KISS Band Members: Original Lineup, Makeup Characters and Who’s Who

Last updated: October 2026

Key takeaways

• Paul Stanley and Gene Simmons are the only members who were in every KISS lineup.
• Each member wore a makeup character; the Spaceman and Catman were later played by Tommy Thayer and Eric Singer.
• KISS performed without makeup from 1983’s Lick It Up until the original-lineup reunion in 1996.
• Drummer Eric Carr (1991), guitarist Mark St. John (2007) and founding guitarist Ace Frehley (2025) have died.
• KISS was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2014 and named a Kennedy Center honoree in 2025.

KISS makeup characters: who played whom

Character	Original member	Later played by
The Starchild	Paul Stanley	— (Stanley throughout)
The Demon	Gene Simmons	— (Simmons throughout)
The Spaceman (Space Ace)	Ace Frehley	Tommy Thayer, 2002–2023
The Catman	Peter Criss	Eric Singer, 2004–2023
The Fox	Eric Carr, 1980–1983	Retired when the band unmasked
The Ankh Warrior (“the Wiz”)	Vinnie Vincent, 1982–1983	Retired when the band unmasked

Mark St. John and Bruce Kulick only played with KISS during the no-makeup years, so they never had characters.

All KISS members, past and present

Member	Role	Years in band	Born	Age (Oct. 2026)	Birthplace
Paul Stanley	Rhythm guitar, lead vocals	1973–2023	January 20, 1952	74	New York City
Gene Simmons	Bass, lead vocals	1973–2023	August 25, 1949	77	Haifa, Israel
Ace Frehley	Lead guitar, vocals	1973–1982, 1996–2002	April 27, 1951	Died October 16, 2025 (age 74)	The Bronx
Peter Criss	Drums, vocals	1973–1980, 1996–2001, 2002–2004	December 20, 1945	80	Brooklyn
Eric Carr	Drums, vocals	1980–1991	July 12, 1950	Died November 24, 1991 (age 41)	Brooklyn
Vinnie Vincent	Lead guitar	1982–1984	August 6, 1952	74	Bridgeport
Mark St. John	Lead guitar	1984	February 7, 1956	Died April 5, 2007 (age 51)	Hollywood
Bruce Kulick	Lead guitar	1984–1996	December 12, 1953	72	Brooklyn
Eric Singer	Drums, vocals	1991–1996, 2001–2002, 2004–2023	May 12, 1958	68	Cleveland
Tommy Thayer	Lead guitar, vocals	2002–2023	November 7, 1960	65	Portland

Ages are as of October 2026.

Who’s who in KISS

Paul Stanley

Paul Stanley (born Stanley Eisen) co-founded KISS with Gene Simmons and was its main frontman as the Starchild. He sang “Detroit Rock City” and “I Was Made for Lovin’ You” and co-wrote “Rock and Roll All Nite.” In 1999 he played the lead in The Phantom of the Opera in Toronto.

Gene Simmons

Gene Simmons was born Chaim Witz in Haifa, Israel, and moved to New York as a boy. As the Demon he breathed fire, spat blood and flashed the band’s most famous tongue. He starred in the reality series Gene Simmons Family Jewels (2006–2012).

Ace Frehley

Ace Frehley, from the Bronx, created the Spaceman and the band’s smoking-guitar stage trick. His 1978 solo album went platinum on the strength of “New York Groove.” He left in 1982, returned for the 1996 reunion and died on October 16, 2025, at age 74, after a fall at his home.

Peter Criss

Peter Criss, from Brooklyn, played the Catman and sang “Beth” (1976), the band’s biggest U.S. hit. He left in 1980 and came back twice during the reunion years.

Eric Carr

Eric Carr replaced Criss in 1980 and played the Fox, debuting in makeup on July 25, 1980, at the Palladium in New York. He drummed through the unmasked years and died of cancer on November 24, 1991, at age 41.

Vinnie Vincent

Vinnie Vincent replaced Frehley and wore the Ankh Warrior makeup on Creatures of the Night before playing unmasked on Lick It Up. He clashed with Stanley and Simmons and was out by 1984.

Mark St. John

Mark St. John played on Animalize (1984) but left during that year’s tour. He died in 2007.

Bruce Kulick

Brooklyn’s Bruce Kulick was KISS’s lead guitarist for the rest of the unmasked era, from Asylum to Carnival of Souls, and stepped aside for the 1996 reunion.

Eric Singer

Cleveland-born Eric Singer joined after Eric Carr’s death, played unmasked on Revenge, and from 2004 wore the Catman makeup through the final show.

Tommy Thayer

Tommy Thayer, from Portland, Oregon, worked behind the scenes for KISS before taking over the Spaceman role in 2002. He played on Sonic Boom (2009) and Monster (2012).

KISS history and lineup timeline

• 1972–1973: Stanley and Simmons, fresh from the band Wicked Lester, add drummer Peter Criss in 1972 and lead guitarist Ace Frehley in January 1973.
• 1974–1976: Kiss, Hotter Than Hell and Dressed to Kill, then the breakthrough Alive! (1975) and Destroyer (1976).
• 1978: All four members release solo albums on the same day.
• 1980–1982: Criss leaves (Eric Carr joins as the Fox); Frehley leaves (Vinnie Vincent joins).
• 1983–1996, the unmasked era: KISS takes off the makeup for Lick It Up and works through guitarists Vincent, Mark St. John and Bruce Kulick, and drummers Carr and Eric Singer.
• 1996: Frehley and Criss return in full makeup for a hugely successful reunion tour.
• 2002–2004: Tommy Thayer becomes the Spaceman, and Eric Singer becomes the Catman.
• 2014: The four founders are inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.
• 2019–2023: The End of the Road tour ends at Madison Square Garden on December 2, 2023.
• 2024 onward: The band sells its catalog and brand to Pophouse Entertainment, which is building digital KISS avatars with Industrial Light & Magic; the avatar show is planned for Las Vegas in 2027.
• 2025: KISS is named a Kennedy Center honoree in August; Ace Frehley dies in October.

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Frequently asked questions

Who were the original members of KISS?

The original members were Paul Stanley, Gene Simmons, Ace Frehley and Peter Criss, who formed KISS in New York City in 1973.

What are the KISS makeup characters?

Paul Stanley was the Starchild, Gene Simmons the Demon, Ace Frehley the Spaceman and Peter Criss the Catman. Later members wore the Fox (Eric Carr) and the Ankh Warrior (Vinnie Vincent).

Who was in the final KISS lineup?

The final KISS lineup was Paul Stanley, Gene Simmons, Tommy Thayer and Eric Singer. They played the last show at Madison Square Garden on December 2, 2023.

Which KISS members have died?

Drummer Eric Carr died in 1991, guitarist Mark St. John in 2007, and founding lead guitarist Ace Frehley on October 16, 2025, at age 74.

When did KISS take off their makeup?

KISS first appeared without makeup in 1983, around the release of Lick It Up, and stayed unmasked until the original lineup reunited in makeup in 1996.

Is KISS still together?

KISS stopped touring after its final show in December 2023. Paul Stanley and Gene Simmons are still involved in the brand, which is developing a digital avatar show planned for Las Vegas in 2027.

Sources

• Kiss (band), Wikipedia
• KISS official site
• KISS, Rock & Roll Hall of Fame
• Ace Frehley, Wikipedia
• Birth and death dates: Wikidata

Image credits

• KISS band members. Design by The LA Note using photos of Gene Simmons by Agente47 (CC BY-SA 4.0) and Ace Frehley from a 1977 Casablanca Records promotional image (public domain).
• KISS on the End of the Road tour at the Rock Imperium Festival in Spain, June 2023. Photo: P4K1T0, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0.
• Peter Criss, Gene Simmons and Paul Stanley at the Kennedy Center Honors medal dinner, December 6, 2025. Photo: U.S. Department of State, Wikimedia Commons, public domain.
• Paul Stanley. Photo: U.S. Department of State, Wikimedia Commons, public domain.
• Gene Simmons. Photo: Agente47, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0.
• Ace Frehley. Photo: Casablanca Records, Wikimedia Commons, public domain.
• Peter Criss. Photo: U.S. Department of State, Wikimedia Commons, public domain.
• Eric Carr. Photo: MTV, Wikimedia Commons, public domain.
• Eric Singer. Photo: Toglenn, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 3.0.
• Tommy Thayer. Photo: Rowlandsrock, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0.
• Bruce Kulick. Photo: Belliniguitar, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0.
• Vinnie Vincent. Photo: Chrysalis Records, Wikimedia Commons, public domain.