Monday’s Forgotten 45: The Un-masking of KISS

Welcome to the Monday edition of the Forgotten 45 at 3:45! You know when you think about the great moments of the 1980’s, what do you think of? The wedding of Prince Charles & Lady Di? The fall of the Soviet Union? The invention of the first mobile phone? Well at KOKZ, we celebrate something nearly as noteworthy, the un-masking of KISS! For today’s selection, the first song/album of the band without make-up, “Lick It Up”.

It was on this date 40 years ago that KISS went on MTV to show their faces sans paint for the first time ever. The members of KISS joined J.J. Jackson for a 30 minute special to release the album and single, which featured their first ever video without makeup. Despite all of the build-up, the song failed to become a top 40 hit, though it did reach the top 20 on the rock charts.

Their End of the Road Tour will resume in the U.S. October 19th in Cincinnati, and they’ll be in Chicago (Rosemont) November 27th. Check out not only the video to “Lick It Up”, but the MTV show revealing the members of KISS below.