Criss, Peter

Peter Criss,
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natal chart English style (Equal houses)
natal chart with Whole Sign houses

Name	Criss, Peter Gender: M
Birthname	George Peter John Criscuola
born on	20 December 1945 at 17:59 (= 5:59 PM )
Place	Brooklyn (Kings County), New York, 40n38, 73w56
Timezone	EST h5w (is standard time)
Data source	BC/BR in hand Rodden Rating AA Collector: Campbell
Astrology data	28°43' 23°49 Asc. 18°50'

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Peter Criss (with Kiss in 1977)

Biography

American musician, a drummer and singer, who became famous as a member of the theatrical heavy metal rock group "Kiss" (1973–1980, 1996–2000, 2002–2004). Criss established "The Catman" character for his Kiss persona. The outlandishly costumed Kiss was hugely popular as a concert attraction, employing gross stage effects such as fire breathing, explosions, fireworks, dry-ice fog and mock blood vomiting, and the members never appeared in public without their makeup. In 2014, Criss was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame as a member of Kiss.

Criss was born George Criscuola, the oldest of five children. His parents owned an antique shop in Brooklyn, New York. A Golden Glove Boxer during high school, Peter formed a street corner doo-wop singing group called "The Stars" when he was 13, and began playing the drums. Interested in painting, he attended art school as a teenager.

His big break came after he placed an ad in a music paper, stating "Drummer with 11 Years Experience, Willing to Do Anything." Eisen and Klein, soon to be known as Paul Stanley and Gene Simmons, answered his ad, and Kiss was on its way to the top. He changed his name to Peter Criss soon after he joined the band, and when prompted to choose a character to portray, he picked a cat. Kiss signed with Casablanca Records in 1973, and with the release of Alive! they became one of the most popular and immediately identifiable hard rock acts ever. Although attacked by critics as being barely competent and over-loud with their guitar-based front line, the momentum continued to build.

Fame took its toll, and Criss developed a drug problem. His behavior grew more and more unpredictable, and in 1978, he was involved in a serious car accident. That same year, there was a simultaneous release of solo albums from all the members of Kiss, accompanied by the largest ad campaign in music history. Each of the albums went platinum. Criss released another solo album, By Myself, in September 1980. With rumors of a full-scale breakup pending, he left Kiss that year, and launched a solo career.

Through the ’80s, he tried to make it as a solo act as well as with various bands. It wasn’t until 1994, however, that he resurfaced with the release of the Cat #1 album. Criss reunited with Stanley and Simmons to tape MTV’s Unplugged, which led to a full-scale reunion and the highly successful "Alive Worldwide Tour" of 1996-1997. In the beginning of 2001, Criss left the group to be replaced by former Kiss drummer Eric Singer, who played with the others from 1991 to 1996.

Criss was diagnosed with breast cancer in 2008. While working out, he noticed a lump on his chest that prompted him to visit a doctor. He was successfully treated with a lumpectomy.

Criss released his autobiography, Makeup to Breakup: My Life In and Out of Kiss, co-written with author Larry Sloman, in late 2012. In 2017, Criss made the decision to retire from touring at the age of 71.

In 1970, he married Lydia Di Leonardo; they divorced in 1979. His second wife, Debra Svensky (1979–1994), was a model and Playboy centerfold; they had one daughter, Jenilee, born in 1981. He married a third time, to model Gigi Cross in May 1998.

Link to Wikipedia biography

Relationships

• associate relationship with Delaney, Sean (born 8 January 1945). Notes: Music collaborators

• business associate/partner relationship with Bogart, Neil (born 3 February 1943)

• business associate/partner relationship with Simmons, Gene (born 25 August 1949). Notes: Band mates in Kiss

Events

• Work : Published/ Exhibited/ Released 18 February 1974 ("Kiss", self-titled debut LP released)
  chart Placidus Equal_H.

• Work : Published/ Exhibited/ Released 10 September 1975 ("Alive", hit concert LP released)
  chart Placidus Equal_H.

• Work : Published/ Exhibited/ Released 15 March 1976 ("Destroyer", fourth studio LP released)
  chart Placidus Equal_H.

• Work : Published/ Exhibited/ Released 18 September 1978 (Each member of band published solo album)
  chart Placidus Equal_H.

• Work : Fired/Laid off/Quit 17 May 1980 (Officially quit Kiss to launch solo career)
  chart Placidus Equal_H.

• Work : Published/ Exhibited/ Released 2012 (Autobiography, "Makeup to Breakup")

• Work : Prize 2014 (Rock and Roll Hall of Fame)

Source Notes

In December 2023 Dave Campbell emailed the link to a Youtube video showing the birth certificate in the first few minutes [1]. Greenpoint Hospital is recorded as the place of birth.

Previously, Criss was quoted in his autobiography, "Makeup to Breakup: My Life in Kiss" (2012), at the beginning of chapter one: "I entered the world on December 20, 1945, feet first, ass backward, a breech baby." No time given. Data downgraded from "A" to "DD", because the time quoted by Criss at an earlier date was given at the same time as the erroneous birth year.

Also previously, Steinbrecher quoted J. Swartzberg, from Criss over the radio for 13:30 (1:30 PM), 20 December 1947. The "Almanac of Famous People" incorrectly gives 1947 as do many other written references.

Categories

• Traits : Personality : Attention seeking (Stage make-up and outlandish special effects)

• Diagnoses : Major Diseases : Cancer (Breast)

• Diagnoses : Body Part Problems : Surgery (Lumpectomy)

• Diagnoses : Psychological : Abuse Drugs

• Family : Childhood : Family large

• Family : Childhood : Order of birth (First of five)

• Family : Relationship : Marriage more than 15 Yrs (Second and third wives)

• Family : Relationship : Number of Marriages (Three)

• Family : Parenting : Kids 1-3 (One daughter)

• Personal : Misc. : Changed name (Stage name)

• Vocation : Entertainment : Live Stage

• Vocation : Entertain/Music : Group/ Duo (KISS)

• Vocation : Entertain/Music : Instrumentalist (Drummer)

• Vocation : Entertain/Music : Vocalist/ Pop, Rock, etc.

• Vocation : Writers : Autobiographer ("Makeup to Breakup")

• Notable : Awards : Hall of Fame (Rock and Roll)

• Notable : Famous : Top 5% of Profession

• Notable : Book Collection : Culture Collection