New Pioneers: Paul Stanley on the group that wrote the book on modern rock
There was once a time during which rock and roll was viewed as being unimportant, outsider music. Its early inception in the 1950s managed to capture the attention of America’s youth, but there was no telling whether the trend would last very long. Today, rock and roll is a multi-billion pound industry awash with globally famous stars and a plethora of truly iconic groups. In fact, rock is such a prosperous industry that even a bubblegum outfit like Kiss can become a commercial powerhouse.
New York City during the 1970s is often viewed as a particularly vibrant time for American rock music, with the advent of punk rock, new wave, and disco all occurring within the streets of the East Coast’s concrete jungle. However, the Big Apple was also capable of producing a band like Kiss, who were at the complete opposite end of the spectrum from this new landscape of defiant punk rockers.
Formed in 1973 by Paul Stanley and Gene Simmons, the band took cues from hard rock, glam metal, and shock rock, though it was their theatrical performances that really caught the attention of fans. Known largely for their painted faces and big-budget live shows, it is not contentious to say that Kiss were never the greatest rock musicians out there. Indeed, the New York band are often branded as something of a novelty, particularly within the often elitist realm of metal music.
Nevertheless, the band found a colossal level of commercial success during their long and illustrious career. Quickly becoming a powerhouse of bubblegum rock, the band typified the commercialisation of rock and roll music. To their credit, though, Kiss were never afraid to take on new influences or emulate the sounds of their rock and roll heroes.
Within the world of hard rock, inspiration does not come any clearer than Led Zeppelin. Elder statesmen of British rock, Zeppelin paved the way for virtually all future hard rock and metal outfits from their initial establishment in 1969. Throughout the 1970s, the Jimmy Page-led group penned some of the most iconic and groundbreaking rock and roll songs of all time, inspiring countless future artists in the process. Kiss’ Paul Stanley was certainly among those influenced by the band, and he never forgot their unparalleled power.
“They wrote the book,” Stanley once said of Led Zeppelin, “They are the reason most bands are here today, their DNA is in everything that everybody does.” While Stanley could be accused of having a blinkered view here, given his position as a lifelong rock musician, it is certainly true that Zeppelin held a huge influence over the rock scene. After all, any rock obsessive who has picked up a guitar in the past five decades has been, on some level, attempting to imitate the style of Jimmy Page.
Continuing in his glowing testament to the band, the Kiss singer shared, “They were so innovative, such visionaries. Anybody who calls them heavy metal, that’s sacrilege; they are truly world music.” Explaining this seemingly egregious claim, Stanley added, “They grew up absorbing so much of what they loved, you have a band that is rooted in Appalachian music, blues, rockabilly, classical music, it’s all there.”
Although Led Zeppelin did embrace a wide range of influences throughout their celebrated discography, it is certainly easier to associate them with hard rock and heavy metal, as opposed to the lo-fi sounds of Appalachian music. Stanley’s thoughts on the band do, however, offer a stunning insight into the impact of Led Zeppelin on the realm of rock and roll musicians. To people like Paul Stanley, Led Zeppelin were everything; they encapsulated all the music a person could possibly need. Jimmy Page certainly has a lot to answer for.
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