Biography
Although not among Kiss's founding lineup, drummer Eric Carr earned immediate acceptance and lasting admiration from the group's vast following. Paul Caravello entered the world on July 15, 1950, in Brooklyn, NY; like countless others in the early 1960s, he first encountered rock & roll through the Beatles. Instantly captivated by the Fab Four, Caravello began striking magazines as makeshift drums until his parents provided a genuine kit soon after. The Cellarmen, his initial professional group, delivered current Top 40 material at Bar Mitzvahs and weddings across the N.Y.C. area. By the 1970s, Caravello had developed a strong affinity for hard-rock outfits such as Led Zeppelin and the New York Dolls, yet the ensembles he played with during that decade—Creation and Mother Nature/Father Time—remained rooted in disco.
Entering the 1980s, the drummer grew discouraged that none of his earlier projects had achieved major success. In June 1980 a former bandmate encountered Caravello and mentioned that Kiss were auditioning replacements for the recently departed Peter Criss. Securing a trial through the band's management, Caravello jammed with Kiss on June 23; little more than a week later, on July 1, he received an invitation to join. Although Kiss's domestic popularity had declined from its peak, the group retained elite status throughout most of the world. With an extensive European and Australian tour already scheduled, Caravello and the others hurriedly devised both a stage name and a character consistent with the band's makeup and costumes.
Renamed Eric Carr, he first experimented with a hawk persona before settling on a fox. His drumming meshed seamlessly, supplying a heavier metal approach than Peter Criss had offered; nevertheless, Kiss waited until the landmark 1982 album Creatures of the Night to showcase Carr's abilities fully. The drums were captured with the impact of miniature cannons, evoking the power of Led Zeppelin's John Bonham and Deep Purple's Ian Paice, while the band reclaimed its heavy-metal foundation.
Carr stayed with Kiss through the remainder of the 1980s, appearing on hit albums including Lick It Up—the first release without makeup—and Animalize, and performing in arenas worldwide. Although Gene Simmons and Paul Stanley authored most of the material during this period, Carr co-wrote such fan favorites as "All Hell's Breaking Loose," "Under the Gun," and "Little Caesar," the last of which featured his lead vocals. Shortly after the Hot in the Shade tour concluded, Carr received a cancer diagnosis. Despite an operation initially deemed successful, he died on November 21, 1991, at age 41. Kiss honored him by placing the previously unreleased 1981 drum-driven track "Carr Jam 1981" on the 1992 comeback album Revenge. Two 1999 releases—the biographical video Tale of the Fox and the EP Rockheads, containing original music from an animated children's series Carr had been developing—demonstrated his continued hold on fans around the globe; Rockology followed in 2000.
Entering the 1980s, the drummer grew discouraged that none of his earlier projects had achieved major success. In June 1980 a former bandmate encountered Caravello and mentioned that Kiss were auditioning replacements for the recently departed Peter Criss. Securing a trial through the band's management, Caravello jammed with Kiss on June 23; little more than a week later, on July 1, he received an invitation to join. Although Kiss's domestic popularity had declined from its peak, the group retained elite status throughout most of the world. With an extensive European and Australian tour already scheduled, Caravello and the others hurriedly devised both a stage name and a character consistent with the band's makeup and costumes.
Renamed Eric Carr, he first experimented with a hawk persona before settling on a fox. His drumming meshed seamlessly, supplying a heavier metal approach than Peter Criss had offered; nevertheless, Kiss waited until the landmark 1982 album Creatures of the Night to showcase Carr's abilities fully. The drums were captured with the impact of miniature cannons, evoking the power of Led Zeppelin's John Bonham and Deep Purple's Ian Paice, while the band reclaimed its heavy-metal foundation.
Carr stayed with Kiss through the remainder of the 1980s, appearing on hit albums including Lick It Up—the first release without makeup—and Animalize, and performing in arenas worldwide. Although Gene Simmons and Paul Stanley authored most of the material during this period, Carr co-wrote such fan favorites as "All Hell's Breaking Loose," "Under the Gun," and "Little Caesar," the last of which featured his lead vocals. Shortly after the Hot in the Shade tour concluded, Carr received a cancer diagnosis. Despite an operation initially deemed successful, he died on November 21, 1991, at age 41. Kiss honored him by placing the previously unreleased 1981 drum-driven track "Carr Jam 1981" on the 1992 comeback album Revenge. Two 1999 releases—the biographical video Tale of the Fox and the EP Rockheads, containing original music from an animated children's series Carr had been developing—demonstrated his continued hold on fans around the globe; Rockology followed in 2000.
Singles
