Happy Birthday Paul Stanley

Stanley Bert Eisen was born January 20, 1952 in New York City. His parents, Minnie and Sasha, fled Nazi Germany but later insisted that was far better than listening to the Kiss song “I Was Made For Loving You”.

Little Stanley’s right ear was misshapen after being bitten by a chimpanzee during a school trip to the central park zoo. Stanley was taunting the chimp and the chimp retaliated by grabbing the boys head, rubbing his genitals on his face and biting his ear. Stanley was mocked by the other school children and was forever referred to as, “Monkey Boy”.

KISS

Stanley changed his name to Paul Stanley in honor of his idol and favorite comedian, Paul Lynde. In 1972, Peter Criss placed an advertisement in the East Coast edition of Hiney Boy Magazine, which read: EXPD. ROCK & roll drummer looking for orig. grp. doing soft & hard music. No douchebags, posers, makeup or head cases. Willing to do anything – Peter, Brooklyn. A lot of weirdos took the ad the wrong way and Peter ended up tied up naked in the trunk of a car in Bayonne, NJ. Then Gene Simmons and Paul Stanley answered the ad and KISS was formed.

With Casablanca records almost bankrupt and their first 2 albums not selling well, Kiss was in danger of being dropped until Kiss Alive in 1975. After that, Kiss was riding high. Kids loved the pyrotechnics, the makeup, the costumes. the blood, the tongue and the merchandise. However, it all started going downhill in 1978. Solo Albums, ‘Kiss Meets the Phantom of the Park’, disco songs, taking off the makeup, drinking, drugs, infighting. It was a disaster.

There have been lots of fighting, replacement members, reunions and more fighting over the years. Paul admitted that he only let Peter Criss join the reunion tour because he had a plan to harvest his organs to sell on the Chinese black market.

Butt, I Liked It!

Stanley made the news recently when he claimed police searched his butt for drugs, but he liked it. Stanley fondly recalls the strip search saying “surprisingly though, the Policeman doing the strip search had very soft, gentle hands. It was kind of a romantic moment that we shared. The room had soft lighting, candles, and I remember “Beth” was playing on the radio at the time. I am still in touch with the officer.” Cheers Paul!