Happy Birthday today (Aug. 6) to Vinnie Vincent. The one time Kiss guitarist is 65.

Vinnie Vincent was with Kiss from 1982-mid 1984 and he played on the Kiss albums Creatures of the Night and Lick it Up. He was known as “The Ankh Warrior”. After his departure from Kiss, he eventually formed his own band Vinnie Vincent Invasion. The band released a couple of albums and then broke up in 1989 with band members Mark Slaughter (lead vocalist) and bassist Dana Strum going on to form Slaughter. Vinnie Vincent returned to help co-write a few Kiss songs with Gene Simmons and Paul Stanley for the 1992 Kiss album Revenge but then he pretty much disappeared and has been missing from the music scene ever since. I was a big fan of Vinnie Vincent's work and enjoyed the Kiss albums he played on. Vinnie Vincent rocked! Cheers to Vinnie on his 65th birthday today.

Paul Stanley and Gene Simmons formed Kiss out of New York City in 1973. The group rose to fame in the mid to late 1970’s with their elaborate stage shows. They have gone through many lineup changes throughout the years with Stanley and Simmons the only original members. The band’s original lineup consisted of Stanley on vocals and rhythm guitar, Simmons on vocals and bass, Ace Frehley on lead guitar, and Peter Criss on drums. The band has sold over 100 million records worldwide in their 40 plus year career. Kiss were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2014.

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