As the background to the recent Noise11 story surrounding Vincent’s high priced single continues to attract attention, his complex legacy inside and outside the Kiss universe deserves closer examination.
PREVIOUS STORY: Vinnie Vincent Doubles Down On $225 Single
Vincent’s name sits in a peculiar place in Kiss history, pivotal, productive, and perpetually contested. He played a major role in reshaping the band’s sound at a moment of crisis, contributed heavily to three Kiss albums, yet was only formally associated with one, Lick It Up, as a member of the band.
Born Vincent John Cusano on August 6, 1952 in Bridgeport, Connecticut, Vincent was raised in a musical household by parents who were both performers. He picked up the guitar early, absorbing bluegrass discipline alongside rock and roll energy. By the mid 1970s, he was already moving in professional circles, recording with Felix Cavaliere and appearing on the 1977 Treasure album for Epic Records. That period established Vincent not only as a guitarist but as a songwriter comfortable in studio environments.
After relocating to Los Angeles in 1980, Vincent’s career took an unexpected detour into television. He became a staff songwriter for Happy Days and Joanie Loves Chachi, composing music on set between rehearsals. That discipline, writing quickly and to order, later shaped his output with Kiss, where speed and volume became central to his reputation.
By 1982, Kiss were struggling. Changing musical tastes, internal fractures, and a series of albums that drifted away from hard rock had weakened the band’s standing in the United States. Ace Frehley was largely absent, Peter Criss was gone, and Kiss were searching for direction. Introduced by songwriter Adam Mitchell, Vincent entered the picture initially as a session guitarist during the recording of Creatures Of The Night.
Although Frehley was still officially credited, Vincent handled much of the lead guitar work and co wrote several tracks. Creatures Of The Night marked a deliberate return to heaviness, driven by Eric Carr’s powerful drumming and a stripped back approach.
Vincent’s playing, sharp, fast, and aggressive, became part of that reset. At the time, however, he was not a band member in any formal sense.
Visually, Vincent adopted a distinctive look, wearing an Egyptian ankh themed makeup design created by Paul Stanley. He became the last Kiss guitarist to debut with a unique character before the band abandoned makeup altogether. While fans later attached multiple names to the persona, within Kiss it was simple, Vincent was known as “the Wiz”, a nod to his technical ability.
When Kiss decided to remove their makeup in 1983, Vincent’s position shifted. On Lick It Up, he was publicly presented as the band’s guitarist, appeared on the album artwork, and co wrote eight of the ten songs. For many listeners, this was Vincent’s true arrival. Tracks like “Lick It Up”, “A Million To One”, and “Exciter” showcased his writing partnership with Stanley and Simmons, and the album became a commercial turning point, eventually achieving platinum status.
Yet behind the scenes, tensions were constant. Vincent never signed an employment contract. Disputes over money, authority, and creative control persisted, and his extended guitar solos on stage became a flashpoint. By early 1984, the situation had deteriorated beyond repair. After multiple exits and returns during the Lick It Up tour, Vincent’s final show came in March 1984, ending his brief, volatile onstage tenure with Kiss.
Despite the fallout, Vincent’s contributions did not end there. In 1992, Kiss revisited his songwriting for Revenge, where he received credits on “Unholy”, “Heart Of Chrome”, and “I Just Wanna”. That made Revenge the third Kiss album tied to his legacy, albeit without his direct involvement as a performer.
Outside Kiss, Vincent formed Vinnie Vincent Invasion, releasing two albums in the mid to late 1980s before the group dissolved. His career since has been intermittent, marked by long absences and brief, high profile reappearances. In 2022, Kiss acknowledged his impact more formally with the Creatures Of The Night 40th Anniversary box set, which included demos, outtakes, and the first official live recordings featuring Vincent.
Vinnie Vincent remains a divisive figure. He was central to one of Kiss’s most important reinventions, contributed significantly to three albums, and yet never fully belonged. That contradiction defines his place in rock history, influential, unresolved, and still capable of provoking debate decades later.
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