10 Hard Rock Bands That Had To Fire Major Members

At the end of the '70s, the thought of any one member leaving KISS seemed virtually inconceivable. Since each of the members had their own unique identity onstage and in the minds of fans, it seemed sacrilegious for them to carry on without one of the makeup-clad heroes. However, the nine lives of Catman Peter Criss ended up running out a lot quicker than many imagined.

As the group went into recording their pop crossover album Dynasty, it was clear that everyone wasn't on the same page after making their respective solo albums. The animosity built up between everyone led to Criss only appearing on only one song, with Anton Fig brought in to provide the backbeat in his place. While they tried to keep that formula for the album Unmasked, the lack of input ended up being the final straw, with Criss packing up his makeup shortly after filming a video for the song Shandi.

Compared to other drummers, Criss' way of incorporating jazz rhythms and singing in his trademark raspy voice wasn't going to be easy to match. After careful consideration, KISS managed to pull off the impossible when Eric Carr was brought in as the new skinsmen, rechristened the Fox and having the same sultry pipes to match Criss' delivery. While the Catman may not have been in the fold anymore, Carr's inclusion proved that superheroes never really die.