PETER CRISS Says He Put His 'Heart And Soul' Into His New Solo Album: 'I'm Still Singing Like A Bird'

Original KISS drummer Peter Criss spoke to Billboard about his upcoming solo album, simply titled "Peter Criss", which will arrive this Friday, December 19. He said: "I put my heart and soul into it. 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's first album. I felt like I was 20 years old again."

"Peter Criss" was co-produced by Criss alongside Barry Pointer, who has worked with Ozzy Osbourne, John 5, MÖTLEY CRÜE, Steve Stevens, Pearl Aday and Dolly Parton. Joining the legendary KISS musician on the LP are Billy Sheehan and Matthew Montgomery (a.k.a. Piggy D.) on bass, John 5 and Mike McLaughlin on guitar and Paul Shaffer on piano. The record also features the talents of backing vocalists Dennis and Sharon Collins, and Cat Manning of CAT 5.

The album will be Criss's first solo release since 2007's "One For All", which arrived 13 years after his previous solo release.

Regarding the new LP's musical and lyrical direction, Criss told Billboard: "There's a little bit of everything in there. 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."

On the topic of the likelihood of Criss playing live shows in support of "Peter Criss", he told Billboard: "If the album really knocks the fans out, would I go out? Sure. 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."

"Peter Criss" track listing:

01. Rock, Rockin', Rock & Roll (feat. Billy Sheehan and Paul Shaffer)
02. In The Dark (feat. Billy Sheehan and Paul Shaffer)
03. For The Money (feat. Billy Sheehan and Paul Shaffer)
04. Murder (feat. Billy Sheehan and Paul Shaffer)
05. Walking On Water (feat. Billy Sheehan and Paul Shaffer)
06. Creepy Crawlers (feat. John 5, Billy Sheehan and Paul Shaffer)
07. Justice (feat. John 5, Billy Sheehan and Paul Shaffer)
08. Cheaper To Keep Her (feat. Billy Sheehan and Paul Shaffer)
09. Sugar (feat. Billy Sheehan and Paul Shaffer)
10. Rubberneckin' (feat. John 5, Billy Sheehan and Paul Shaffer)
11. Hard Rock Knockers (feat. Billy Sheehan and Paul Shaffer) (bonus track)

Criss will sign copies of "Peter Criss" on the LP's release day, Friday, December 19 at New York City's Rough Trade Below, located below Rockefeller Center.

A trailer for the album's first single, "Creepy Crawlers", is available below.

In an interview with The Music Universe, Criss stated about his new solo LP: "Oh, my Lord. It's taken me a year [to prepare it for release]. There's some very political stuff, but I wrote a song called 'Walking On Water', which is about my beating cancer. I'm a very religious guy. I am a Catholic kid. And I got some great players on it. I got Paul Shaffer and Billy Sheehan and Mike McLaughlin, Johnny 5. So I'm pretty excited. It's coming out on the 19th, and my birthday's on the 20th. I'll be turning 80."

This past April, Peter told The Rock Experience With Mike Brunn about his upcoming rock solo album: "Yeah, I'm excited. I got great players on it. I got Billy Sheehan, Paul Shaffer, Johnny 5, Michael, my guitarist, [and] I got Piggy from ROB ZOMBIE. So it's like a dream team band. And it's a real Peter Criss album. It's an album I always wanted to do. And hopefully the fans will like it."

The first details of Criss's new rock solo album were released in April by famed KISStorian Julian Gill, who has been running the KissFAQ.com web site since the mid-1990s.

Criss had previously touched upon a new solo album back in 2014, promising at the time that the LP would be "heavier" than the stuff he had done in the past. Speaking to an audience of fans at a question-and-answer session at the All Things That Rock festival in Oaks, Pennsylvania, Criss stated about the progress of the recording sessions for the follow-up to "One For All": "I've been sitting on a record … I'd done this thing, like, five years ago and I'm still messing with it. I'm not done, because I don't wanna rush it."

Criss revealed at the time that he had been working with John 5, but added: "I wanna take my time with it. I'm constantly putting time into it. I want it to be heavier than I've usually done my stuff, and then I'll get, 'It's too heavy. You should go back and do light stuff.' Because fans are never happy. You guys aren't! No matter what we ever do, you're like, 'Oh, that sucks. I want this.' [Or] 'He's playing that ballad shit again.'"

Criss first left KISS in 1980. Since then he's worked with other bands and released solo albums. He teamed up with KISS again for a reunion tour in the 1990s and most recently in 2004. He was replaced by Eric Singer.

In addition to playing drums in KISS, Peter also provided lead vocals for a number the band's most popular and memorable songs, including "Beth", "Black Diamond" and "Hard Luck Woman".

Criss, who was known as "Catman," released his last solo CD, titled "One For All", in 2007. Peter produced the album himself for the first time, and was joined by guest musicians that included keyboardist Paul Shaffer and bassist Will Lee of "Late Night With David Letterman". The album featured a range of styles, from rock and jazz to blues and Broadway, and included covers of "What A Difference A Day Makes" and "Send In The Clowns".

Criss played what was being billed as his final full U.S. concert in June 2017 at the Cutting Room in New York City.

Peter last appeared onstage with all three other original members of KISS when the group was inducted into the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame in 2014, though he and his former bandmates didn't perform at the event.

On April 25, 2025, Criss was presented with the Legacy Award at Raven Drum Foundation's event at New York City's famed Cutting Room.

Criss and the other two surviving original members of KISS — guitarist/vocalist Paul Stanley and bassist/vocalist Gene Simmons — received a Kennedy Center Honor at a December 7 ceremony which will air on December 23 on CBS.

Original KISS guitarist Ace Frehley died on October 16 after a fall at his New Jersey home. He was 74 years old. His cause of death was listed as blunt trauma injuries to his head due to a fall, according to a report from the Morris County Medical Examiner. The manner of his death was ruled an accident.