possession still do not manifest as part of his repertoire of behaviors -- at least, according to him.
With all the women he bedded, he never got an STD? AIDS is not a part of his story, he wasn't even affected by it? Even more incredulous, when the the woman he has been with for the past 18 years got pregnant, he was so shocked it made me wonder where he *thought* babies came from?
The poignant part of this story, though, is that his mother is a holocaust survivor who lost the entire rest of her family in the concentration camps. The only family they had was each other. From Israel, Chaim/Gene came to America, and the rest is history -- a history these Jews were not supposed to have. Gene has two beautiful children (pictures in the book) that were not supposed to be born. Gene Simmon's intelligence, his business acumen, his flair for marketing, and his eventual falling in love with fatherhood is a tribute to the survival of the spirit. Given the genetic memory of his roots, perhaps fatherhood *would* be a shock.
You survived in spite of all the bastards that tried to destroy you, Gene, and you did it with flair. God Bless America, and more power to you.
The other powerful message in the book has to do with Peter and Ace and the drug addiction that ensured that KISS, as successful as it was, would never reach its full potential because, "while the band was conceived as a four-wheel-drive vehicle, we often had to drive on flat tires." Gene did not hate Ace and Peter. It is very frustrating to try to create success with co-workers who are too busy getting high to do their jobs, who don't show up, who argue about everything, and who have to consistently have replacements sit in for them. Drug addiction is no picnic for the user, but it's also no picnic for the people who have to put up with them. This is a powerful and important message that Gene does not dwell on. Clearly, he loved all the band members, or they would not have been part of the band as long as they were. The renegades were given more chances to redeem themselves than even most wife-batterers do, and the fans never knew...the ones that were too high to care, I suppose. That is to Gene's credit, I'm sure.
Drug abuse is the genocide of our lifetime and a workplace hazzard. Take this message to heart. Imagine what KISS could have been without the drug problems, if you can. More productive. More music, More shows. More tours. More fans. Even more money. And so could the rest of us be.
All in all, a fun book, a good read (Gene is a surprisingly good writer) and an interesting look behind the scenes.
Rating: 
Summary: Worse Than The Elder
Review: Don't you know that everyone likes Peter and Ace more than you? You schmuck, you!
Rating:
Summary: Worth a Buy for the Fan
Review: No Ghost ? Really....
The KISSfaq.com states that this book was "Ghost-written by Ben Greenman, editor of "The New Yorker"..."the Kissfaq.com has rarely been wrong, not ever as far as I know. And Yes, I did Purchase the HardBack, as well as the Paperbacks.
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