An Interview with KISS Manager Doc McGhee
By Andrew Daily / vwmusicrocks.com
Having just shocked the world by allowing founding members Ace Frehley and Peter Criss to join the then-current lineup onstage during a performance on MTV’s Unplugged, KISS found itself a band at a crossroads.
In 1995, KISS was at both a creative and commercial fork in the road. Questions were looming, and ultimately, it came down to two choices: move forward without makeup, and continue the status quo, or invite Frehley and Criss back into the fold, put the makeup back on, and shock the world.
Enter Doc McGhee.
If KISS was going to pull off the improbable, they needed a formidable force at the helm, and while a few were considered for the job, after a fateful conversation with super-manager, Doc McGhee, for lynchpin members, Paul Stanley and Gene Simmons, the choice was clear, KISS was going to shock the world in ways fans could never imagine.
In the wake of hiring McGhee, and pushing forward with the reunion, no one could have envisioned the world-dominating success KISS would experience, as its four founding members rode a wave that rivaled their 70s heyday. Sadly, that wave of success came crashing ashore, seemingly dashing KISS’ hopes of kabuki-stained revival after only a few short years. With old demons afoot, and Frehley and Criss once again making a hasty exit, KISS seemed a band destined to meet its end.
Enter Eric Singer and Tommy Thayer.
As cliche as it sounds, KISS once again found itself a proverbial phoenix rising from the ashes as McGhee, Simmons, and Stanley made the shrewd, and downright ballsy decision to not only ingratiate Singer and Thayer into KISS, but to have them wear the iconic Spaceman and Catman makeup to boot. Thayer and Singer fearlessly clad themselves in clandestine warpaint, and headed into to battle, entering the unknown with no expectations, knowing that at the very least, the opportunity of a lifetime might lay ahead.
Twenty years, and two more exceptional records later, the four members of KISS as it stands today are still valiantly together. More so, the musical symbiosis shared between them has made for the band’s longest-running and most cohesive unit in KISS’ nearly fifty-year history.
To say that any of this couldn’t have happened without KISS’ intrepid manager Doc McGhee would be an understatement. McGhee’s in-depth understanding of what makes KISS great, and ability to push it to the max have allowed KISS undying success since 1996.
McGhee’s unflinching attitude, infinite persistence on quality, and showmanship make KISS second to none. His perpetual pursuit of king-of-the-mountain domination has unremittingly allowed KISS to remain The Hottest Band in the World. Nothing short. Nothing less.
.jpg)
