Original KISS drummer Peter Criss has fired back at Gene Simmons over his assertion that Criss had nothing to do with the writing of the group’s 1976 hit ‘Beth,’ as reported by Billboard.
Criss responded to Simmons’ public statements with a detailed explanation of his role in creating the iconic ballad.
“Gene wouldn’t know how the song was originally written because Gene wasn’t there from the conception of the song in the late ’60s and he wasn’t there for the completion of the song with Bob Ezrin,” Criss said. “Gene’s statements are ridiculous and very uncalled for. He talks about things that he doesn’t know about.”
The drummer went on to clarify his specific contributions to the song’s creation.
“What Gene’s getting wrong is that as the singing songwriter, I wrote the melody and creating the phrasing for the song that’s on the original demo ‘Beck’ with Stan Penridge,” he continued. “Out of Stan’s little black book what remained on the reworked version of ‘Beth’ is Stan’s original verse and chorus, and my core melody remains on the reworked composition. The core melody was expanded with Bob’s orchestration symphony and musical genius. Bob and I sat at the piano at the Record Plant studio working out the song. Bob Ezrin changed the tempo and made it slower, and I worked on changing some of the second verse and the phrasing with the slower tempo.”
Criss also revealed details about how the song’s title came to be.
“Bob Ezrin changed the title from ‘Beck’ to ‘Beth’ — not Gene or anybody else. It was Bob Ezrin,” he said. “He asked me, ‘Peter, do you mind if we change the title?’ I said, ‘Absolutely not. ‘Beth’ is much better.’ Bob took the song home and fixed the rest of the lyrics and the structure of the song. He added piano, some time changes and the incredible orchestra composition which elevated the song beyond my wildest my dreams. It was mind-blowing.”
This latest dispute highlights the ongoing tensions between the original KISS members regarding songwriting credits and creative contributions to the band’s catalog.
KMHK reported that Simmons had alleged that Criss’ pre-KISS bandmate Stan Penridge wrote the song. He claimed “through politics and hint, hint, nudge, nudge… Stan Penridge apparently agreed that Peter’s name would go in the songwriting credit.” This accusation prompted Criss to defend his creative involvement in the ballad that became one of KISS’s most successful singles.
Producer Bob Ezrin, who worked closely with the band on the track, has supported Criss’s version of events. Seacoast Oldies noted that Ezrin stated “‘Beth’ was a bit rockier and more macho (at first). I felt it had potential, so I asked to take it home and play with it a bit. I did slow it down… and (made it) more vulnerable and sensitive. From what I was told, the original song was written by Criss and Penridge.”
The controversy over “Beth” comes at a time when KISS has been reflecting on their legacy following their farewell tour. Upworthy revealed that KISS has sold over 10 million records within five decades. Despite the hardships the band has faced, there wasn’t anything that could have stopped their success.
The songwriting dispute underscores the complex relationships between the original KISS members, who have had various public disagreements over the years regarding creative contributions and business decisions. The “Beth” controversy adds another chapter to the ongoing narrative of tensions within one of rock’s most iconic bands.
