August 25: Gene Simmons lead singer & bassist for KISS is 61 today.

Born Chaim Witz in Haifa, Israel, "Gene Simmons" is well known as "The Demon", the blood-spitting, fire-breathing, and tongue-wagging bassist and co-frontman in the hard rock band Kiss, a group he co-founded in the early 1970s.

He immigrated to Jackson Heights, Queens in New York City at the age of eight with his Mother. After arriving in the U.S., he took the name Eugene Klein, Klein being his mother's maiden name. In the late 1960s, he changed his name to Gene Simmons to honor legendary rockabilly performer Jumpin' Gene Simmons.

The hard rock band KISS, formed in New York City in January 1973. The band became identified by its members' face paint and flamboyant stage outfits. The group rose to prominence in the mid to late 1970. Their elaborate live performances, featured fire breathing, blood spitting, smoking guitars, and pyrotechnics. In 1983, Kiss abandoned its makeup.

KISS has garnered had 24 gold albums to date in the U.S., selling over 19 million albums, with worldwide sales exceeded 100 million albums.

Kiss was named 10th, by VH1, on their list of the "100 Greatest Artists of Hard Rock." and 9th on "The Greatest Metal Bands" list by MTV.

-- "Rock 'n Roll All Night!"
-- "I Was Made for Loving You"
-- "Heaven's On Fire"