FilmstreifenGenerot.gif (40809 Byte)

1973

1974 1975 1976 1977-78 1979-80 1981 1982-83 1989

GENE'S COSTUMES

Dynasty & Unmasked tours 1979/80
cleardot.gif (53 Byte)

In 1979 KISS was no longer just KISS, but SuperKISS! And the new outfits were reflecting the new superhero image!
  For the solo albums each member had gotten their own signature color, and this was incorporated into the outfits, and the shows as well.
 

gene79a.jpg (68852 Byte)

Genes outfits for this period, are pretty hard to keep track of... they kept changing! As far as I can tell, there were no less than 4 different versions of the gargoyle costume. It is basically the Destroyer costume, but instead of the metal plate armor, it is made of foam rubber, trying hard to look like rock.
The basis was (as usual) a black leotard, like the one shown on picture A. It was an all-over body suit, with a cutout at the stomach area, and on each thigh. Note that the shown leotard is the one used with the 1980 version of the costume, but the other versions were very similar in design!!
Pictures B to D shows the prototype version of the costume. It was a leather body suit covered with rhinestones, and had chains hanging from the nipples to the codpiece. There is also a detachable cape in Gene's signature color red. And on the shoulder pads there are two skeletal hands. If you look carefully at the holes on the thighs of the leotard in picture C and D, you can see the edges has a red line. According to Gene himself this prototype was never used in concert, but photos from the very first show on the Dynasty tour in Lakeland, Florida (like picture C), shows quite clearly that it was used, at least this once.
On picture D you can see the cape more clearly, and you also get a good view of the boots. They also had some coloring, and rhinestones, like the rest of the costume.

gene79b.jpg (58835 Byte)

The outfit on pictures E to I is almost as rarely seen as the previous. Note that the black leotard underneath, do not have an open chest, nor any holes on the thighs, and the codpiece is open at the sides (circled in on picture E). The skeletal hands from the previous version are still in use here.  I might be wrong, but I think Gene is wearing this version of the costume in the "I Was Made For Lovin' You" and "Sure Know Something" video clips. But that version had a leotard with open chest, though!  
Even though the outfit kept changing, the boots funnily enough stayed almost the same throughout the period. As you can see on picture F, the boots were also made to look like stone, and had large claws.
Picture G shows what exactly those skeletal hands were: a skeletal spider in a cobweb. The cobweb was a clear (plastic?) cape, with a cobweb design on. On picture H you can see the two capes, and how they were supposed to work together, with the cobweb design under Gene's arms, just like the batwings had been on the other costumes. If you take a look in the 77 section, you can see a sketch for Gene's 77 costume, which also were supposed to have a cobweb design... so the idea originated there!!
The skeletal spider was only used at a few photo sessions, and as far as I am concerned never used for concerts.
Picture I shows a different cape, this one with a collar. This is the only photo I have ever seen of this, so it was probably only used for this one photo session.
This costume was the second version of the Dynasty costume. This is mostly seen in photos shot for promotion for the upcoming tour (like the Dynasty TV commercial, seen in the "KISS My Ass" video), so it has to be assumed, that Gene was unhappy with this second version and discarded it. The third and finished version was then probably late, and the prototype was used for the first show of the tour. This is just a guess, but I think it is what happened!

gene79c.jpg (57022 Byte)

The third version of the gargoyle costume can be seen on pictures J to M. This costume was more silvery than the other versions (those were more grayish). Also note, that the skeletal spider and cobweb had been dropped at this time! Instead some small horns now protruded through the chest plates (almost like nipples). Gene would alternate between two different capes. One cape (as seen in picture J), was just a plain red, satin cape, while the other (seen on picture K) was made to resemble flames. The flame cape was also the one used with the prototype version of the costume (seen on pictures B to D).
  Picture L and M shows some details of the third version. Picture L shows the codpiece, which had spikes. Note the edge along Gene's exposed stomach, is black and looks like leather.
  Picture M shows the thighs of the leotard. Instead of the red line from picture C and D, the leotard is now painted to look like scales.

gene80.jpg (66476 Byte)

The fourth and last version of the gargoyle outfit, is seen in pictures N to Q. This was introduced during the last half of the Dynasty tour, and was also used throughout the entire Unmasked period. The outfit was now again grayish, and the horns in the chest plates are much larger. The codpiece still had spikes in the crotch, but the edge along Gene's midsection was now gray and scaly, instead of black and leathery.
Gene would also alternate between two leotards, one with a plain oval hole on the thighs (picture N and P), and one with straps across the holes (picture A and Q). But both leotards were entirely black, and did not have scales painted on them, like in picture M.
Picture R shows Gene with his guitar strap placed under the costume. This was however, not the general way it was done! Many pictures from the Unmasked tour, also shows Gene with the guitar strap over the shoulder of the costume (as seen in picture C and K).
Picture S reveals the secret behind how the cape was attached to the shoulders. Circled in is a little metal ring where a hook inside the cape's shoulder part would be hooked to!


return to KISS costumes main page
cleardot.gif (53 Byte)

Many thanks to Jan Laursen for letting us use these pages.
Here is the link to his website:

JanLaursenBannerEvolutionOfKiss.gif (13454 Byte)

cleardot.gif (53 Byte)

cleardot.gif (53 Byte)

link not working?
photo not showing up?
report bugs

suggestions for improvement

site map

Link funktioniert nicht?
Foto erscheint nicht?
Fehler melden

Verbesserungsvorschläge

cleardot.gif (53 Byte)
cleardot.gif (53 Byte)
KISS FAN SHOPKISS FAN SHOPKISS FAN SHOPKISS FAN SHOPKISS FAN SHOPKISS FAN SHOP
cleardot.gif (53 Byte)

cleardot.gif (53 Byte)
Kiss News Search

search Kiss News or the web  
powered by FreeFind

 

KISS NEWS in english

DAILY KISS NEWS!
The Site from Fans for Fans!
Send your news to News@kissnews.net

This is a private website and all News on this website should be considered as inofficial and unconfirmed unless otherwise stated.


english


deutsch


dansk


français


italiano


svensk


español


nederlands

cleardot.gif (53 Byte)
Hier kannst Du Kiss News durchsuchen

durchsuche Website oder das Web  
powered by FreeFind

 

KISSNewslogoGermany.gif (16197 Byte)

TÄGLICHE KISS NEWS!
Die Seite von Fans für Fans!

Hast Du irgendwelche Neuigkeiten? Schicke sie an News@kissnews.de, damit wir sie hier veröffentlichen!
cleardot.gif (53 Byte)
KISS NEWS ist eine private Website. Alle News sind als inoffiziell zu betrachten und nicht von KISS bestätigt (außer ausdrücklich angegeben).