Peter Criss - (1978) Peter Criss

“Peter Criss” is a 1978 solo album by Peter Criss, the drummer of American hard rock band Kiss. It was one of four solo albums released by the members of Kiss on September 18, 1978. The album was produced by Vini Poncia, who went on to produce the Kiss albums Dynasty (1979) and Unmasked (1980). Criss covered "Tossin' and Turnin'", which was a #1 hit for Bobby Lewis in the U.S. during the summer of 1961. The song was subsequently covered by Kiss on their 1979 tour. Much of the material on the album was originally written in 1971 for Criss's pre-Kiss band Lips.
At the peak of their popularity in 1978, Kiss decided to maximize their sales potential and exploit their loyal audience by having each member release a solo record on the same day. Instead of sending sales through the roof, it had the unexpected effect of stopping their momentum cold. It wasn't because the market was flooded with Kiss product  although it certainly was, since they released nine albums, including two double-live records and a compilation, in the course of four years  it was because the albums were, for the most part, terrible. Peter Criss' effort was one of the most undistinguished of the bunch, lacking hooks on either the pop-metal rockers or the power ballads, as well as personality throughout. Even Kiss fans will have a hard time making their way through this record, or any of the other solo albums.
Reviews for Peter Criss were mostly negative. The album was the lowest charting of all the Kiss solo albums of 1978, reaching #43 on the US Billboard album chart. Of the four solo albums, Peter Criss was the only album to have two singles released from it: "Don't You Let Me Down" and "You Matter to Me".

Track listing

01. "I'm Gonna Love You"  (Peter Criss, Stan Penridge)  - 3:18
02. "You Matter to Me"  (Vini Poncia, Michael Morgan, John Vastano)  - 3:15
03. "Tossin' and Turnin'"  (Ritchie Adams, Malou Rene)  - 3:58
04. "Don't You Let Me Down"  (Criss, Penridge)  - 3:38
05. "That's the Kind of Sugar Papa Likes"  (Criss, Penridge)  - 2:59
06. "Easy Thing"  (Criss, Penridge)  - 3:53
07. "Rock Me, Baby"  (Sean Delaney)  - 2:50
08. "Kiss the Girl Goodbye"  (Criss, Penridge)  - 2:46
09. "Hooked on Rock 'n' Roll"  (Criss, Penridge, Poncia)  - 3:37
10. "I Can't Stop the Rain"  (Delaney)  - 4:25

Credits
Peter Criss - lead vocals, drums, percussion, backing vocals
Allan Schwartzberg - drums
Bill Bodine - bass guitar
Neil Jason - bass guitar
Art Munson - guitar
Stan Penridge - guitar, backing vocals
Elliot Randall - guitar
John Tropea - guitar
Brendan Harkin - guitar
Steve Lukather - guitar
Bill Cuomo - keyboards
Richard Gerstein - keyboards
Davey Faragher, Tommy Faragher, Danny Faragher, Jimmy Faragher, Maxine Dixon, Maxine Willard, Julia Tillman, Vini Poncia, Annie Sutton, Gordon Grody - backing vocals
Horns arranged by Tom Saviano
Michael Carnahan - saxophone , baritone sax

Notes
Recorded at Electric Lady Studios, New York City, Burbank Studios, Burbank, CA, Sunset Sound Studios, Hollywood, CA
Genre: Rock
Length: 34:57
Label: Casablanca Records
Producer: Vini Poncia

© 1978