Paul Stanley facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Paul Stanley
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Stanley at a concert in January 2010
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Stanley Bert Eisen
January 20, 1952 New York City, U.S.
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| Other names | The Starchild |
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| Years active | 1970–present |
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| Children | 4 |
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Paul Stanley (born Stanley Bert Eisen; January 20, 1952) is an American musician. He helped start the famous hard rock band Kiss. From 1973 until the band stopped touring in 2023, he was their frontman, rhythm guitarist, and one of the main singers.
Paul Stanley wrote or helped write many of Kiss's most popular songs. He created his famous stage character, "The Starchild." In 2014, he was welcomed into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame as a member of Kiss.
In 2006, Hit Parader magazine listed him as one of the top metal vocalists. A poll by Gibson.com in 2010 named him among the top frontmen in music.
Contents
Early Life and Music Beginnings
Stanley Bert Eisen grew up in New York City. He was the younger of two children. His family had moved to New York from Europe.
Stanley was born with a condition called microtia, which affected his right ear. This made it hard for him to hear well, especially in noisy places. Other children sometimes teased him because of his ear.
Despite his hearing challenges, Stanley loved music. He enjoyed watching American Bandstand on TV. He liked artists like Eddie Cochran and Little Richard. He learned to sing harmonies with his family. When he was seven, he received a child's guitar.
His family moved to Queens in 1960. He listened to a lot of doo-wop music. When the Beatles and the Rolling Stones appeared on TV, he was inspired by their performances. At 13, he got his first real guitar. He played songs by artists like Bob Dylan.
Stanley was also very good at art. He went to the High School of Music & Art in New York City. He graduated in 1970.
Forming the Band Kiss
Before Kiss, Stanley played in local bands. He joined Gene Simmons' band, Wicked Lester, in the early 1970s. They recorded an album in 1972, but it was never officially released.
Wicked Lester broke up. Stanley and Simmons then found Peter Criss through an advertisement. They looked for a lead guitarist next. Ace Frehley joined the group, and his playing fit their sound perfectly. Kiss released their first album, Kiss, in February 1974.
Around this time, Stanley decided to change his name. He wanted a new name for his music career. He was inspired by other musicians and legally changed his name to Paul Stanley.
His character in Kiss was "The Starchild." He wore makeup with a star over his right eye. He tried other makeup designs for a short time, like a "Lone Ranger" style mask. But he decided the star best showed who he was. He said he always loved stars and felt connected to them.
During the 1980s, Kiss performed without their famous makeup. Gene Simmons said that Stanley was a very important leader for the band during these years. Stanley found it satisfying to perform without makeup. He felt his stage character was not just about the makeup.
In 2007, Stanley had to go to the hospital for a heart condition. Kiss performed as a trio for the first time in many years. It was the first Kiss concert Stanley ever missed.
During Kiss's final tour, some fans wondered if Stanley was using backing tracks for his singing. Stanley said he was taking care of his voice. The band's manager confirmed that Stanley sang fully but also used tracks to help his voice.
Paul Stanley's Solo Music
Stanley released his first solo album, Paul Stanley, in 1978. This was part of a special project where all four Kiss members released solo albums at the same time. He has not often recorded or performed music outside of Kiss.
In 1989, Stanley went on a short tour by himself. His band included future Kiss drummer Eric Singer. He also sang on a song for the movie Shocker.
In 2006, Stanley released his second solo album, Live to Win. The title song from this album was featured in an episode of the TV show South Park. He toured to support the album in 2006 and 2007. A concert from this tour was released as a DVD and digital album called One Live Kiss.
In 2008, Stanley sang a duet with Sarah Brightman called "I Will Be with You." In 2016, he sang on Ace Frehley's album Origins, Vol. 1.
In 2015, Stanley started a new band called Paul Stanley's Soul Station. They play old soul songs from the 1960s and 1970s. They also write their own songs in that style. Their first album, Now and Then, was released in 2021.
Singing Style and Instruments
Paul Stanley has a high singing voice, known as a tenor. He often sings in high notes and uses falsetto.
He uses Ibanez guitars, including some of his own special models. He also uses Seymour Duncan pickups and ENGL amplifiers. Over the years, he has used guitars from other brands like Gibson and Washburn.
Other Activities
In 1999, Stanley acted in the musical The Phantom of the Opera in Toronto. He played the main role of the Phantom.
Stanley also started painting in 2006. He has shown and sold his original artworks. He worked with the band Click Five on their song "Angel to you (Devil to me)."
He also helped produce the first album for the band New England in 1978.
In 2012, Stanley and Gene Simmons helped start a restaurant chain called Rock & Brews.
In 2013, Stanley, Gene Simmons, and their manager became owners of an Arena Football League team called the L.A. Kiss. The team played in Anaheim, California, but stopped playing in 2016.
In 2014, Stanley wrote a book about his life called Face the Music: A Life exposed.
A song co-written by Stanley, "Like a Bee to the Honey," was recorded by the Finnish band Lordi for their album Killection.
Paul Stanley's Life Outside Music
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In 1982, when he was 30, Stanley had surgery to fix his right ear. The doctors used cartilage from his rib to create a new ear shape. Stanley said this surgery made a big difference in his life.
Because of his birth condition, Stanley helps a charity called AboutFace. This organization supports people with facial differences. He has appeared in videos and at events to help raise awareness.
Paul Stanley has been married twice. He has one son from his first marriage. In 2005, he married Erin Sutton. They have three children together: a son born in 2006, and two daughters born in 2009 and 2011.
Stanley has had two hip surgeries. He believes that years of performing in platform boots contributed to his hip problems.
In 2011, Stanley had surgery on his vocal cords. He said he wanted to fix small issues that came from singing rock and roll for 40 years.
Awards and Recognition
- He was inducted into the Long Island Music Hall of Fame in 2006.
- He received the Showman of the Year award at the Classic Rock Awards in 2008.
- His concert film One Live Kiss won a Classic Gold Telly Award in 2009.
- He received the Sound Partners Lifetime Achievement Award from the House Research Institute.
- Gibson.com's Reader's Poll listed Stanley among the top 25 rock and roll frontmen and frontwomen.
- Stanley was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2014, along with other original Kiss members.
Music Albums
Solo Albums
- Paul Stanley (1978)
- Live to Win (2006)
With Paul Stanley's Soul Station
- Now and Then (2021)
With Kiss
- Kiss (1974)
- Hotter than Hell (1974)
- Dressed to Kill (1975)
- Destroyer (1976)
- Rock and Roll Over (1976)
- Love Gun (1977)
- Dynasty (1979)
- Unmasked (1980)
- Music from "The Elder" (1981)
- Creatures of the Night (1982)
- Lick It Up (1983)
- Animalize (1984)
- Asylum (1985)
- Crazy Nights (1987)
- Hot in the Shade (1989)
- Revenge (1992)
- Carnival of Souls: The Final Sessions (1997)
- Psycho Circus (1998)
- Sonic Boom (2009)
- Monster (2012)
Live Albums
- Alive! (1975)
- Alive II (1977)
- Alive III (1993)
- Kiss Unplugged (1996)
- Kiss Symphony: Alive IV (2003)
- One Live Kiss (2008) (DVD and digital download)
Guest Appearances
- "Fire and Water" (from the Ace Frehley album Origins, Vol. 1) (2016)
See also
In Spanish: Paul Stanley para niños
