10 Amazing Musicians Everyone Forgets About In Legendary Bands
8. Eric Carr - KISS
It's pretty much impossible to ignore any member of KISS onstage if you tried. These were the guys who were looking to put together one of the biggest circus acts that the rock world had ever seen, and the strange melding of the original foursome's influences made for the beginnings of heavy metal with tracks like Parasite and God of Thunder. As the '80s turned a corner and the Catman was MIA, it was time for them to get that thunder back into their sound.
Around the time of Unmasked, it was becoming clear that Peter Criss couldn't really work with the rest of the band in any capacity, leading to the remaining members going with Eric Carr as their new drummer. Although his introduction into the band may have been jarring as a massive KISS fan, Carr might be the most powerful drummer that KISS would ever have, being informed just as much by the beginnings of metal as the old school rock and roll that the band loved.
Though it would take him a while to make his mark on the band, Creatures of the Night is still one of the heaviest records from the band because of him, with a drum sound that feels like Thor's hammer hitting you over the head every time you hear it. KISS was starting to look almost too cartoony as the '70s came to a close, and Eric was the one who managed to keep their rock and roll heart beating for many years to come.