With each new wave of rock ‘n’ roll, members of the old guard must decide whether they want to scramble to fit in or fade into nostalgic obscurity—quite the difficult decision that, for KISS, resulted in the day they shocked the world with a new look that was somehow more surprising than the original.
After years as one of the biggest rock bands in the world, the band effectively accustomed the public to a look that, by all intents and purposes, shouldn’t have been less surprising than their 1980s makeover. But lo and behold, when the rock stars really revealed themselves to the world on September 18, 1983, the world learned that, in a strange way, seeing Gene Simmons with his tongue in his mouth was more unsettling than the fire-breathing, on-stage alternative.
KISS Debuted Its New Look During Exclusive MTV Interview
Back when MTV still ruled the roost when it came to musical news, KISS opted to use the channel to debut their new look: no makeup. The episode, which MTV aired on September 18, 1983, was a big deal, given that no one had ever seen the members of KISS without their black-and-white stage makeup. Their identities (and true appearances) had always been a secret. But what set them apart throughout the 1970s quickly started to sour into a novelty as rock ‘n’ roll continued to evolve throughout the 1980s. For some critics, KISS was a campy relic from the 70s with no real staying power.