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Famous Like Me > Composer > V > Vinnie Vincent

Profile of Vinnie Vincent on Famous Like Me

 
Name: Vinnie Vincent  
   
Also Know As:
   
Date of Birth: 6th August 1952
   
Place of Birth: Bridgeport, Connecticut, USA
   
Profession: Composer
 
 
From Wikipedia, the free Encyclopedia
Vinnie Vincent

Vincent John Cusano (born August 6, 1952, in Bridgeport, Connecticut), is a guitarist better known as Vinnie Vincent, and is most famous for his brief membership in the band KISS.

Before KISS

Prior to joining KISS Vincent was in several bands, the most popular being Treasure (1978-1979).

  • 1976 - Kid Cashmir & Winnie LeCoux
  • 1976 - HITCHHIKERS
  • 1977 - TREASURE
  • 1978 - LAURA NYRO
  • 1978 - DAN HARTMAN
  • 1979 - FELIX CAVALIERE
  • 1981 - HEAT
  • 1981 - CARMINE APPICE

He toured with Dan Hartman, whose 1978 release Instant Replay produced an international single by the same name.

KISS Involvement

Vincent was brought in as a songwriter and uncredited studio replacement for Ace Frehley during recording for Creatures of the Night. He contributed to several songs on the album, including "I Love It Loud", and "War Machine". Vincent was chosen to replace Frehley permanently, and Gene changed his performing name to Vinnie Vincent. Paul Stanley created the Egyptian Ankh hieroglyphic for Vincent's makeup and persona. According to C.K. Lendt, Vinnie never signed his contract with The KISS Company.

Vincent's personality did not mesh well with Stanley or Gene Simmons, and he was first fired from KISS at the end of the Creatures tour. He was rehired before recording started for Lick It Up, because Paul and Gene could not find a new guitarist on such short notice.

Lick It Up marked the end of KISS' "makeup era", with Vincent joining the band in removing the makeup and elaborate costumes. Personality issues arose once again, and Vincent was fired following the Lick It Up tour. He was replaced by Mark St. John.

Rumors (many of which are unprintable) have circulated for years amongst KISS fan circles regarding the true reason for Vincent's dismissal, with at least one band member refusing to comment, except to say that legally, it wasn't up for discussion. Simmons stated in an interview several years later that Vincent's firing was for "unethical behavior", but he did not elaborate.

Later Career

After KISS, he formed Vinnie Vincent Invasion, which released two LPs: Vinnie Vincent Invasion (1986) and All Systems Go (1988).

He later rejoined KISS for songwriting on the 1992 album Revenge, for the songs Unholy and I Just Wanna. Vincent had another falling-out with the band, and subsequently was dismissed from the KISS project for a third time.

With one EP (Euphoria, released in 1998), and a recent cd entitled Speedball Jamm, Vinnie Vincent has become one of the more notable guitar players in history.

Legal Troubles

Vinnie Vincent sued KISS twice after being fired for the second time in 1984. The first lawsuit (for $6 million) was filed around 1986, over royalties that Vincent believed he was owed for performance and songwriting. That suit was found in favor of KISS, as Vincent was determined to be a salaried employee of the band.

In 1988, Vincent's $8 million contract with Chrysalis Records (for 4 albums) was taken away from him because he overextended his credit line with the label. The contract was transferred to Invasion members Dana Strum and Mark Slaughter, who then formed the band Slaughter.

Vincent's second suit against KISS in 1992 (again for $6 million) was for songwriting royalties and other claims. That suit was dismissed because the amount Vincent requested was excessive, and once again, he was found to have been a salaried employee of the band. The band has had no contact with Vincent since the lawsuit.

Vinnie Vincent is now bankrupt and looking for new musicians and a new label.

Trivia

  • Vincent was a staff songwriter for the television series Happy Days.
  • Lick It Up is the only instance of Vincent appearing on a KISS album by image, and is the only album where he is given lead-guitar credit.
  • Aside from songwriting credits under his given name, Vincent's involvement with recording for Creatures of the Night was kept a secret from the general public for many years, with Ace Frehley appearing on the cover of the original album. When the album was re-mixed and re-released in 1985 with a different cover (to reflect the band's roster change and abandonment of their makeup and costuming), Vincent was again nowhere to be seen, as then-current lead guitarist Bruce Kulick appeared on the cover.

Quotes

"I named Vincent Cusano, Vinnie Vincent. That's the only gift he's allowed. It's interesting that Vinnie hasn't changed his name back to Vinnie Cusano. Vinnie for the record was fired for unethical behavior, not because of lack of talent. The guy is very talented. He was unethical. He was fired." - Gene Simmons

This content from Wikipedia is licensed under the GNU Free Documentation License. It uses material from the Wikipedia article Vinnie Vincent