Books: Kiss, Behind The Mask: The Official authorized Biography. no comments

KISS - Behind The Mask.

Title: KISS, Behind The Mask - The Official Authorized Biography.
Authors: David Leaf & Ken Sharp.
Publisher: Warner Books.
Additional Information: Paperback, 431 Pages, RM 5.00, Big Bad Wolf Bookfest.

1. First of all, I need to make myself clear that I am not a big KISS fan. I do not really like their brand of rock & roll. Understandably so since I belong to a less older school of metal fans. I was introduced to metal when the term metal had already been invented, shaped and characterized. So being a younger generation of metal fans, KISS is not really something that I would want to associate with my kind of metal. But of course, that's just me.

2. Back in the 70s, when the term metal itself was still obscure and heavy music was still called hard rock or heavy rock, KISS was THE band for a lot of uncles and aunts out there. The band managed to stay strong through out the waves of modern and more refined and defined idea of metal, just by being KISS.

3. Even though I was and still am not a fan, I bought this book for the sake of having the needs to read and learn about the development and evolution of this music, metal. Even if there are a lot of young metalheads like me out there who would be a bit hesitant to call KISS, metal (even the band themselves preferred the term hard rock) I can reassure you that KISS was and still is metal.

4. I got this book for RM5 at a book festival a couple of months ago. I hope Gene Simmons would not freak out over this. That Gene, always the entrepreneur. This book got 431 pages which were divided into 3 parts.  These 3 parts were further divided into 17 chapters.

5. The first part would be like your typical autobiography. A third person perspective, detailing the beginnings of the band. The second part consists of interview excerpts from the members of the band themselves and everyone else. The third part consists of a total breakdown of each and every album, each and every song ever recorded by the band, by the band themselves. It would be interesting if you are familiar with the current and back catalog of their songs.

6. You must buy this if you are a hardcore KISS fan. It is a must have. Having said that, I have to admit that I totally digs Beth. Hell yeah!