KISS lead guitarist Tommy Thayer opened up about the makeup process before going on stage during a recent appearance on Hangin’ & Bangin’. According to the rocker, putting his makeup on and transitioning into a band member is something he cannot live without.
For those of you who may not know, Tommy Thayer first started working with KISS in 1994 did several chores such as painting Stanley’s house, cleaning out Simmons’ gutters. However, he also contributed to their artistry, including tours, books, and music videos.
In 2002, Ace Frehley’s involvement in the band grew uncertain, which is why Thayer got the call and wore the Spaceman makeup for the first time, filling in and performing onstage with KISS at a private concert in Trelawny, Jamaica. Following that performance, Thayer became the lead guitarist for the band, and since then, he has been spotted on stage as the Spaceman.
The musician has also been contributing to KISS as a songwriter for the band’s records. Tommy Thayer was asked about his time putting on the Spaceman makeup and outfit during a recent interview. Apparently, it usually takes about an hour to put on his makeup and a couple of hours to be completely ready, which is less than expected.
The KISS guitarist also said that all band members get ready together in one room where they also listen to music. If you ask Thayer, he cannot imagine living without their pre-show ritual, which means he’ll miss those special times after KISS’s retirement.
When asked how long it takes to get ready, Thayer said:
“That’s the No. 1 asked question of all time. Actually, when I was a kid, when I was 12-13 years old, I actually, for Halloween, put the KISS makeup on. So I’ve been well-versed for a long time. Usually, it takes me about an hour to put it on, give it a couple of hours, and when we get ready every night, that’s the cool thing…
It’s that the whole transition of putting the makeup on and getting ready, we all do it together in a room, listen to music, that’s cool… I can’t imagine not doing that every night and transitioning into KISS.“
You can watch the entire interview down below.
