pic: Gene Simmons (when he was cool!) in an outtake photo from the Norman Seeff Hotter Than Hell sessions 1974
Photographer Norman Seeff designed KISS’ second album cover (Hotter Than Hell) with startling visuals to complement the bands’ powerful sound. Seeff, with art director John Van Hamersveld, took his cue from the band’s kabuki-style makeup and incorporated hints of Japanese culture into the cover. The result: a striking hybrid foursome that jumps off the printed surface and magnifies KISS’ unique look.
Now 30 years later, Norman Seeff is selling some absolutely mind-blowing photos from the Hotter Than Hell photo sessions. The vast majority of these photos have never been seen before. Visitors to Norman’s website can purchase a wide selection of photos from the many, many bands that Norman has shot throughout the years.
Below are a selection of the Hotter Than Hell session pics.
The famous orgy scene where photog Norma Seeff had filled the studio with tons of females in various states of undress.
A very drunk Paul Stanley who had to be taken to the car outside the studio to sober up.
The masked woman with Peter is actually his wife, Lydia Criss
The masked woman with Peter is actually his wife, Lydia Criss
A very drunk Paul Stanley…
A very drunk Paul Stanley…
Notice Ace’s only got half his face made-up due to a car accident…
The shot that eventually became the cover of Hotter Than Hell. Note that the rumors that Ace only had half his face painted due to a car-accident are false. Here is Ace with full make-up for the shot that eventually became the cover.
Wow…this is so cool. I’ve never seen this stuff before. (other than the cd cover) Thanks so much for sharing! =)
…more to come… much more!
Awwwwwwww!!!!!!!
whaT The fuck can I say.. I love this more than life itself.
been wondering about this particular mysterious photo session since I was 7 in 1976.
I’ve said it before and I say it again, Teachers!!! stop spreading your bullshit history..KISS is the most important thing that has happened in the world, and I mean since the Iceage..
Beautifull as BJC said Yung adn Fierce
cool to see.
there were actually 3 separate photo-sessions- for the “hotter than hell”-panels.
from ace’s 8-17-74 letter- he wrote: “yesterday (the- 16th), we all went to get props & costumes for the pictures on the back of the album-cover…”
1- the norman seeff color-shoot (at ‘the stage’- in hollywood, california)- for the back-cover (8-18-74).
2- the b&w-one- above (where- ace is only wearing partial makeup), for- the front-cover. (ace’s accident had happened- 8-23-74)
3- another b&w-one- which came afterward (where ace’s facial-wounds had time to heal- therefore he was fully painted), for- the front-cover.
(this info. is documented- in “‘kiss’: alive forever” (pg. 39).
p.s.: hi to ‘ren5150′- from ‘t.t.s.’. (i’m the guy from ’sagafoo’- that posted that japanese press-conference audio. still- haven’t found any video, though. cheers!)
These photos are amazing — incredibly cool to see them after being a fan for so many years. The band looks tight, cohesive, and brimming with enthusiasm, albeit also goofy as hell! With photos like these the album could have perhaps been called “Goofier Than Hell” but I really love it — the young, hungry foursome out to have fun together and conquer the world. Thank you so much for posting these!
cool pics thank every much kissfan 1967_2008
WHOOOOOOOOOOW PICTURES FROM THE OFFICIAL HOTTER THAN HELL PHOTOSHOOT,THAT IS AWESOME,NOW THAT IS COOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
AND YES KISS IS THE MOST IMPORTANT THING THAT HAS HAPPENED TO THE WORLD SINCE THE ICEAGE,AND THERE WILL NEVER EVER BE A BIGGER BAND THAN KISS,AND TO THE BEATLES AND THE STONES ,I HAVE 2 WORDS 4 YA ,SUCK IT!!!!!!!!!!!
Although Lydia (Peter’s wife at that time) was at the infamous photo shoot, that isn’t her pictured with him ‘topless. It’s actually the girl on the very far right of the top (first) picture. She’s wearing the black panties & the ‘bird’/feathered style neck-piece that went with the mask.
Ahhhhhh, yes, me too!!!! i was always fascinated by this particular session and i always wondered about it. those pics are absolutely the best. they got a very special athmosphere, the colors, the settings, i always loved the very few pics i knew from the cover. even back then, in the mid 70s, i was totally hooked by those. do you have more of this session? (hehe, do you have one or two in a higher resolution??)
i guess, to buy at seeffs site won t be a bargain…
I LOVE THIS PHOTO SHOOT I WISH ALL THE PHOTOS WOULD SHOW UP