Former KISS guitarist Vinnie Vincent recently shared his thoughts on what the band could have achieved during the Creatures of the Night and Lick It Up era, citing the song “Unholy” as proof of their potential in a post on Facebook.
Vincent initially reflected on this period of the band’s history, describing it as a memorable time.
“Hi guys. This was a memorable time and a great era for KISS,” Vincent wrote.
After a fan commented that the band’s sound changed dramatically on Animalize and expressed a wish for more albums like Lick It Up, Vincent agreed and discussed the potential of that lineup.
“Hey…100%,” Vincent responded. “KISS should and could have gone the distance. They would have easily ruled the rock world with this lineup. And I mean ruled.”
He went on to describe the level of songwriting they could have delivered and criticized the band’s later direction.
“The level of artistry, music quality, and songwriting would have been off the charts,” Vincent continued. “Unholy was a peek into what could have been achieved had we stayed together. KISS would have set album trends instead of sadly morphing into a tribute band to themselves.”
This comment highlights Vincent’s perspective on the band’s legacy and missed opportunities.
Vincent’s remarks look back on a short but pivotal chapter of KISS history, one that began when he was brought in to fill a vacancy left by an original member. Vincent joined KISS in 1982 as Ace Frehley’s replacement and contributed to Creatures of the Night before taking part in the band’s live push behind the album. That touring cycle, tied to the band’s 10th Anniversary Tour, opened on December 29, 1982.
His role grew on the follow-up record, where he became a central creative force. Vincent co-wrote eight of the album’s ten songs, including its title track, and played lead guitar throughout most of the record. The 1983 album also marked the band’s first release without their signature makeup, a visual shift that accompanied the heavier sound Vincent referenced in his comments.
The partnership did not last, however, and the lineup Vincent praised eventually came apart. His time with KISS ended after the Lick It Up touring cycle, with his final show taking place on March 17, 1984, in Evansville, Indiana. He was fired at the end of that promotional cycle in March 1984 for what Gene Simmons described as “unethical behavior.”
Even after the split, Vincent’s songwriting continued to shape the band’s output years later. The track appeared on KISS’s 1992 album Revenge and stands as one of three Vincent co-writes on the record, despite his departure from the group eight years earlier. The song was released as a single on April 27, 1992, while Revenge arrived on May 19, 1992.
That connection gives added weight to Vincent’s claim that “Unholy” offered a glimpse of the direction the band might have pursued. The Revenge era, built in part on his contributions, is often regarded as one of the strongest periods of KISS’s non-makeup years, and Vincent’s comments suggest he views that material as a reminder of what the Creatures and Lick It Up lineup could have accomplished had it remained intact.
