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Peter Criss

Co-Founder, Original Drummer and Occasional Vocalist of the Hard Rock Band KISS; Breast Cancer Survivor

Co-Founder, Original Drummer and Occasional Vocalist of the Hard Rock Band KISS; Breast Cancer Survivor

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Peter Criss Biography

Peter Criss is a founding member and original drummer for the rock n' roll supergroup, KISS. In addition to playing drums in the band, Peter also provided lead vocals for a number KISS' most popular and memorable songs including "Beth," "Black Diamond" and "Hard Luck Woman." Peter's Catman persona is an instantly recognizable icon in pop culture.

Peter was born Peter George John Criscuola on December 20, 1945 in Brooklyn, NY. Influenced by the big band sound of the 1940s, Peter idolized the playing style of legendary drummer Gene Krupa, who eventually became instrumental in Peter's musical career. By the early 1970's Peter had established an active and successful career as a musician.

In 1973 Peter Criss formed a trio with fellow New York City musicians Gene Simmons and Paul Stanley who, with the later addition of Ace Frehley, would become KISS. When the bands fourth album, KISS Alive!, hit the scene, KISS began it's ascent to rock n' roll domination. Followed up by the mega-smash album, Destroyer, KISS fans were treated to an unlikely hit in the form of "Beth." Initial sales for Destroyer were slow until radio stations started playing Beth, which was originally the B-side of the Detroit Rock City single. Written and performed by Peter Criss, "Beth" set aside the drums and guitars of the bands typical sound for piano and a string section. "Beth" went on to become KISS' highest charting single landing at No. 7 on the Billboard Hot 100 Chart and was awarded a People's Choice Award. With "Beth," Peter Criss opened the door for drummers to come out from behind the drum set and fearlessly show their musical talents as songwriters and singers.

After numerous world tours, platinum albums and KISS merchandise, Peter Criss left the band in 1980. He later embarked on a solo career that led to the release of Out of Control, Let Me Rock You and most recently One for All, which landed at No. 35 on the Indy chart.

By popular demand, the original lineup of KISS reunited in 1995 for the years most successful tour. The Reunion Tour was followed up with the Psycho Circus album and tour, and finally the Farewell Tour. After the Farewell Tour, Peter briefly re-joined the band and appeared on the KISS Symphony: Alive IV album and DVD.

In October 2012, Peter Criss released his autobiography, "Makeup to Breakup," giving an up close and personal view of everything from his NYC upbringing, his bout with cancer, music, life, love and all things Catman! "Makeup to Breakup" broke the top ten on the New York Times Best Seller list, landing at No. 7.

On April 10, 2014, Peter Criss was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame as a founding member of KISS. The Hall of Fame induction celebrates the original vision of KISS and the decades of influence and inspiration that Peter Criss and KISS have had on music and pop culture.

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FAQs on booking Peter Criss

  • How do I book Peter Criss to speak at my event?

    Our experienced booking agents have successfully helped clients around the world secure speakers like Peter Criss for speaking engagements, personal appearances, product endorsements, or corporate entertainment since 2002. Click the Check Availability button above and complete the form on this page to check availability for Peter Criss, or call our office at 1.800.698.2536 to discuss your upcoming event. One of our experienced agents will be happy to help you get speaking fee information and check availability for Peter Criss or any other speaker of your choice.
  • What are the speaker fees for Peter Criss

    Speaking fees for Peter Criss, or any other speakers and celebrities, are determined based on a number of factors and may change without notice. The estimated fees to book Peter Criss are for live events and for virtual events. For the most current speaking fee to hire Peter Criss, click the Check Availability button above and complete the form on this page, or call our office at 1.800.698.2536 to speak directly with an experienced booking agent.
  • What topics does Peter Criss speak about?

    Peter Criss is a keynote speaker and industry expert whose speaking topics include Cancer Speakers, Entertainers, Speakers by Industry.
  • Where does Peter Criss travel from?

    Peter Criss generally travels from an undisclosed location, but can be booked for private corporate events, personal appearances, keynote speeches, or other performances. For more details, please contact an AAE Booking agent.
  • Who is Peter Criss’s agent?

    AAE Speakers Bureau has successfully booked keynote speakers like Peter Criss for clients worldwide since 2002. As a full-service speaker booking agency, we have access to virtually any speaker or celebrity in the world. Our agents are happy and able to submit an offer to the speaker or celebrity of your choice, letting you benefit from our reputation and long-standing relationships in the industry. Please click the Check Availability button above and complete the form on this page including the details of your event, or call our office at 1.800.698.2536, and one of our agents will assist you to book Peter Criss for your next private or corporate function.
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    AAE Speakers Bureau is a full-service speaker booking agency, meaning we can completely manage the speaker’s or celebrity’s engagement with your organization from the time of booking your speaker through the event’s completion. We provide all of the services you need to host Peter Criss or any other speaker of your choice, including offer negotiation, contractual assistance, accounting and billing, and event speaker travel and logistics services. When you book a speaker with us, we manage the process of hosting a speaker for you as an extension of your team. Our goal is to give our clients peace of mind and a best-in-class service experience when booking a speaker with us.
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    If you’re looking for the best, unbiased speaker recommendations, paired with a top-notch customer service experience, you’re in the right place. At AAE Speakers Bureau, we exclusively represent the interests of our clients - professional organizations, companies, universities, and associations. We intentionally do not represent the speakers we feature or book. That is so we can present our clients with the broadest and best performing set of speaker options in the market today, and we can make these recommendations without any obligation to promote a specific speaker over another. This is why when our agents suggest a speaker for your event, you can be assured that they are of the highest quality with a history of proven success with our other clients.

Peter Criss is a keynote speaker and industry expert who speaks on a wide range of topics . The estimated speaking fee range to book Peter Criss for your event is available upon request. Peter Criss generally travels from and can be booked for (private) corporate events, personal appearances, keynote speeches, or other performances. Similar motivational celebrity speakers are Paul Stanley, Melissa Etheridge, Rita Wilson, Anastacia and Carly Simon. Contact All American Speakers for ratings, reviews, videos and information on scheduling Peter Criss for an upcoming live or virtual event.

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