KISS Share Story Behind ‘Rock and Roll All Nite’ In New Vevo Footnotes Clip

Paul Stanley and Gene Simmons have teamed up with Vevo Footnotes to take fans behind the scenes of writing the KISS anthem, “Rock and Roll All Nite.” Originally featured on their 1975 album Dressed To Kill, “Rock and Roll All Nite” has been the band’s closing song at nearly every KISS live show over the past five decades.

The idea for the track was first conceived when Casablanca Records president Neil Bogart brought up the idea of an “anthem song” as a rallying cry for the band’s fanbase. “I went back to our hotel on Sunset Blvd.,” Stanley shares, “and came up with the chorus, melody, and lyrics of the hook.”

Simmons adds: “It was very much a collaborative effort, with Paul writing the chorus and me writing the verses that were pulled from a song I had previously written called ‘Drive Me Wild,’ which was actually a song about a car.” When it was time to record, the band brought in some of their friends, fellow musicians, and road crew to clap and sing on the record.

“It’s ‘the’ rock anthem,” Simmons concludes. “It’s lived on in such a magical and special way throughout the years and continues to after 50 years.” Stanley concurs, explaining: “It’s kind of a quintessential KISS song in our discography. This song is such a big piece of our story. And it connects us with people on all different levels across generations and generations of fans.”

Reflecting on his creative partnership with Simmons, Stanley shares: “Gene and I understand each other and we always seem to put the pieces together. “Sometimes we brought things together that we did separately and it just clicked. It wasn’t always seamless, but it’s worked for us for over 40 years!” However, when asked who had the better makeup, both men answered: “Me!”

Shop the Dressed To Kill collection on KISS’s store now.