“Whether planned or not, theatrics are always a part of rock and roll at its best,” KISS vocalist and guitarist Paul Stanley once told me. “We never put on makeup and used pyro or other effects to cover anything up. It was to enhance the presentation.”
In part, that explains why the band’s self-titled debut, which came out Feb. 18, 1974, was pretty much overlooked. Outside of a dedicated following in the suburbs, KISS were virtually unknown. And while the album included “Deuce,” “Firehouse,” “Strutter” and “Cold Gin,” which became career-spanning staples of KISS’ set, the songs remained unappreciated until they reappeared on the highly theatrical