Ep. 214 - PAUL STANLEY of KISS ("Rock and Roll All Nite")

Sep 18, 2023

Rock & Roll Hall of Famer Paul Stanley of KISS discusses his career, adopting personas, and KISS's impeccable timing. They dive into the impact of bands presenting themselves as characters, memorable song introductions, and the inspiration behind the song 'Hard Luck Woman'. They also talk about the power of the KISS character as a defense, the long-lasting influence of KISS, and the importance of roots in music.

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Introduction

00:00 • 2min

Paul Stanley from Kiss and the Larger-Than-Life Persona

02:07 • 2min

The Impact of Bands Presenting Themselves as Characters

04:08 • 24min

Live Records, Alcoholic Drinks, and the Star Child Character

27:56 • 2min

The Power of the Kiss Character

30:01 • 11min

The Inspirations Behind 'Hard Luck Woman'

41:25 • 26min

The Influence and Longevity of Paul Stanley and Kiss

01:07:41 • 3min

SUMMARY:
You wanted the best, you got the best! Rock & Roll Hall of Famer Paul Stanley of KISS joins Songcraft to talk about his long and diverse career through the lens of his role as a songwriter.

PART ONE:
Paul and Scott talk about musicians who adopt personas, how KISS seems to have the best timing of any musical group of all time, and their respective frightening memories of the band. Then they spend the rest of the time pinching themselves that Paul freakin' Stanley is on Songcraft.

PART TWO:
Our in-depth conversation with Rock & Roll Hall of Famer Paul Stanley

ABOUT PAUL STANLEY:

Paul Stanley is best known for his vocals, guitar, and outlandish stage performances that have helped define KISS. Combining elements of shock rock and glam to set a new standard for theatrical arena rock, Stanley’s Starchild persona, alongside fellow band co-founder Gene Simmons’s Demon character, has become one of the most iconic figures in music history. One of the best-selling bands of all time, KISS has sold over 75 million albums worldwide, and has earned more Gold-certified albums than any other band in the US. Fourteen of their albums have been certified Platinum, three of which have earned multi-Platinum status. Stanley has written or co-written many of the band’s best-known songs, including “Strutter,” “Rock and Roll All Nite,” “Shout it Out Loud,” “Detroit Rock City,” “God of Thunder,” “Hard Luck Woman,” “Love Gun,” “I Was Made for Lovin’ You,” “Lick it Up,” “Heaven’s on Fire,” “Crazy, Crazy Nights,” “Forever,” and many others.

In addition to his work with the band, Stanley released a self-titled debut album in 1978, and another solo album in 2006 called Live to Win. More recently, he released the album Now and Then, a collection of R&B classics alongside vintage-style originals under the name Paul Stanley’s Soul Station. Defying categorization, he has written a hit song with Michael Bolton, duetted with Sarah Brightman, and even starred in a production of Phantom of the Opera. Paul’s songs have been covered by a diverse list of artists, including Cher, Nirvana, The Replacements, Green Day, Ronnie Spector, Bonnie Tyler, Toad the Wet Sprocket, and Garth Brooks. As a member of KISS, Paul was inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in 2014. This fall, the band wraps the final leg of their End of the Road tour, culminating in a pair of shows at Madison Square Garden in New York, the city where KISS first formed in 1972.