Peter Criss Shares What Ace Frehley Told Him About KISS’ Kennedy Center Honors Before His Passing

It’s a proverbial December to remember for KISS’ original drummer, Peter Criss.

Consider that in a span of two weeks the drummer, singer and songwriter received a Kennedy Center Honor with the band (which will be televised Dec. 23 on CBS), is releasing his first new album in 18 years on Friday (Dec. 19) and, come Saturday (Dec. 20), celebrates his 80th birthday. It’s all a “never in my wildest dreams” proposition, Criss says, and proof that the Catman isn’t nearly out of lives yet.

“I’m not tooting my horn, but I really worked hard for this,” Criss tells Billboard via phone from his home in New Jersey, where he recorded portions of the new Peter Criss album. “I started at 10 years old. I’m a musician and always a musician first. I’m about music, not about anything more than that. So I never expected all of this. I thought the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame (induction, in 2014) was, ‘Holy mackerel…’ This is just a blessing from God.”

Criss, who was born George Peter John Criscoula and raised in Brooklyn, actually started work on Peter Criss during 2008, shortly after the release of his fifth solo album, One For All, in the summer of 2007 but shelved the recordings at the time. During the pandemic, however, guitarist and co-writer Mike McLaughlin phoned and said, according to Criss, “‘Cat, you should listen to that album we started. It’s a good album.’ I started listening and, ‘Yeah, this is a really good album. We’ve really got something here.’” That notion was also supported by his friend, current Mötley Crüe guitarist John 5, whom Criss considers “like my son.”

“I was in California and played it for Johnny and he said, ‘Peter, this is a great album. You’ve got to finish it.’ ‘You really love it, John?’ ‘Are you serious? Yeah! I want to be on it!’ So, ‘OK, I guess we’re gonna do this.’”

Criss and co-producer Barry Pointer wound up deconstructing the 2008 recordings, keeping the drum tracks Criss had laid down at the time but bringing in McLaughlin and bassist Billy Sheehan to record new parts and adding keyboards by longtime friend Paul Shaffer and backing vocals. John 5 plays on three of the 11 tracks, and Criss replaced all of his scratch vocals during the past couple of years. The album’s package design was done by Matt Montgomery, aka Piggy D. of Marilyn Manson and Rob Zombie’s bands, who also plays bass on the track “Cheaper to Keep Her.”

“I put my heart and soul into it,” Criss says. “My voice, I’m still singing like a bird; boy am I lucky. I felt I was in control and I was enjoying myself; you can hear me laughing on the record. We all had a great time, and we all had a part in it. It was like having a dream band. You can feel it in the music. It was just really wonderful. I haven’t had the experience of doing a record like that since maybe KISS’ first album. I felt like I was 20 years old again.”

Peter Criss’ tracks range from the balls-out opener “Rock, Rockin’ Rock & Roll” and the gleefully adolescent “Hard Rock Knockers” to the theatrical “Creepy Crawlers” and the Sun Records-flavored, truck driver-celebrating “Rubberneckin’.” Elsewhere Criss is more serious, invoking faith and social commentary on songs such as “Murder,” “Justice,” “For the Money” and “Walking on Water.” The latter — “Probably my favorite song on the album,” Criss says — was inspired by his battle with breast cancer and his wife and manager Gigi’s own health struggles.

“There’s a little bit of everything in there,” Criss notes. “Now that I’m a senior citizen or whatever, I wanted to write a little about politics, a little good ol’ rock ‘n’ roll. Music is so powerful, as you know. You can really pour your heart and soul into something…and I did. I hope my fans love it. I promised them I would do a rock album after One For All, and I kept my promise.”

Promotion plans for Peter Criss are a somewhat up in the air. At 11 a.m. ET on Friday he’ll sign copies of the album at Rough Trade Below in New York City’s Rockefeller Plaza, and Criss is looking at signing events in other cities in the new year. He acknowledges that at his age and after several shoulder surgeries “it’s taking a little more time to get around the (drums),” but he doesn’t rule out playing live to support the album.

“If the album really knocks the fans out, would I go out? Sure,” he says. “I wouldn’t mind getting back on stage, getting the guys together to do a couple shows. Why not? I’m in pretty good condition for an old guy; everything is working, maybe a little bit of arthritis here and there, but I still play the drums a few times a week. So, yeah, I hope it does get to that point. I’m just gonna let it flow and see how my fans accept it.”

In the meantime Criss is still basking in the glow of the Kennedy Center Honors, which took place on Dec. 7 in Washington, D.C., where KISS was feted by magician Cris Angel and performances from Garth Brooks (“Shout It Out Loud”),  Marcus King (Criss’ signature song “Beth”) and Cheap Trick (“Rock and Roll All Nite”). “It was great. It was an honor,” says Criss, who served three tenures with KISS, departing for good — again acrimoniously — in 2004. He appeared amicably with bandmates Gene Simmons and Paul Stanley in D.C. but acknowledges that “we don’t keep in touch.”

Nevertheless, he adds, “I’m a kid from the streets of Brooklyn. I grew up in a cold-water flat with…seven of us. So coming from a tough neighborhood to standing in the Oval Office with the president was quite a thrill. I’m a big history buff; I couldn’t believe I was in the room where Roosevelt, Lincoln, Kennedy…all these great presidents were. You can feel the vibes. Only four other bands got this award, and here we are, KISS. That was something.” And despite continuing controversies swirling around Pres. Donald Trump’s realignments of the Kennedy Center, Criss says there were no political considerations on his part.

“Look, it was an honor; how many chances to go you get to go to the White House and get a medal?” he explains. “I’m not a politician. I’m not a political guy. That’s how I answered the questions; ‘I’m not political. I’m just proud to be here. Am I a Trump supporter? I’m a supporter of the president of the United States. I’m proud to be an American, and only in America can four guys like us, from the streets, be in the White House getting such a great award.’”

Making the occasion bittersweet, however, was KISS guitarist Ace Frehley’s absence following his death on Oct. 16 at the age of 74, following a fall in his home studio three weeks prior. “That was really hard for me,” says Criss, who spoke to Frehley shortly before his passing. “He was so excited. He was like, ‘Wow Cat, I can’t believe we’re getting this award!’ I haven’t heard him that excited for a while. He was getting ready to tour again, working on his new album…He was really up.” Criss says Frehley’s daughter Monique accepted his medal during the White House presentation, while her mother and Frehley’s ex-wife Jeanette was also in attendance.

“I got to sit next to Ace’s empty chair, where his medal was,” Criss says. “I’m still mourning over him. I can’t believe he’s gone. We were extremely close. It’s been very hard.”