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@virtual-vivi Thank you for this

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Vinnie Vincent - Judgement Day Listening Party | May 19-20, 2023

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Hit Parader #268, February 1987 - Out to Lunch with Vinnie Vincent

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Prior to officially joining KISS, Vinnie would be suggested to the band New England, who would rechristen themselves to Warrior, as a replacement guitarist. No one doubted his talent as a musician, and Vincent not only recorded and rehearsed with members of Warrior, but planned to release an album with them shortly before Gene Simmons would give him the call of a life time.

“Andrew: How did toy and Gary hook up with Vinnie Vincent to form Warrior?

Jimmy: We were going to get another singer and a guitar player who was hopefully a great writer as well. I called Gene Simmons to help find someone, and he immediately said get this guy Vinnie Cusano [Vincent]. after we worked with Vinnie for a short time, we could see that this was not going to be New England, so Hirsh, Gary and myself moved to L.A., and we started the band Warrior with Vinnie.

Andrew: How close did Warrior come to signing a record deal with the now infamous demos in hand?

Jimmy: Very close. CBS was very interested but did not commit soon enough, and that’s when Vinnie joined KISS, which we totally understood. That ended Warrior. Working with Vinnie was great.; he was and is a great songwriter. We were really making good progress, but as I said, when he joined KISS, that was it.

Andrew: How many of the tracks that you worked on with Vinnie were used with KISS?

Jimmy: To be honest, we worked on so many songs, and I don’t really remember which ones actually made it in some form or another to the KISS records.” source

New England was formed by band members Jimmy Waldo, John Fannon, Gary Shea, and Hirsh Gardener. Their debut album, New England, was recorded and produced with the help of Paul Stanley of KISS. However, their success stalled, the record label was absorbed into the parent company, and they would move to Elektra Records. After their third record, John Fannon would leave the group.

Vincent and the remaining New England members would record demos together, many of which are now available. Vincent has called the released Warrior demos “shit” several times; in fact, he expresses his distaste that Warrior would even release those demos. However, these demos would give us several glimpses of Vincent’s talent prior to KISS that do not shine through in albums such as Creatures or Lick it Up.

Some Warrior demos would later move on to become songs for Vinnie’s Invasion albums, like “That Time of Year” and “Back On The Streets.” However, some remain demos to this day, like “Forbidden” and “Gypsy In Her Eyes.” Some songs we reworked, which is why there is some similarity yet major difference between the Warrior “Baby Oh Why” and the Invasion “Baby-O.”

Another great example would be “Boys Gonna Rock.” The Warrior release sounds almost completely night and day to the Invasion “Boyz Are Gonna Rock,” aside from keeping the repeated chorus. However, this demo also provides the origins for a KISS song, “And On The 8th Day.” Not only are the two lines from the Warrior release the same ones used for KISS, but the general sound is the same. Further lyrics used by Simmons and Vincent are different, but it’s otherwise the same song. It’s interesting to see how a demo eventually became two different songs.

Although Vinnie’s time with Warrior was short lived, the demos from their sessions together provide a window to what could have been if Vincent never received his call. Warrior provides examples of his vocal talent that he more than likely possessed during his time in KISS, and it is an utter shame they did not give him the chance for lead vocals on even one song.

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Before Vinnie Vincent would go on to become Ace Frehley’s replacement, and the most mysterious KISS guitarist in history, Vinnie, after working with Carmine Appice and recording his own demos in what is typically coined his “Wilderness Years”, would learn that KISS was looking for a new axe-man.

Quoting Vinnie on his recount - “One thing lead to another - I was recording demos, recording songs, I was, yknow, that was my life… I wrote a song called “Back On The Streets”, …. It found its way into (the hands of) Michael James Jackson… He said “I think this is a great song, this would be great for KISS - we’re recording a record.” And that’s how it happened, that’s exactly how it happened… What Michael said to me was “I want you to write with Gene and with Paul, because I think there’s something here that’s common to Gene and Paul and you.” source

However, earlier sources say that Vinnie has credited Adam Mitchell with his connection to KISS founders Paul and Gene, stating, "I met them through a common friend, Adam Mitchell. He was writing with Gene Simmons and told him he had to hear me play. I met Gene and we hit it off. At the time I was broke and was sleeping on sofa to sofa at friend's houses. Any money I made I spent it on demos to use as a calling card. I did a demo for Gene who played it for Paul" (Guitar Player Interview - John Stix, 5/1987) In a much earlier interview with Dante Bonutto, Vincent is also seen referring to Adam Mitchell as opposed to Michael J Jackson.

Who really was the ultimate connection between Vinnie and KISS isn’t entirely known, and it could have been a combination of both.

Vinnie was not the obvious first choice KISS had in mind. In fact, they refused to hire him multiple times, regardless of the songwriting and guitar work that he contributed to Creatures of the Night. There was no doubt the talent he had as a musician, but KISS, namely Gene and Paul, were feeling unsure of placing him in the band. He was too short for the image, there were rumors about him, etc.,

However, as it stood, KISS was left with virtually no other option. They had, at that point, been auditioning replacements for Ace, including the likes of a young Slash who would later go on to help form Guns n Roses. With no one but Vinnie as a last minute option, they called him in. In fact it was Gene who would call Vinnie to tell him, while he was, allegedly, in his bath tub, what they wanted him to do, when they would rehearse, and inform him of tickets and hotels booked for him. This would mark one of the biggest moments of Vincent’s entire career.

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Vinnie Vincent Invasion 1988

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“Vinnie met Carmine Appice through the Los Angeles club scene, and became a member of Carmine's band Rockers playing the usual Hollywood venues such as the Starwood. He and Carmine co-wrote the instrumental "Drum City Rocker" which Carmine included on his 1981 self-titled solo album. This was not the only material which Carmine and Vinnie wrote together; they copyrighted four pages of lyrics and one sound recording, probably including rough demos of the material detailed on the lyric sheets, on June 24, 1980, as "Vincent John Cusano Songbook II."” source

“Great talent, great songwriter, great player before he started doing his Vinnie Vincent albums. He played like crap on those albums. He’s trying to be Yngwie Malmsteen on those albums. Before that, when he was playing, like, heavy blues rock, he was awesome.” source

“I steered the conversation to his earlier work with Carmine and the Rockers, a band assembled by drummer Carmine Appice. Here, Vinnie played melodically and honestly and from the heart. The playing wasn’t fast or overboard. Rather it was almost delicate and embodied elements from Jeff Beck, Gary Moore, David Gilmour and members of S.S.S.S.S. Unfortunately, the Rockers never recorded, and unless you saw the band perform live—which I did one evening at the Whisky in Hollywood—you never heard this profoundly wonderful guitar work.” source

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One of the most ominous details concerning Vinnie’s departure of KISS is his refusal to sign a contract, something that Paul Stanley brought up multiple times. As he states in his book, Face The Music, “Vinnie continued to baffle me; he still refused to sign his contract. He kept promising to sign it, but he never did, and there was no way to make him.”

However, few know what a KISS contract entails, including what a member had to agree on. In fact, KISS employees contracts are so rarely discussed in the community that very few resources share that information. One of those is the Eric Carr biography, The Rise of the Fox, which describes the drummer’s contract with KISS:

There is no doubt that only two years later, KISS presented Vincent with a similar contract.

Recalling the contract he was given to sign, Vinnie states, “There was a contract involved, and, I don’t want to get into all of it, but it was not something I felt I could sign, yknow? As much as I wanted to, it was impossible.” source

“Maybe just a little bit so I can buy a house or something. Maybe I could buy a nice car. But that wasn't gonna happen. And there was a contract that they wanted me to sign — it was an employment contract — and there was literally nothing in it for me. I had a family. I had twins that I didn't know I was gonna have, and there was no money to take care of them, and there was no money to buy a home. We were living with relatives, and I was on call 24 hours a day, which was okay — it was all okay. But I couldn't move on; there was no future. There was the future of being Vinnie Vincent of KISS and what that was, but, financially, there was no future in it for me.” source

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“Vinnie was laying the groundwork for a broad spectrum of session work that would pay the bills while building a name within the industry and relationships that would prove beneficial. While the soft-AOR style of Treasure may seem strange considering his later style, Vinnie also did session work with Dan Hartman for his disco hit "Instant Replay" in 1978. Recording took place at Dan's home in Westport, Connecticut. Known as "The Schoolhouse" it featured a full-blown 24-track studio. While it was a quality recording venue, welcoming artists such as 38 Special, Neil Sedaka, Johnny and Edgar Winter, and others, it wasn't a going commercial concern. Vinnie's credit included 12-string rhythm and second guitar solo on "Double-O-Love," and the guitar solo and background vocals on "Time and Space." More importantly, Vinnie's grinning face was included on the "band" picture that comprised the album's inner dust sleeve.

As a member of Dan's touring band, Dan Hartman provided Vinnie with his first major international exposure. The tour travelled across the USA and Europe and resulted in appearances on many TV shows such as American Bandstand, The Midnight Special, Rock Concert, before concluding in Los Angeles in March 1979 with an appearance on the Dinah (Shore) and Friends show.” source

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In late 1976, Vincent would meet Felix Cavaliere. Felix recalls, “I was living in Bridgeport, Connecticut at the time, which I think was his hometown or close to it. I needed a guitarist kind of in a hurry. The person who owned the studio, Paul Leka, was well known in that area. He mentioned this guy, Vinnie Cusano, from Bridgeport. The kid came in the studio and was frickin’ unbelievable. He really, really had talent. After having him play on a couple of sessions, I had an idea. I said, ‘Look, why don’t we do an album?’ I wanted to have a real screaming guitar player; Boston was really happening at that time. That’s how that started.” source

The two, alongside Jack Scarangella, would work together to record material for an album that would later be released as Treasure in 1977, under a band given the same name. Vincent sings lead vocals on both "Innocent Eyes" and "Turn Yourself Around". He is credited with playing lead guitar on the rest of the album. Unfortunately, the success of Treasure wasn't up to par, and Felix disbanded the band shortly after.

However, Treasure was not the only project these two worked on. In 1978, Felix and Vincent would return to working together, though this time on Laura Nyro's solo album, Nested. Felix would be credited on "The Sweet Sky" and "The Nest", and it's thought those songs were the ones Vincent worked on as well (he was credited as a guitarist for the album, but songs were not specified).

In 1979, Felix Cavaliere would release his album, Castles In The Air, with Vincent returning once more to play guitar on several songs - "All Or Nothing" and "Love Is The First Day of Spring" - and solo work for "Don't Hold Back Your Love."

On their relationship outside of the studio, Felix says, “Our wives were very friendly, and so were our kids. He had twins, and I had twins. My kids are still in touch with his kids. Our wives (from that period) are both deceased, and he’s kind of estranged. It’s a pretty strange story, but if you just stick to the fact that this guy really played his tail off and is really a great guitarist… he could play anything. The metal part is what he’s known for, but when I saw him, he could play anything you put in front of him – whether it be flamenco or folk. He was a really talented guy. He was a country kid; he was not a big city kid.” source

Vinnie in Felix’s house, 1977 with David Brigati, Jack Scarangella, and Eddie Brigati. source

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Fugitive Kiss guitarist Vinnie Vincent remains the former Kiss member who best overcame his departure, voluntary or forced. After a very promising first album, Vinnie is relaunching his invasion, driven by an unwavering faith. Are we going to witness a blitzkrieg bis?

Vinnie gives way to the Invasion! Three long years after his departure (Editor's note: dubious dismissal) from the Kiss company, Vinnie Vincent, a six-string elf, is getting his mojo back and announcing his return with a bang. After a famous first album, changed to a demonstrative vinyl for the posterity of said Vinnie, and two tours supporting Iron Maiden and Alice Cooper, father Vincent wants to set the record straight. He tells anyone who will listen (in this case!) that from now on it's no longer about talking about a soloist and his acolytes but about evoking the striking force of a full-fledged heavy-metal band! And to prove it, Vinnie Vin... uh, Invasion, is releasing his second album these days.

HARD-ROCK MAGAZINE: Why did you compose all the new songs alone? Was it a collective decision?

VINNIE VINCENT: In that respect, it isn’t. There is no doubt that I am the only composer in the group. I offer them the fruit of my work and, if someone manages to put his own ideas on the material, it can bring a significant improvement to the piece. When we came back from the tour last April, I wrote eighteen pieces in five weeks.

Is it the contact with the public that has given you such enthusiasm for your work?

VINNIE VINCENT: I'm sure of it. The tour went extremely well, and the boys were warmly welcomed everywhere.

Don't you think there's a slight paradox between the hyper-glam look you sport and your status as a guitar hero?

VINNIE VINCENT: That's true, especially since I'm looking less and less like the Vinnie Vincent of the Kiss era. Too many people expected to find me the way I had left them three years before.

Aren't you afraid that this might tarnish your musical credibility a little?

VINNIE VINCENT: Maybe for some fans, but smart people don't trust appearances. And besides, I've been wanting to try such an outrageous look for a long time.

Tell us about the new album. Will we be treated to a guitar demo album again?

VINNIE VINCENT: No, it will be much more balanced and will sound more like an Invasion album, not a Vinnie Vincent solo album. On the first album, I had things to prove to everyone. Now that people unanimously recognize my talent, we will show that Invasion is a great heavy-rock band.

You only talk about Invasion now. Would you like to ban your name from the band's name?

VINNIE VINCENT: If we become a major band, it will inevitably be called Invasion, and that's not a bad thing!

Which of your musicians has particularly impressed you?

VINNIE VINCENT: Mark, the singer! He has become an essential part of Invasion. His personality reminds me a little of Jon Bon Jovi, in that he is an absolutely charming guy, but determined and willful. His voice is most often energetic, but he knows how to modulate it to tint his singing with sweetness and tenderness. It is truly irresistible; what a talent!

Do you ever see your old Kiss friends, Gene or Paul?

VINNIE VINCENT: I ​​saw Gene Simmons again last month. It had been three years since we last met, since I left Kiss. ​​Seeing him and talking to him made me realize how much I missed him. Gene remains more than ever one of the personalities of cult heavy rock bands.

I heard you killed yourself trying to form your band three years ago. Was that serious?

VINNIE VINCENT: Absolutely! When I left Kiss in April of '84, I really meant let go. I was so distraught that I soon found myself back in the hospital. It was from this unusual place that I began to audition singers, by phone (laughs)... At that time, Dana, the bass player of the group, would regularly come to visit me with his girlfriend. Without any nurse knowing, they would take me to parties around Hollywood and then bring me back a few minutes before the hospital doors closed. This little ride lasted a good two months (laughs)!

How do you imagine the future for Invasion?

VINNIE VINCENT: Under the best of circumstances, I have more faith than ever. If the record company is any indication, I have every reason to be confident. Mike Bone, the new president of Chrysalis, is about to shake up his label. He wants to turn his company into a company exclusively dedicated to releasing heavy metal albums. He knows what he wants, and he's a real hard rock fan. If I go by his initial reaction, he's been given the product he was hoping for. I sincerely believe he's going to go all out to defend it to the public, so how could we not be reassured that we're in such good hands?

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Vinnie’s “first professional break” has been noted as being several different opportunities, whether it was his tenure in KISS or with Treasure and Felix Cavaliere. Both are good points and they show his talent clearly, whether it was vocally, lyrically, or just through shredding guitar.

However, there is undoubtedly a point in his career that dates earlier, which could be given the title of being his first professional recording break.

In 1975, Vinnie would write and record a song with David Wolff, who, at the time, was managing his girlfriend, Cyndi Lauper, during her early career. The song was titled “Happy Birthday USA”, and both Vinnie and David would be credited on the recording otherwise (an idea pitched by David) - Winnie LeCoux and Kid Kashmir.

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Dear Fans -

I’m happy and excited to be seeing all of you at the Atlanta KISS Expo on January 20, 2018. Its been a long time coming, and I know we’re all going to have an amazing + memorable time. I look forward to meeting you, signing autographs, taking photos, answering your questions, and generally having a fun weekend - It will be a celebration for once and all!

Thank you for your Love + faith -

Vinnie Vincent

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Vinnie Vincent Invasion - KERRANG! Magazine | 1986

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It wasn't until his highschool years that Vinnie Vincent would start to get serious about guitar and joined one of his first bands - The Younger Generation.

The Younger Generation’s performance had gained fairly positive reviews in Connecticut. They recorded songs like "More", "Don't Bring Me Happy Together", and "Summer In The City". Vinnie’s father supposedly financed the recordings.

He would graduate CHS in 1970, and oddly enough, was voted the graduating class’s “class clown.”

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VINNIE VINCENT (1982 - present) | CREEM Rock Shots™, December 1987.

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Vincent Cusano, also known as Vinnie Vincent, was born in Bridgeport, Connecticut in 1952 to parents Theresa Ferraro and Alfonso Cusano.

Vincent was not the only child Terri and Alfonso had; in fact Vincent had twin sisters Diane and Donna.

Vincent’s parents were both musicians, and he recalls falling asleep to their music as a baby and immediately falling in love with the guitar.