KISS and Playboy

The buzz was all over town that Playboy was doing a pictorial with KISS and was using a bunch of girls. When I was called to come in to do Polaroid's, I giggled because they have so many photos of me, but each department is separate and they wanted to see how I look right now. They told me they would call me today if I was selected. Well, I didn't hear from them and I was bummed out. The next day I get a call that I was chosen. "Ahhh!!" I said, "What took you so long?! I was bummed out that I didn't get the job!" She said, "You were a sure in, and we were so busy deciding who the other girls would be I just forgot to call".

As soon as I arrive at the studio in Culver City Gene Simmons approaches me without make-up on as says, "You must a Gene." I said, "Yeah!, how did you know?". He said, "I nursed for a very long time. Actually, yesterday my mom had to push me off. Hi, I'm Gene Simmons." What an introduction. Later I found out he selected the girls himself that would be the Genes in his pictorial.

Doing the pictorial with Gene was surreal. This is a dream or a nightmare you might have actually being next to 'The Demon'. Gene is 6 or 6'1" anyway, but with the platforms on , the outfit and make-up, THIS IS THE GUY FROM KISS!!! It was sooo cool. Fortunately or unfortunately I looked just like him with his make-up and this horrible black wig. There are 5 girls in this shot, we all have 'The Demon's ' make-up on and various degrees of nudity. I hope you can figure out which one I am.

Paul Stanley is a very, very friendly guy. There was a lot of down time while the other members and girls were shooting so we all just sat around. We talked about using our real names verses stage names. He said before KISS he had used a stage name, but switched back to his real name when they became KISS. I had never considered using a stage name, although sometimes I wish I had. For instance, when I'm calling my bank or making reservations sometimes the guy on the phone recognizes my name and they become completely silent. But, I guess that's actually a good thing. I told Paul that my girlfriend went to their concert at Dodger Stadium and bought two girls that were 19 years old and that KISS was performing before they were even born. Paul smiled. We talked about how the make-up that they wear and that I had on felt like a mask. He thought it acted like a mask. He said he was 48. His skin looked amazing. It must be that make-up.

Later we did a huge group shot with about 30 girls and all the members. Arney Fretag did the whole pictorial, was polishing the poses so we looked good all together, moving girls to the left, you stand up, etc. While this was going on I noticed Paul with his arms wrapped around a blonde girl and his hands squeezing her chest if front of everybody. Most the shoots through Playboy are very professional, but I guess this was an exception. As things are progressing, everybody is in their place and now we're shooting. We must have been on our 2 or 3 roll when I hear a girl behind me purring and moaning. She says, "Oh, that feels amazing" and I had to turn and look. Paul had his arms around another blonde girl and his hands squeezing her chest. Then the girl behind me tries to move her hand from my shoulders to my front and I push her hands back. This is definitely the wildest shoot I've ever been on.

Peter Criss had a lot of energy and reminded me of 17 year old boy loving life and thinking this was really cool. On the other hand Ace seemed bored out of his mind. Ace shows up at the last possible minute and never smiles. It made me wonder about all that they all have seen and done over they're KISS lifetime.

You will be able to see the same or maybe different photos in a book KISS is putting out called KISSTORY II.