You Wanted the Best and You Got It: The Hottest Band in the Land. . .

Misan Haziran 08, 2022

KISS!

A few months ago I picked up five cards from the 1978 Donruss KISS set.

Why?

I don't know. A trade partner had some available, and lately I've been discovering just how many non-sport cards Donruss churned out, going all the way back to the 1960s. Movies, TV shows, music acts, and the like. So I thought it would be fun to add a card of each band member to my small non-sport collection.

Paul Stanley

Back when I was a teenager, a couple of friends introduced me to the music of KISS with a mix tape. After giving it a listen, I got back to them and mentioned that some of the tunes were pretty cool.

Before I knew it, one of these friends was asking me if I'd like to see the band perform. Nassau Coliseum, New York. Floor section. Front and center. Just a few rows away from the stage. (He had an aunt who worked in the industry.)

Sure, I was in.

Peter Criss

Well, it was a pretty exciting show. Those four musicians were simply made for live performances. Lights, flames, explosions, decibels. On top of all that, a few songs into the show I caught a guitar pick thrown into the crowd by Ace Frehley, which was pretty cool. (I still have it, look.)

And so I was bitten by the KISS bug for a little while.

Ace Frehley

Some of the card backs in this set feature a puzzle-piece photo, which when put together with the rest form a larger rectangular image of the entire band (6 cards down and 9 cards across!). Other card backs contain simple yet creative write-ups. Here's the back of Ace Frehley's card.

With all the merchandising KISS has done over the decades, none of us should be surprised that the band ended up on trading cards (series 1 and series 2!).

But back in their heyday, they sure played some catchy, rockin' music. And they penned what could be the best opening line of a rock song in history:

Get up, and get your grandma outta here!