When it comes to the most influential drummers of all time, a list couldn’t be compiled without the name Peter Criss. The original member of Kiss has been out of the band for about 7 years and has recently fought the biggest battle of his life in battling breast cancer. Peter has been very vocal in his battle with this horrible disease and talked with us about how he managed to overcome it. He is currently involved in his first charity walk for the Bosom Buddies/Twin Peaks Team of Point Pleasant on behalf of the 2010 Making Strides Against Breast Cancer on October 17, 2010. Our discussion primarily focused on his involvement with this charity and talked about the trials and tribulations of his battle with breast cancer. Let’s see what this rock and roll icon had to say in his talk with Backstageaxxess.com.
Gus: Many people may not be aware that you had breast cancer, so I want to start from the beginning. Tell us how you found out and what was your reaction to being diagnosed with something like this?
Peter: Well, I’ve been getting good at this because I’ve been doing it a lot, so it’s interesting when you do interviews. You do them and do them and you start repeating yourself. This is incredibly serious. I was on the dark side for a while. I go to the gym periodically. Actually, I go religiously. Being the drummer I still am, I like to feel in great shape. I just came back that day and took a shower, as usual. I was watching the news and I had my robe on and I was messing around touching my body. I guess after you wear spandex for as long as I wore them, you really know what you’ve got (laughs). I’ve always been that way, anyway. I’ve been very conscious of me and my body, even as I’m getting older. I felt this nodule in my left nipple and it hurt like hell. At first I was like,” it has to be a cyst and I must of strained myself lifting weights.” I’m a man. You think of manly things. Breast cancer was the furthest thing from the existence of my mind. I never even thought of anything like that. I know a red light went on in my brain saying that this is something bad. I’ve been so blessed and I’m a catholic kid… and believe in God and do believe through all the years I have kissed death quite a few times over my career. This was another feeling like this isn’t good. So anyway, my wife was going to her doctor within that week for her checkup and believe it or not, she was going through cancer at the time. Two people married and going through cancer at the same time. I cannot explain that. It’s too long and deep. It was an awareness. Maybe by her having it and going through her own, it made me aware of it. The word; the big C. I never think about that. I always thought I will take a big stroke during the solo or get prostate cancer. Never breast cancer. So we went to the physician and she was getting her checkup (not for breast cancer, she had another cancer) and she said to her doctor that my husband has this lump and could you look at it while he’s here? She did and said if you were my husband, I would send you over to see this doctor I know who is the head surgeon of breast cancer. I said “what?” “Breast Cancer?” “What are you talking about?” I was thinking she would say in a couple of 
weeks and she said now! When you leave here. I said you’re kidding me.. are you serious? She said as serious as a heart attack and you have to go over there now.So I go over there and let me tell you, Gus, I was sitting in the office and there were these women who have no hair and were wearing things on their head and they were there for cancer and there for chemo and they are losing their breast or have lost their breast. It’s a world a man would never dream of sitting in, trust me. The stuff you have to fill out is very evasive and its’ all for women. I hope to change that some day. So it’s uncomfortable right there and then. I’m a guy, man, and I’m a tough guy. I grew up in Brooklyn and I grew up poor. I’m a tough kid and I don’t take nothing from nobody and I never have. I don’t care how tough you are, with something like this you’re not. When I was there sitting and thinking about it, I was really scared. I was frightened many times in my life but this was a different fright. Anyway, I filled it out and went in there and he checked me out and he said I think you should go get a biopsy in Jersey at the hospital. I went there and I got one. A week passed and I was misdiagnosed. Well, it was just a nodule or so and I got the paperwork and it was all cool. The doctor said it was nothing. It was just a nodule that needed to be taken out. I went in for surgery with the cancer doctor. The major guy, the one who said you should go get this checked out. So he’s thinking now there is no cancer . She was wrong. It was cancer. He did the surgery and I think a week passed, if that. I got a call and it was one of those “are you sitting or standing calls?” You immediately know that’s bad. When anyone calls me and they ask if I’m sitting or standing, I’m like “Oh My God!” What’s wrong with my daughter? My granddaughter? My heart drops. Anyway, I sit and he goes I have bad news. You have breast cancer. I said “are you kidding me?” He said, “no Peter I’m not. I wish I was!” This stupid doctor misdiagnosed you and we found it. Then he said, “well let me give you the good news. ” I said “what do you got?” You’re not going to need chemo. You’re not going to lose that great head of hair of yours. You will not need medication and you will not need to go through hell. If you come back next week, you will get your whole nipple removed. I had a whole major surgery, like what women get. My lymph nodes had to be removed. When I went in my blood pressure had to be 300! I knew what I was going in for, but once they give you the jungle juice, what I call it, you’re like…goodbye! You’re in another world! He did the surgery and we waited. It was really a dark time for me. Sure enough, he called me and said they got it all! There was nothing in my lymph nodes.I caught it immediately! If I didn’t get it immediately, I wouldn’t be here today talking to you. So, it was really the early detection of me knowing I had something wrong with me. I really acted on it immediately! If I didn’t and by the grace of God, I be dead! So when some time passed and I was feeling somewhat better, I said to my wife I’ve been to church a lot and I prayed on this and October was coming up and it was Breast Cancer awareness month. I said I think I should go out and talk about this before the tabloids get it and then it’s really blown out of proportion. Like Patrick Swayze or poor Farrah Fawcett. I said that’s not going to happen to me! I had my problems with the guys back in the 1990’s with the Star. It was a nightmare. Actually, it was when my mom passed on. They said I was sleeping on a toilet somewhere in Santa Monica, which was absolutely ludicrous!So this time, I will go out and say I have it, I beat it, and that guys can get it. There is no tougher guy than me! I have action figures (laughs). 
It’s true though! I played for over 100,000 people. I always thought I was above every kind of thing. Maybe I will get a stroke or I will get prostate cancer someday, but I never ever dreamed of that. Of having breast cancer and being a man. You just don’t. I never thought of being sick of something of that sort because you start believing in your own legend, that you are an action figure, or nothing can happen to you (laughs). It was a major awakening for me. I went on all the news and spread the word. I really felt a load off of my shoulders and I knew I was doing the right thing. I’m going on a great walk for it. I’m hoping to change the ribbon and add some blue to it because men do get it and men do die. I think men don’t understand it. There are no commercials really for us, which really pisses me off! I’d like to be the first. There really isn’t a guy who comes up and says I have breast cancer and I’m going to die or I beat it! You never see that. So men don’t think about it. I get that! Even everyday at the gym, if a guy comes up and shakes my hand and says “I’m so glad you beat that cancer and you’re doing great!” I’ll say, “hey, if you feel these lumps around on your breast or around your arms you’ve really got to tell your wife, your girlfriend, or boyfriend. You’ve really got check on that right away, like immediately! Don’t think it will go away because it will get worse. It will escalate, and you will die! They kind of look at me or look through me and trust me they say; “that’s not going to happen to me!” It really irritates me! This year I’m really getting involved in it. I’m not a hero, I’m a musician. I’m going out to say “Jesus, men die from this disease and early detection will save your life!” That’s all I’m saying. I think it’s a good thing for me. I got a lot of accolades. I got money. I got a beautiful wife at home. I got a beautiful granddaughter. I got everything a guy could want. I feel as this has so changed my life! It’s put me in a realm of the world where it’s not just playing in an arena. The world knows about this. Sometimes I get a creepy feeling that it’s kind of calling to me at my 64 years I made it through on this planet. It’s really a great feeling to be doing this and thanks for letting me talk about it.
Gus: Well, we appreciate you taking the time to talk with us Peter! What’s your current regimen that you do to check yourself and keep yourself fit on a daily basis?
Peter: Yesterday, or the day before, I went for my second checkup, my mammogram. You’re in the water for like 5 years they say. It was great! The hospital staff was so cool. They were all lined up (laughs). I was glowing because it’s so great to see it! Even though it’s very uncomfortable to go through and I feel for women, it was great for me! What I do, is try to not eat a lot of meat. I never did. I eat a ton of fruit and I take a ton of vitamins. I have done that for the last 40 years of my life and now more than ever, probably! I walk 4 miles a day, every day. Except on the weekend where I may plop on the couch and watch some flicks. I really do stay active and have a studio downstairs which keeps me busy. I have my drums always set up and guitars and stuff. I try to stay as active as I can. That’s really the key and I believe in God!
Gus: How did cancer affect the ability to continue the things that you love to do, like music? Was there a time where you thought that you weren’t going to be able to do those things anymore?
Peter: Sure! And it scared the hell out of me and now when I play, I play with a lot of enthusiasm! Not that I ever didn’t. Even with the new songs I wrote a couple of years back, I’m starting to change the lyrics a little because I feel like my music is .. well.. I wish I could write like the great Beatles and all, but when I do write, they are usually true stories about my life or the things that have happened to me or others. I’ve been trying to get my feelings and my spiritualism in a couple of tunes I’ve written and I’m trying to put it in there. It’s just for my feeling good that I’ve have been through this horrible thing and I’ve made it. So it’s really positive! For me, that’s good (laughs)! I’m a complaining sh*thead, so this is a good thing. I’ve been feeling much more positive about a lot of things. Things that didn’t seem important to me do now.
Gus: When you were going through your cancer and when you originally found out, did you
get any support from your ex-band mates or any other musicians in general?
Peter: (laughs) No, my band mates did not support me when it happened and when I went through my cancer. I don’t want to get into all that because that’s like kind of slinging mud. I’ve got a few calls from some really cool guys and some friends of mine, but my old band mates didn’t get in touch with me. You know, there has been so much chaos with us I didn’t expect it. I was just happy enough that my wife supported me dearly and my family. I have a daughter and a granddaughter now. It was just that God was always there for me and, man, I believe in him more so than ever. I’ve died a few times and came back. As the Catman, I’m getting long in my lives (laughs), and I think I have 5 left. Okay, I still have 5 left so I’m pretty cool (laughs)! At times, sometimes I have to look at it light halfheartedly. As heavy as this is, I try to have my usual attitude about it that it’s all cool… but at times, it’s dark.
Gus: Your doing a walk with Bosom Buddies/Twin Peaks Team of Point Pleasant on behalf of the 2010 Making strides Against Breast cancer on October 17. Tell us about the walk.
Peter: Well, again, I’m walking everyday because I want to finish (laughs). I’m excited that people are getting involved in this. It seems like it’s bigger (this time) than it’s ever been. Wow, like five thousand people? For me, it’s like wow, what a hell of an audience! This audience isn’t about KISS. It’s about cancer because that’s what it’s about! I think it’s a great thing that whatever money we raise, it’s all going to a good thing. I never thought I be fund raising for anything, much less walking for cancer/breast cancer, but here I am! A few weeks ago, I was invited to this wonderful thing at the Jersey Hospital out here. Five hundred people there are doctors and nurses and all sorts of Indian Chiefs. I got up there to talk about this and they were so attentive! I felt so cool that a kid from Brooklyn, coming out of a rock band was there with these really major educated people on cancer and the whole thing. And here I was amongst it. I felt really proud that they invited me! I was in a whole different realm from black t-shirts and make-up (Gus and Peter both laugh).
Gus: Tell us how people can go and donate or participate in the walk?
Peter: I’m not as good about donating or participating. Gigi (Peter’s wife) has got that down cold. So believe or not, that info is above me (laughs) but she would be happy to give you any info.
Gus: Any special reasoning that got you involved in this particular walk rather than another one? Is that because you had friends involved or another reason perhaps?
Peter: Last year was the first year I sort of came out of the closet, Gus (Peter laughs). I really let the world know I had breast cancer and flipped everyone out. Then this year came and this hospital, the Jersey Hospital, invited me to speak. We fell in love with them. They had Weight Watchers donating and all of these huge companies. The president of Weight Watchers had breast cancer and survived. So here are all of these major people donating and involved in this. I really wanted to be a part of this because they sounded sincere and knew really what they were talking about. You put something into something like Katrina which is still a problem. I really wanted to be involved in this. I’ve never been in anything of this caliber. Its’ a really spiritual and yet a good feeling for me. I’m finally feeling I’m fulfilling something in my life that’s important. Not that my records haven’t been, but this is something a little different.
Gus: In going forward after the walk, can we expect to see you doing any other public forums involving cancer awareness?
Peter: I don’t know, I take it a day at a time. If the phone rings, my wife will say it’s good or bad and then we will decide on it. Pretty much I got a few other things in the oven and I like to see them finished. I have 13 new songs and I would like to get them done. I have something else that’s is a surprise. I don’t know, maybe not. October may come every year for me and I will get really involved in it. What I love doing is being an artist. Who knows, it’s up to God!
Gus: We appreciate you taking the time to talk with us today at Backstageaxxess.com and we will definitely be behind you, supporting the walk.
Peter: Thanks!
We would like to thank Peter’s wife Gigi for setting up the interview with Peter. For more information on Peter and the walk he is involved in, like to participate or to donate, please visit his site at www.petercriss.net.
