PETER CRISS: 'I'm A Kid Inside And The Music Keeps Me Young'

Mario Tarradell of The Dallas Morning News recently conducted an interview with original KISS drummer Peter Criss. A few excerpts from the chat follow:

On the reminiscent nature of his new solo album, "One for All":

"As I have grown and become a real adult — kind of — it's an album of my life. It's an album of the phases that I have gone through, and the band and the fans have gone through with me. There are not many drummers that are singers and songwriters. On this particular piece of work I really dug deep down and pulled out the stuff that I felt. If you look at my background, even back to the four solo albums, I have been into more than just three guitars. I'm a major R&B, swing and jazz fan. I was very into horns and violins even since I was a kid."

On success, his pending autobiography, a big house and playing golf:

"Sitting back on my laurels would be a wonderful thing. I have a wonderful house. I appreciate what I have. What I still have is my music. I can't help myself. I don't want to play golf. I don't want to sit on the porch. I haven't finished my book and I don't want to because when you're done with that it's time to go play golf. I'm just not ready, man."

On the KISS legacy — and garish makeup:

"Now I'm proud of the MARILYN MANSONs and MÖTLEY CRÜEs, all the bands that followed us with makeup. I never expected what KISS did because I never went into it for that. I wanted to play music. … Maybe we would have some success, maybe I would eventually live comfortably. It has gone beyond my dreams could ever take me. We have been so emulated. No one had ever done it and nobody will ever do it the way we did it. I don't have any great expectations of my music going to Grammy-nominated places. But I still have an amazing following. You should see the heavy e-mails on my Web site."

On the KISS 1996-97 reunion tour:

"I remember when we were doing the reunion sitting next to Gene and we were putting the makeup on. It was the scariest moment because it was so long ago. But it was wonderful. It was like I was 20 years old again. We went back to the '70s. It was an incredible ride again. History did repeat itself. I thank God for the second chances."

On the humanity of a Catman:

"The album is all about real moments that I jotted down in my little book. By the end of it all I had songs. It truly does come from the heart. It makes the Catman human. It's a nice feeling for me. When I'm the Catman it's a whole different ball game of rock 'n' roll. It's amazingly magical. When I do my own thing it's not so stressful as the band. I am alone and I am on my own and I like it. I am 61. I paid my dues. I'm a kid inside and the music keeps me young."