November 24, 1991 would be a day that shook the rock world. Not one, but two rockstars would pass
away - Queen frontman Freddie Merucry and Kiss’s drummer Eric Carr. Of course the Queen frontmen’s
passing garnered a lot more media coverage angering fans and the surviving members of Kiss,
but Today let’s take a look at the life and death of Kiss’ Eric Carr.
Born in 1949, Eric Carr took a liking to the drums
at a pretty young age. He would tell interviewer Thomas Valentino in 1989
“I started playing in '64 when the Beatles came out. Music became my life and I just got attached
to Ringo and the drums. And from then on I really didn't want to do anything but play drums,
and be in a band and be famous...I formed a band when I was like sixteen and we played bar mitzas
and weddings. We played disco, top 40, rythym and blues and that kinda stuff" he would say.
Carr soon expanded to learning other instruments becoming proficient in bass , piano and guitar
and he would reveal in an interview that was published on Kissrocks.net that he played in
two bar bands prior to joining Kiss, one from 1965 to '69, & another from 1970 to '1979
By 1980 Kiss’ classic lineup was falling apart. Drugs/alcohol and runaway egos
resulted in both guitarist Ace Frehley and drummer Peter Criss leaving the group
in the early part of the decade. Criss would be the first member to leave in 1980 with Frehley
following a few years later in 1982.. Carr would recall hearing about Kiss auditioning drummers
from a bandmate of his in and was able to get the contact information for Kiss management and
put in a request for an audition. He would tell Valentino . They said send a tape of your playing,
a picture and a resume. I sent it in a bright orange folder because
I figured that that there would be so many of these on the secretaries desk hat maybe,
just maybe it'll attract her attention. Sure enough, that's what happened.
She saw my folder and grabbed it first. They called me and I went in the next day to meet
manager Bill Aucoin. He gave me a list of songs to learn for the audition, in the event I was
called for the audition. He told me I should shave my mustache off because they wouldn't
want to see me in my mustache. I spent the rest of that day learning the 5 songs. he would say
Carr would get the gig replacing drummer Peter Criss in 1980 just ahead of the band recording
their much maligned record 1981’s Music from the Elder. Despite that setback though,Carr
was sighted by some as being a shot in the arm that Kiss needeed who were going
through a commercial slump in their career. He would play on seven of the band’s albums,
many of which went gold and platinum. Carr would admit in interviews that given Kiss loyal fanbase
he was prepared to receive some hate but other than the occasional sign
that read “we love Peter” fans were pretty good towards him he would say.
There was even of Carr’s releasing a solo album similar to what kiss did in
1978 with each of their members. He would tell an interviewerthat Kissrocks.com published where he
said the following. At some point there was once a real possibility of doing solo albums, all four of
us, just like they did in 1978. This was in 1981. We took it only as far as getting the album cover
art done, so they paid the same painter who did the original ones, and he painted the portrait
of me, with the light behind me, exactly the way it would have been if it were released he'd say.
After more than a decade of being in Kiss, Carr in February 1991,started
to feel ill . He would visit a doctor who would run medical tests which revealed that
he had some manageable health issues.. However, it soon afterwards it came ot light that he had
tumors in his heart. By April of 1991 Carr underwent several surgeries to remove tumors
from his chest and lungs to stop the cancer’s growth. While dealing with his cancer diagnosis,
Carr would end up being replaced by drummer Eric Singer. Band leaders Gene Simmons and
Paul Stanley reiterated to Carr that he would be welcomed back into the group once his health
improved. The band commenced work on their follow up album Revenge and as they readied to shoot a
video for their single “God Gave Rock and Roll to You” Carr was able to coinvince simmons and
stanley let him to appear in the video. Carr would fly to Los Angeles in July 1991
and since he had lost his hair due to chemo he was wearing a wig in the video.
Following the shoot Carr flew back home to new york to continue with his cancer treatments,
but sadly his health took a turn for the worst resulting in the drummer unable to play record the
drum tracks for Revenge. He would only be alive for several months.he would pass away at age 41.
Here’s an MTV report covering his death and his final few months. Kiss drummer eric carr died
of cancer at age of 41 in a new york hospital. Last may Car was daignosed with a heart tumor
which ultimately spread to his lungs. His last public appearance was at the 1991 mtv music awards
in september. two days later Carr suffered a brain hummorhage as has been hospitlized ever since.
Carr replaces original kiss drummer peter criss in 1979 and had been recording with kiss up until
a few months ago. the band ultimately hired one time Cult drummer Eric singer to replace carr..
Given that Queen frontman Freddie Mercury passed the same day, as Carr Kiss drummer
didn't receive that much media coverage. Paul Stanley and Gene Simmons would pen an
open letter to rolling stone in January of 1992 slamming the magazine and the media over their
lack of coverage of Carr’s death stating in their letter the drummer was and i quote “ someone who
lived and believed in the spirit of rock 'n' roll" and declared that and "e "we loved him, the
fans loved him and he will never be forgotten." The group's 1992 album Revenge would be dedicated
to Carr, and the closing track, "Carr Jam 1981," is a demo the drummer had recorded
soon after joining the group in the early 80’s. In the eyes of some Kiss fans,Paul Stanley and
Gene Simmons acted unfairly to Carr by kicking him out of the band while he was underoging cancer
treatment. Even some members of Carr’s family made their feelings known to Stanley and Simmons during
his funeral service. Even Carr’s girlfriend at the time of his death Carrie Stevens with whom he had
been in a relationship with for several years slammed Paul Stanley’swhere he released one of
his books where he critical of Eric Carr and even urged fans not to buy the book.Stanley and Simmons
for their part though claimed they did what they thought was best for the drummer at the time while
also paying tribute to him on the anniversary of his death in 2020.That does it for today's
video guys thanks for watching and we'll see you again on rock n' rol true stories. take care.