Face the Music: A Life Exposed

Paul Stanley

Apr 2014 · Harper Collins

About this ebook

The rock icon and co-founder of KISS recounts his turbulent life behind the face paint in this New York Times bestselling memoir.

With his onstage persona, the “Starchild”, Paul Stanley made rock & roll history—thrilling countless fans with hard rock anthems and elaborate stage shows. But his famous makeup hid a difficult life. In Face the Music, Stanley shares a gripping blend of personal revelations and gritty war stories about the highs and lows both inside and outside of KISS.

Born with a condition called microtia (an ear deformity rendering him deaf on the right side), Stanley's traumatic childhood experiences produced an inner drive to succeed in the most unlikely of places: music. Taking readers through the series of events that led to the founding of KISS, the personal relationships that helped shape his life, and the dynamics among his bandmates, this book leaves no one unscathed—including Stanley himself.

With never-before-seen photos and images throughout, Face the Music is a colorful portrait of a man and the band he helped create, define, and sustain—made larger than life in artfully told stories that are shocking, funny, inspirational, and honest.

Ratings and reviews

An open and honest read from start to finish. By far the best of the bio books released by a member of the hottest band in the world. When you consider what he overcome with his disability, and what he achieved, he truly is special and we should be thankful to have played a part. Small minded critics calling him a sellout really don't have a clue what the business is about. If he had been a sellout he would have yielded to the HOF. Read the book abd understand the man behind the Starchild.

An inspirational look back stage of one of the greatest frontmen in Rock History... Allowing us to see at the core of it all, despite Fame, Wealth and all its trappings Paul Stanley faces the same consequences and emotional insecurities of Love, Life and Work as we all do... Thank you Paul for sharing your story and showing us all the man behind the Make up!!!

Face the Music takes us back to Paul's difficult childhood dealing with a handicap, through his teen years as he discovered music, and then forming the greatest band in the world... which itself faced many obstacles. An inside look at a man's life through its stages, you can't help but have more respect for Paul, and to reflect on your own life. A must read, not only for KISS fans.

About the author

Paul Stanley is the frontman and rhythm guitarist for KISS, which he cofounded in New York City in 1973. He is the designer of numerous KISS album covers, costumes, and concert stages, in addition to writing many of KISS's most successful songs. With sales of more than one hundred million records worldwide, KISS sits atop the list of American bands, with the most gold-certified albums earned in history. Along with his bandmates, Stanley was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2014. A painter, with art sales reaching two million dollars; a solo musician; a musical stage performer; founding partner in Rock & Brews restaurants; and co-owner of the Arena Football League's L.A. KISS, Stanley is a committed and active supporter of various Wounded Warrior Project organizations. He lives in Los Angeles with his wife, Erin, and four children.