Face the Music: A Life Exposed

This is a fascinating, unexpected and ultimately inspiring biography in which Stanley seems to shoot for a measure of raw honesty and mostly succeeds in doing so. It is both a triumph over adversity story and highs and lows of fame tale. There are moments where he seems bitter toward or angry with certain people and where he calculatedly allows his ego to shine through. But mostly you get the impression, he is extremely grateful for everything he has and has achieved, and is striving hard in this book to be balanced, tell his story with humility (and confidence where required) while imparting some hard earned and learned wisdom. Rock and roll excess is obviously a huge part of the story of Kiss and Mr Stanley's tome delivers on this handsomely. And while he never bogs himself down in grotty detail the way Peter Criss did in his 'Makeup to Breakup: My Life in and Out of Kiss', he doesn't dodge the bullet of his own addictive (sexual) fallibilities. The difference is that he has examined and come to terms with the aspects of his life that he seems to view as rock and roll behavioral shortcomings. At the same time, he doesn't diminish his enjoyment of them at the time or give the impression he is trying to distance himself from a past as a changed man. He charts his life and experiences as things that have made him the person he is today and he paints equally complex pictures of quite a number of the players in his life, including Gene Simmons. The highs and lows of life in Kiss, the good and bad advice they received, and the situations they found themselves in are evocatively told, often with hilarious self deprecation. But it is the well drawn character studies, the fascinating unlikely and previously untold reflections on the home and early life of a one eared boy so driven to be a rock star, the unexpected and honest charting of the loneliness and isolation of being a mega-famous but masked and therefore anonymous rock star, and the late career discovery of additional meaning that makes this book so riveting. It is amazing to learn about his levels of doubt as he charts the creation of each Kiss album and his quest for artistic credibility within the confines of a cartoon image rock band. This is one of the most uplifting rock biographies I have read. I could not put it down. And when I finished, I mourned that it was over. That is surely the sign of a great and very satisfying read. Highly recommended.

I’m fascinated with the aspects of this biography regarding Paul’s experience growing up with microtia - it involves incredible emotional pain due to the bullying and insensitivity others have toward “differences” in school, as well as functioning as a disability. I cried reading his account of a teacher inspecting him. I would dare say his missing a right ear and the accompanying deafness on that side could have almost functioned as a developmental disability as it impacted learning in school years as well as impacted Paul’s social development (which he explains so well and came to understand how he avoided real intimacy, etc). He happened to have such tenacity to achieve and innate intellectual abilities honed by learning in other ways vs the traditional classroom, however, that it didn’t hold him down. I admire his insight to stay away from heavy drug use. He recognizes some may have greater issues with substance abuse due to genetic predispositions but for the most part seems to exercise some pretty amazing insight and self control given the availability of drugs to someone in his profession and associated music social circles. As a kid I found him very attractive in the makeup era, and fell in love with his voice as a frequent lead singer, especially on the song I was Made for Lovin’ You (had no idea it was considered too disco’ish by some as I was not a Kiss purist - just a young listener and it sounded great to me!!). I’m saddened as an adult to understand the debilitating substance issues a couple members had (as a young kid I assumed all rockers were druggies until I read Bruce Springsteen wasn’t. I avoid stereotyping as an adult. That’s a whole other essay!) and how it prevented all 4 original members from experiencing the good aspects Paul has gained from his 40 or so years as a founding kiss member (40 at the time this bio was written). If i didn’t have my own personal experiences I would not understand the heartbreak of dealing with addiction some experience. If anyone thinks Paul is a prick for not finding the magic way to keep a couple original kiss members from imploding on themselves - please know if you don’t know, that the CONSTANT babysitting, rescuing and beating your head against a wall because you just can’t perfectly meet their needs (saying just the right things - not being judgmental while ALSO not encouraging use) to prevent ongoing abuse can just plain wear you out. I see no betrayal here - I see empathy and then necessary pragmatism. Which may make me sound like a prick. I actually literally saw caring and empathy for these members in the documentary Kisstory, made a few years after this book came out. I could see genuine caring in both Paul and Gene’s gestures when they welcomed their band members back during a series of Kiss conventions. I saw Paul practically hug Peter onstage while introducing him and his accomplishments when he was about to sing the hit Beth in the earlier years - he seemed very proud and visibly nurturing in this one moment captured on film, like he was introducing his own son or something! I admit I’m overly attentive to nonverbal details of behavior sometimes and I just remember thinking how proud Paul seemed of Peter. It was touching to watch. There is no perfect way to deal with someone in the throws or waves of substance addiction after a while - you either allow yourself or others around you to get destroyed along with them, enable them to use, or finally step aside (and look like a prick). There are often no great outcomes - but often there is plenty of judgement of the non addict. And boy don’t we let each know on social media these days!! Anyway - as an adult who has been in the disability service field for over three decades - I just had to write this review to add my appreciation for Paul sharing his very human experiences, including those pertaining to a potentially disabling condition. It could be used in a psych, sociology or medical anthropology class as it shows a developmental journey and a very human slice of life in a particular time period. I mean, for example, what if Paul had been born in an earlier decade where growing out his hair wasn’t at all acceptable as it was in the late 60’s/70’s? What if his hair wasn’t naturally curly and bushy? Even though he makes it clear he suffered in various ways because he still KNEW he could be considered disfigured if someone knew about his missing ear, at least the 70’s era allowed him a little distance from some of the harsh reality (of how shitty people can be to each other for imperfections). During this time of “space” from harsh and cruel scrutiny for something over which he had no control, he was able to add life experiences to his repertoire from which he could draw some positivity, such as experiencing tangible results of his tenacity and labor, feeling success for something he worked for and accomplished, etc. it seems to have eventually led to more mature insight and development of coping mechanisms for when life knocks you down again and again, and self- acceptance. What if he’d been a teen in the 40’s and 50’s with no acceptable long hair in sight? He could have had such a sad outcome, despite all of his wonderful talent and qualities, just because of a physical difference. Our development is impacted by so many things. For his sake I’m glad a few things lined up to allow him to experience the happiness he seems to have found. He also certainly worked his ass off for what he wanted! He’s quite inspiring!

having just finished reading this book, I have been anxious to express my views on it. first, I will say I have been a KISS fan since 1977. my interest waned after unmasked came out but after my first KISS show in 1984, I was back a big fan, although the non makeup years are most certainly my least favorite. anyways, onto the book. first off, the things that resound with this book, which I can also relate to, are personal growth, and maturity. as a kid, ace and peter were by far my favorite members, most especially ace. I liked gene because he was in kiss, and paul....I honestly saw paul as 'gay' and my least fav, but still, he was in KISS so I accepted that. ace and peter to me were the cool ones. as I've gotten older, I can now honestly say that paul has most certainly gained the most respect and I see him as truly inspiring..not so much from overcoming his ear deformity or enduring a childhood without much support, but growing as an individual and finding unmeasurable happiness and pleasure in his later years of life. paul appears to be a true gentleman who is generous, wise, sincere and of course, talented. KISS has always been portrayed as four men with distinct personalities...gene the business mogul, paul the queen, peter the guts and ace the rock star. nothing can be further from the truth. what you will discover is gene, was not the business behind the band he wants you to believe, gene is and was in the business of GENE. peter, is an arrogant, complaining miserable man who doesn't appreciate what has been given to him in life..and ace, as tommy thayer simply and effectively sums up, is a " f*#@ing loser". and as you grow older and wiser, you will understand this. one thing about this book that I never once would have believed about myself, is that I fully understand why paul and gene were so adamant about including tommy and eric in the hall of shame, and accepting them as full fledged members. I know being a fan from the 70s, ace and peter will always be the spaceman and cat respectively, the fact that those two knuckleheads sold the rights to their makeup should prove that they truly don't care and they were the ones infact who played just for the money. I had no idea about pauls ears condition or his parents lack of affection when he was growing up. the fact that paul took care of his parents financially when he could and speaks of them in high regard and with love, shows what kind of a man paul is. the book chronicles paul's life from childhood to modern day. certainly, if he went into detail over every year the book would have been twice as long as it is, but at almost 500 pages, it was tough to put down and you really were left with wanting more. the band drama I have to say is the most entertaining element of the book and paul doesn't hold back, although this certainly is not a bitch fest or whine fest. I have to say though, with the amount of dirt exposed on peter, I was quite surprised paul made no mention to peter's wife, Lydia. it should be noted as well that of all the individual books and full on KISS books out there, Lydia's book is truly one heck of a good read and really digs deep into peter's nonsense. also, I was surprised paul made no mention of his second solo record, as well as key moments in KISSTORY including talk of the paul lynde special which by all accounts is when KISS became a household name, Cadillac Michigan, or going into much detail about tours or individual shows. as I said, the book would had to have been twice as long but I believe KISS fans would have eaten it up. although gene portrays himself to be Mr KISS, it is paul who undoubtedly is the man responsible for KISS being where they are today. gene is about himself and making a dollar, when it comes to KISS, paul was the one with the most writing ability and the one who respected the band as a 'band'. you will find yourself at peace with tommy and eric in the band, as thru them, they make KISS a more solid, talented and drama free band. with ace and peter, you get two guys who truly don't appreciate the gifts life has given them and deserve to be exactly where they are today. paul is a man to be respected, admired and someone anyone can truly learn from. the last few chapters especially were some of the most uplifting and positive messages I ever read about life and happiness. this is the book that needed to be written, now go read it. note: my reason for 4 stars was I would have loved to have seen more pictures, and I would have enjoyed it to be longer going into more detail. also of note, aside from a small picture caption, he made no mention of his mothers passing

I've had this book pre-ordered for many weeks now, & having watched a couple of interviews with Paul leading up to the publish date I was very excited to finally get to read it. A couple of points to make here: The book is extremely well written, and refreshingly there aren't any repetitive tawdry depictions of the band members when they were backstage or in their hotel rooms during their years on the road. ( I've had enough of that ad nauseam from other biographies ). If that is what you're looking for, then skip this book. Paul made it clear that this book was going to be focused on his life, not about the band, and he has delivered in a big way. You just never know what will drive a young person to succeed in life, and for him, it was his birth defect. I found the first few chapters to be a little sad but as the story unfolded I was hooked. Also; there are a lot of funny stories throughout the book to keep it flowing. He makes reference to bands he saw in concert during the 60's, and says; "combine the way they looked with the way they sounded, and it's no wonder people took acid at their shows." Love it. One thing that I wish Paul had elaborated on a little more; he talks about learning songs, and there is a picture in his book of him and a Gibson SG, but he never discusses it. As a guitarist for many years, and having respect for his work, I would have liked to have heard more about what he did to become proficient at the instrument during his early years. The one main thing that keeps surfacing amongst these pages is that he is very passionate about his goal, and that he will work his butt off to make it happen, both in his personal struggle, and to see his band become successful. As a fan, I was also very interested in the days between "Creatures" & "Unmasked" and Paul gives us clear insight into what was going on. It's also fascinating to read about Bill Aucoin, Desmond Child, Bryan Adams, and a host of other music industry biggies that contributed to the success of the band, and helped them through a very crucial transitional period. As you near the midway point, the pages just flow faster and faster. Paul is VERY candid about his bandmates, and as future readers, you can decide on your own who was doing what. He is also very detailed regarding his personal life. His recollection of his divorce, healing, and of meeting and marrying Erin is very touching and heartfelt. To the end, this book is about a young man who made his mind up, worked hard, and is now reaping the fruits of his labor. Back in the 80's, Paul & Gene appeared on the Oprah Winfrey show, and she asked Paul what he wanted in the end. His reply, "To just keep doing what I'm doing, and if I have cramps from smiling, then I'm a lucky guy." Mission accomplished Paul.

I bought Gene Simmons book and only got through a few chapters, I found it a little boring so I didn't finish it. I didn't buy Ace's book because I question how much he was able to actually remember from that time. I bought Peter's book and finished it, and honestly I found his book a little whiny, but in particular I didn't have a very good view of Paul Stanley after reading Peter's book, I decided to chance Paul Stanley's book though and I'm so glad I did. I loved Paul's book and it's one of the best Biographies I've read. Was Paul a little judgemental back in the day? yes, he was towards others, he was hard on them, but he was also hard on himself, and he admits all of this, the wonderful part of reading this book is the fact that Paul evolved in such a good way. Was Paul hard on Peter and Ace? he sure as heck was, but as someone who is anti-drug like Paul is? I have no problem with his attitude at all, IMO Kiss meant so much more to Paul, and in some ways Gene, it was not only a band but it was an escape from problems that plagued him since childhood, whereas Peter and Ace? Kiss seemed more like a ticket into the Rock and Roll lifestyle, Kiss didn't mean as much to them as it did Paul and Gene. I took issue with a number of things in Peter's book, but a few in particular that bugged me were answered in Paul's book, one of them is Bill Aucoin, Peter in his book mentioned how bad he felt for Bill when he was let go by "Paul and Gene", but Paul goes a bit more into details and discusses Bill's drug use, he also mentioned how he and Gene reunited years later with Bill, and during a conversation with Bill he mentioned to them how he was worried about his partner in light of his serious illness, Paul and Gene in-turn bought Bill's condo and turned it over to Bill's partner, so in the long run seems like Paul and Gene walked the walk and didn't just talk the talk. I also took issue with Tommy Thayer being called an a** kisser by Peter and how much he hated him, in Paul's book he discusses at length what Tommy did for Kiss, he started out as a huge fan of the band and IMO he earned his role in Kiss, he could be counted on whereas Ace and Peter couldn't be. I also took issue with the complaining Peter did about being an "employee" as opposed to an equal partner in the band, I just don't get that mentality at all, it's like be being a partner in a business, I decide to leave that business for 18 years, then while I'm having hard times I'm asked by that previous business if I'd like a job there, what would possess me to think after all those years away from the business that I'm worthy of being an equal partner? Ace and Peter had a lot to prove to Paul and Gene, maybe an equal partnership would've been offered sometime down the road, but you should be expected to prove yourself again first, a difficult task considered that not much was proven the first time around. Back to Paul, he really worked on himself to get to such a wonderful point in his life, his journey in life and the insight he's gained can only bode well for his children, he comes across as an awesome Dad and it was such a great read.

At age fifteen, in high school, I remember getting my first KISS album from a friend. I was fascinated in the cover - but was totally turned off in their music. Only because I loved music; like Gino Venialli, and the bubble gum pop songs of the 70’s. Plus, I believed like most other rocks bands - Kiss band was about drugs, sex, rebellion, and all the things that ruins a kids life if the embrace it. I’ll never forget the friend I had who loved Black Sabbath. She dropped out of school, got pregnant, and today lives on welfare, with 30 cats in her rented home. So judging KISS as such a band of negative influence back then, I now 38 yrs later, are seeing them different when I looked at them closer. In reading Paul Stanley’s book was totally an eye opener - while learning his life story, and the journey he had in creating the band. Paul truly was the creative ingenuity behind the force who kept it all together for the right reasons. His testimony of his childhood struggles were extremely sad, yet, in seeing how he chose not to hate, but to forgive his parents, and all those who hurt him during school was amazing to learn. Needless to say now, I am a fan, and was moved in the journey of Paul’s life that he has turned around to become a person of such value and wisdom; who teaches great lessons about life he learned through all his past pain, and mistakes. What’s sad is his Kiss copartner, Gene Simmons, wrote his story and after his time in Israel, when he and his mom moved to New York his story becomes repulsive - in all he shared that he did sexually that leaves me shaking my head in such a nasty, narcissistic character he became today. Wow! Thank God, Paul Stanley’s, message is worthy of praise, and is inspirational. This book was by far one of the best autobiographies, I have ever read. Thank you, Paul! You are truly the best story that has come out of your band - Kiss! Because of you, it now has a legacy worthy to continue not only for the future, but something you can be proud of - along with your children, and the countless fans both old, and new today. You truly are the “STAR CHILD” of the band, and every star shines a positive light for all to see, and admire. Thank You! And may God continue to Bless and use you to bring encouragement, and inspiration.

If you've read the others, then this should be a breath of fresh air. Paul Stanley seems to be the one guy in this band who figured out life. He started with not-so-great circumstances, but was able to ultimately work through his problems over the course of many years, and arrive at a peaceful place. He obviously is a thinker (an uncommon trait in his band), and has the best heart. Oddly enough, there's one other guy in the band who has heart, and that's Peter. The difference is that Peter dealt with his issues through self-destruction. Paul has done all he can through self-improvement. If there was one of the KISS guys you'd want for a friend, it would have to be Paul. Always the most talented member, and the driving force behind KISS, Paul deserves his success, and finally the happiness he seems to have found. I liked his philosophy on most things. I related to what he went through and overcame. It's enjoyable to read a story that is honest and comes from a well-thought-out position. It's not just a bunch of going off, throwing a fit, hurting everybody who he perceives has hurt him. If he discusses negative feelings he has about someone, it never seems to be ugly, but just straight talk. He keeps his punches above the belt. That's not to say that Paul is right about everything. I didn't care for his treatment of a couple of subjects. There was something deeper going on with the Eric Carr situation than either Gene or Paul has ever let on. I felt Paul sort of glazed over that, and whether it was due to shame over treatment of the guy (which Paul seems to hint at), or just not wanting to speak ill of the dead, we may never know what was really going on. And Bruce Kulick, who was the longest-running non-makeup era guitar player, hardly seems to be character in Paul's book. One last thing that I think Paul is dead wrong about is the fan perspective on Ace's and Peter's makeup. He justifies dressing Eric Singer and Tommy Thayer in those outfits by saying it's about the Catman and Spaceman characters. Wrong! It's not like the guy in a Mickey Mouse costume at Disney Land. You don't know or care who's under there; it's just about Mickey. Ace and Peter were people. They had distinct faces, voices, moves, and personalities. The new guys' faces alter the look of the characters, which makes them instantly recognizable as non-authentic. Yeah, they play better, and they show up on time, and I'm not saying they're bad guys, but they will NEVER be the Spaceman and the Catman. That's like saying that it doesn't matter whether it's Clark Kent or Clark W. Griswold who puts on the blue spandex and red cape. It's still Superman. Really? Not in my world. To take it a step further, Paul says he looks forward to the day when he is replaced by a new Starchild. I think this statement is made to further prove that it's okay to replace those other guys. Look, without Paul, KISS is over. He's the one guy you can't replace. The voice, the moves, the look are all his own. It will be nothing more than a cover band (which is what they almost are now) when he's gone. Nobody cares about their new material, or the two new guys. It's nostalgia that keeps KISS alive (get it?). I don't like the history they are trying to write now. They should've quit when Ace and Peter petered out. Paul saw dressing a couple of new guys in the old outfits as a way to continue. I think the only way they could've continued with dignity intact would've been to take the makeup off again. Why not? Leave the history of the makeup era alone. That's the only thing that bothered me about Paul's book; it ended with a sales pitch for the new-and-improved band, and that's what I'm left thinking about.

One of the most disappointing autobiographies I've ever read also. I give four stars for the inspiration the Starchild of KISS has left us with, but in reality, the real rating is 4.1 stars: just one point above 3, particularly 3.9, stars. If you were to take the best KISS autobiographies and stand them next to each other, the most appropriate books would be, in my opinion, Face the Music and Peter "Catman" Criss' Makeup to Breakup. Both the Catman and Paul "Starchild" Stanley provided full, in-depth, comprehensive looks at "The Hottest Band in the World" and it's just a bonus that the Starchild gives us such as the one band member (next to Gene "Demon" Simmons) who's been here for the entire journey. Truth be told, the Catman gave better insight into KISS (such as the Starchild and Demon driving Vinnie Vincent crazy, essentially implying that the point of insanity Vincent got to in KISS was on behalf of the Starchild and Demon driving him there themselves, even if everyone else couldn't bear working with Vincent, either), but the Starchild's autobiography is far more inspirational. Too bad that the Starchild cuts the inspiration short for a tale we've already heard millions of times before, and a tale that--while we want to hear it from his perspective--is told by him as he spends most of his time trashing his original Catman and Spaceman, "Space" Ace Frehley. For those of you who have read my review of The Eric Carr Story, you may have noticed that, as of this writing, the review has received a total of 7 helpful votes! So, as I dissect the strengths and weaknesses of Face the Music for you, I will break them apart using the "secret formula" I used for my review of The Eric Carr Story. Concurring below, listing the strengths as "Positives" and the weaknesses as "Negatives": POSITIVES: Your life may be changed forever....and I mean that literally: Paul "Starchild" Stanley has, in writing about his turbulent childhood, written a book that, in the areas that covers these things, reaches out to people with comfort in reminding them that they are not alone and that if other people can survive such tumultuous (if you can even call them that) circumstances, so can they. These are the areas, in which the Starchild talks about his childhood battles with Microtia, the rare ear deformity that leaves a person, when they are born, with only one ear. The Starchild comes out as very bold and brave to share this and his outcast childhood not only at school and on the streets of Manhattan and Queens, but also in his very own home from his parents and mentally ill sister. Clearly, the Starchild joined the ranks of celebrities like Robin Williams who all the kids got the biggest kick out of tormenting...and then, upon seeing these same celebrities reach worldwide fame, realized that the joke was on them. Most importantly, the Starchild has shared about how he himself has used his pain as a force for a greater good to reach out to and change the lives of people with his work as a spokesman/ambassador for About Face, proving that he is a gift that keeps on giving in many ways besides his rock and roll. As he has repeatedly said before, he never wanted KISS to just be a rock band, he wanted them to be a phenomenon, because phenomenon's impact society. The Starchild has done just that with Face the Music, in these areas of the book at least, and his telling of surviving this all has inspired me: a person who has lived many of these similar circumstances, to different degrees but to the same outcome of suffering the Starchild knew, in my journey as a victor and not a victim. Job well done, Mr. Starchild/Stanley. You've written a book that has the power to change people's lives forever...and I mean that literally. NEGATIVES: Well, most notably, you have not only the constant disrespect of Ace Frehley and Peter Criss, but also the usage of Tommy Thayer and Eric Singer as yardsticks to judge them with. I'm glad that KISS has had such a successful run with Thayer and Singer; still; the original Spaceman and Catman deserve their due just as much as the latter ones (word of warning: the ORIGINAL Spaceman and Catman are the ones who are written off by the Starchild as imposters) do. Render unto them what is theirs and render unto your current Spaceman and Catman what is theirs, Mr. Starchild. When the Starchild discusses the years spent by the original Catman and Spaceman in KISS, he seems to cover his tracks, such as saying he wishes the attorneys of Peter Criss and Ace Frehley could've played on Psycho Circus (as opposed to answering the original Catman's claim in Makeup to Breakup that the Starchild, Demon, and Doc McGhee all offered the Catman and Spaceman $850, 000 to let Kevin Valentine and Tommy Thayer fill in for them on the record and LIE, saying that they themselves had performed on it). The Starchild is quick to expose the original Spaceman for all the times he "offered Peter up like a sacrificial lamb," but where is the Starchild's confession to what Peter revealed in Makeup to Breakup, that the Starchild and Demon paid Ace $10, 000 more than Peter on The Farewell Tour ($50, 000 for Ace and $40, 000 for Peter)? That's right....it's nowhere to be found. When the Starchild returns to the psychological stuff during the 70's era of the band, such as seeing his psychiatrist and former KISS business acquaintance Dr. Jesse Hilsen (currently a fugitive from justice) when the fame became too much to handle, all he says is that he saw Hilsen: we learn of no details past this point, which, as much as I can understand while the Starchild would want to keep them private, have already been revealed in great lengths--like how the Starchild make-up was a defense mechanism between himself and his audiences, for example, or his documentation of the beginning of his professional relationship with Dr. Hilsen as well. Nothing revealed past the point of asking God to not let his fame end, either, and nothing revealed about his sister either past the point where she bore a child she was unable to raise. In addition, I question the honesty of some of this material: the way the Starchild tells of his falling-out with Slash is different from how Slash told it in his own autobiography, and coincidentally the Starchild did not fill us readers in on the one thing Slash did--Slash's remorse and apology to the Starchild at the 2006 VH1 Rock Honors Award Ceremony in Las Vegas for all the rumors he spread about the Starchild behind his back. The Eric Carr Story claims that the only reason why Eric Carr became the Fox of KISS was because Peter Criss owned the rights to his Catman make-up (easy to believe given that Eric Singer became the Catman and that Tommy Thayer became the Spaceman once the Starchild and Demon owned the rights), Ace Frehley and Peter Criss have documented how close they were during the 70's and 80's, and the Starchild claims that when the Space Ace and original Catman rejoined the group, they sold their characters over as if they had no value. Too bad he didn't read the Space Ace's 2011 memoir No Regrets, where the Space Ace said that he did so, mostly, for the benefit of the fans, knowing how much the reunion meant to them and not wanting to be responsible for causing it to not be able to move forward. OVERALL: Lots of great inspiration, lots of fascinating stories, but too much proper respect and honesty missing.

Excelente libro, mi favorito de los 4 Miembros, en este libro Paul Stanley narra todas sus aventuras como Rockstar, pero también sus dificiles inicios, lo que tuvo que hacer para alcanzar la fama, los detractores y demonios e inseguridades que enfrentó desde niño por tener una mal-formación física, muchas anécdotas de KISS en el camino, las decisiones que tuvieron que tomar y además también su lado humano. Lo volvería a leer varias veces más, genial si eres fan de KISS o del Rock en general verás todo desde su ángulo y perspectiva.

Mit Paul Stanley ist das Biographie-Quartett nun komplett. Ace Frehleys und Peter Criss' Bio habe ich nicht gelesen. Jedoch die von Gene Simmons sowie "Making of a Supergroup" des ehemaligen Business Managers Chris Lendt. Das Buch ist authentisch, unterhaltsam , spannend , humorvoll und sehr lesenswert. Wem der Managment Einblick in diese Band zu trocken ist und das Phänomen KISS einfach mal verstehen möchte, der ist mit der Bio von PS bestens bedient. (sollte aber auch dazu das Buch von Chris Lendt lesen). PS beginnt seine Erzählung bei Null, lange vor KISS, was mir als Leser ein besseres Verständis für sein handeln gibt. Nach meinem Geschmack ist die Beschreibung seiner unglücklichen Jugend etwas zu langatmig und wohl auch deshalb wird sich durch die 90er und 2000er eher etwas durchgehetzt. Dennoch ein spannendes Buch, welches für einen "echten" KISS Fan Pflichtlektüre sein sollte.

Not just another "Rock Star" bragging... This in-depth look at the life of Paul Stanley in his words is either the best OR one of the best that has been written. Honest to the point of sometimes saying things that as a "Kiss Fan" I really did not want to read... but I am SO glad I did. He not only covers the highs and the MANY lows of the original 4 but also provides much inspiration in his words. This is the REAL DEAL and I have a new respect for Paul that to be honest I did not have prior to seeing this. I have seen KISS only once (last year in 2013) and I kick myself for not going to see them before. An amazing read from an amazing man who does not sugar coat one sentence... in fact it is quite the opposite. Not a "hate" book just one that I believe provides a truthful look at the Hottest Band In The World... and I applaud Paul for his honesty. Everything I had hoped for and more. EXCELLENT. - Chris

Great read

This is a great read, actually one of the sincerest, most open hearted memoirs I’ve read and I have read quite a few.