Vinnie Vincent

Vincent John Cusano was born on August 6, 1952 in Bridgeport, Connecticut, the son of Theresa "Terri" (Ferraro) (1930–2021{{Cite web |title=Obituary of Theresa A. Cusano {{!}} Abriola Parkview Funeral Home |url=https://abriola.com/tribute/details/5391/Theresa-Cusano/obituary.html |access-date=2024-11-30 |website=abriola.com |language=en-US}}) and Alfonso Cusano, musicians. Both of his parents were of Italian descent.{{cite web|url=http://www.vinnie-vincent.com/biography/index.html|title=VINNIE-VINCENT.COM – A Vinnie Biography, Part 1: The Wilderness|publisher=vinnie-vincent.com|access-date=September 4, 2015|archive-date=May 20, 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150520152028/http://vinnie-vincent.com/biography/index.html|url-status=live}} He picked up the guitar at an early age and was inspired by bluegrass and rock and roll.{{cite web |last=Prato |first=Greg |url=http://www.allmusic.com/artist/vinnie-vincent-invasion-p5765/ |title=Vinnie Vincent |publisher=AllMusic |access-date=April 1, 2012 |archive-date=November 11, 2010 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101111030020/http://allmusic.com/artist/vinnie-vincent-invasion-p5765 |url-status=live }} Cusano's first introduction to working with internationally renowned artists was working with Felix Cavaliere (mostly widely known from The Rascals and their hit "Good Lovin' ⁠") as part of the band "Treasure". This resulted in an album of the same name being released on Epic Records in 1977. It was recorded in New York City at Sound Ideas recording studios {{cite web |url=http://www.discogs.com/Treasure-Treasure/release/3332637 |title=Treasure – Treasure (Vinyl, LP, Album) {{!}} Discogs |website=Discogs |date=1977 |access-date=April 20, 2017 |archive-date=April 22, 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170422033754/https://www.discogs.com/Treasure-Treasure/release/3332637 |url-status=live }} In 1980, Vincent moved to Los Angeles, California where he became a staff songwriter for the television series Happy Days and Joanie Loves Chachi. Many of the series songs were written on Vincent's acoustic guitar while sitting at the Cunninghams' kitchen table on the Happy Days set, during off-time from the show's rehearsal schedule. Vincent has said the times of working at the Paramount lot were genuinely "happy days".{{cite web |url=http://www.kissfaq.com/members/bio_vinnie.html |title=Vinnie Vincent Biography |publisher=KissFAQ |access-date=July 9, 2008 |date=September 2010 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080924134948/http://www.kissfaq.com/members/bio_vinnie.html |archive-date=September 24, 2008 |url-status=dead }} According to the site "Kiss Related Recordings", Vincent has played with Dan Hartman as well as the bands Hunter, Warrior, Hitchhikers and Heat going as far back as 1970.{{Citation needed|date=February 2019}}

File:KISS ankh warrior face.svg

After being introduced to the band by songwriter Adam Mitchell,{{cite web|url=http://www.kissasylum.com/vault/issue9.html|title=KISS Asylum: KISS Thought Vault: Issue #9|publisher=kissasylum.com|access-date=September 4, 2015|archive-date=July 23, 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150723005842/http://www.kissasylum.com/vault/issue9.html|url-status=live}} Vincent was brought in as the replacement for guitarist Ace Frehley. Vincent's personality meshed well with Gene Simmons and Paul Stanley, thus enabling him to play lead guitar on six of the nine tracks on the Creatures of the Night album as well as co-writing three. After a commercially disappointing Creatures of the Night/Tenth Anniversary tour, that finished on a high at what ended up being the "last" makeup show (and Kiss' largest crowd attendance) at Maracanã Stadium, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, Vincent returned to the studio with Kiss to record the Lick It Up album. His work was productive, yielding eight co-writes out of the ten songs on the album (a record for any member until Bruce Kulick's nine out of 12 on Carnival of Souls and Stanley's 10 out of 13 on Monster).

Though contributing to Creatures of the Night as a session player before being named as Frehley's replacement in December 1982, Vincent, for all the public knew, was the official guitarist in Kiss and played all the lead guitar tracks on Lick it Up. In what was a frequent occurrence for former guitarist Frehley, a "ghost player" was asked to play on the album, with Rick Derringer recording the solo on the opening track.{{Cite web |author1=Andrew Daly |date=2024-08-15 |title="There's no denying that the thought of Robben Ford playing on a Kiss album is weird": A brief history of Kiss's session guitarists – featuring Bob Kulick, Dick Wagner, Rick Derringer and more... |url=https://www.guitarworld.com/features/kiss-session-guitarists |access-date=2024-08-17 |website=guitarworld |language=en}}

File:Exciter with Vincent solo.ogg

Though Vincent performed well live with Kiss, he refused to sign an employment contract which strained the relationship with Simmons/Stanley. This arose because of disputes over his role in the band and pay (some reports indicated that Vincent had asked for, and was denied, a percentage of the band's gross profits). Consequently, Vincent never formally became a member of the band. This ultimately led to him leaving after the North American leg of the "Lick It Up" tour.Black Diamond: The Unauthorized Biography of KISS | Dale Sherman | 1997 He was replaced by Mark St. John. Despite parting on bad terms, Vincent reconnected with Kiss years later as a songwriter on the 1992 album Revenge, contributing to the songs "Unholy", "Heart Of Chrome" and "I Just Wanna". Vincent again fell out of favor with Simmons and Stanley, as they claimed that Vincent again began "making all kinds of crazy demands and pulling the same kind of crazy stuff all over again".

In 2022, Kiss released a super deluxe multi disc version of the Creatures of the Night album, which featured demos and outtakes with Vincent as guitarist and songwriter, as well as two full CDs of live recordings from the Creatures of the Night/10th Anniversary Tour, the first officially released live recordings with Vinnie Vincent.{{Cite web |date=2022-08-31 |title=Love It Loud: KISS Expand 'Creatures of the Night' for Deluxe Box Set |url=https://theseconddisc.com/2022/08/31/love-it-loud-kiss-expand-creatures-of-the-night-for-deluxe-box-set/ |access-date=2022-10-08 |website=The Second Disc |language=en-US}}

Following his departure from Kiss in mid-1984, Vincent used the money he made from his tenure in the band to take a long vacation, traveling the world for a full year and visiting places like Tahiti, Philippines, Mozambique, India, and Europe, including a visit to the small town of Mora in Dalarna, Sweden.{{cite web|url=http://forumbilder.se/images/8317200911401762e1.jpg|title=Image: 8317200911401762e1.jpg, (570 × 784 px)|publisher=forumbilder.se|access-date=September 4, 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131219074453/http://forumbilder.se/images/8317200911401762e1.jpg|archive-date=December 19, 2013|url-status=dead}} That same year Vincent was hospitalized for mental health related issues, and also wrote songs and recorded demos of six new songs intended for Kiss with drummer [https://www.hirshgardner.com/ Hirsh Gardner]{{Cite book |last1=Bergdahl |first1=Alex |title=Time Traveller |last2=Linnaeus |first2=Carl |publisher=Gain |year=2023 |location=Sweden |language=Swedish}}{{Cite web |last=Asplund |first=Tony |date=2024-04-17 |title=KISS Time Traveler: Recension + lång intervju med Alex Bergdahl och Carl Linnaeus |url=https://www.rockbladet.se/2024/04/kiss-time-traveler-recension-lang-intervju-med-alex-bergdahl-och-carl-linnaeus/ |access-date=2024-04-17 |website=ROCKBLADET.SE |language=en-US}} Then he formed the band Vinnie Vincent Invasion with, among others, former Journey singer Robert Fleischman in the mid-1980s and released two studio albums: Vinnie Vincent Invasion in 1986 and All Systems Go in 1988. The band broke up in 1989. After that, the band's singer Mark Slaughter and bassist Dana Strum formed Slaughter.{{cite web |author=Jeff Giles |url=https://ultimateclassicrock.com/vinnie-vincent-invasion-end/ |title=Mark Slaughter Looks Back on the Band Mutiny That Ended the Vinnie Vincent Invasion |website=Ultimateclassicrock.com |date=April 16, 2015 |access-date=November 30, 2021 |archive-date=November 12, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211112001521/https://ultimateclassicrock.com/vinnie-vincent-invasion-end/ |url-status=live }}

In 1996, Vincent released a solo EP from the studio sessions he did in 1990 (some say 1989–91), called Euphoria, once again with Robert Fleischman on vocals. Vincent, as well as playing all the guitars, played bass and did the drum programming under the guise of "V. Meister”. Andre LaBelle provided drum tracks to the CD{{Cite web |title=★ ANDRE LABELLE - History Bio |url=http://www.andrelabelle.com/history-andre-labelle.html |access-date=2022-10-08 |website=www.andrelabelle.com}} but they were replaced by Vincent's drum programming. LaBelle can be heard on various tracks on the bootleg Guitarmaggedon/Guitars from Hell CD that featured five more songs than the Euphoria EP.{{Citation |title=Vinnie Vincent - Guitars From Hell |url=https://www.discogs.com/release/6018036-Vinnie-Vincent-Guitars-From-Hell |language=en |access-date=2022-10-08}}

A tribute album entitled Kiss My Ankh: A Tribute to Vinnie Vincent was released by SplitScreen Entertainment on August 27, 2008. The album consists of new recordings of songs from Vincent's careers with Kiss and the Vinnie Vincent Invasion. Featured artists include Steve Brown of Trixter, Troy Patrick Farrell of White Lion, T.J. Racer of Nitro, Mike Weeks of Robert Fleischman's band, Sheldon Tarsha of Adler's Appetite, Chris Caffery of Savatage and Trans-Siberian Orchestra, Ryan Roxie from the Alice Cooper band and rock and roll comic C.C. Banana, who performs a parody of the Kiss song "Unholy" (rewritten as a roast of Danger Danger vocalist Ted Poley).{{cite web | url=http://www.splitscreenentertainment.com | title=Kiss My Ankh: A Tribute To Vinnie Vincent | publisher=SplitScreen Entertainment | access-date=August 31, 2008 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080831201119/http://www.splitscreenentertainment.com/ | archive-date=August 31, 2008 | url-status=dead | df=mdy-all }}

After 22 years of being off the radar, Vinnie Vincent agreed to appear at the 2018 Atlanta Kiss Expo in January.{{cite web|title=Former KISS Guitarist Vinnie Vincent Is 'Happy And Excited' About His Appearance At Atlanta KISS Expo|url=http://www.blabbermouth.net/news/former-kiss-guitarist-vinnie-vincent-is-happy-and-excited-about-his-appearance-at-atlanta-kiss-expo/|website=Blabbermouth|date=September 2, 2017 |access-date=October 19, 2017|archive-date=October 17, 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171017183706/http://www.blabbermouth.net/news/former-kiss-guitarist-vinnie-vincent-is-happy-and-excited-about-his-appearance-at-atlanta-kiss-expo/|url-status=live}} Vincent fulfilled his commitment and appeared at the sold-out expo, playing a four-song set including the live premiere of Kiss's "A Million to One" from Lick It Up and a VVI song "Back on the Streets" where he was joined by original VVI vocalist Robert Fleischman.{{Cite web |last=Olivier |date=2018-01-21 |title=Vinnie Vincent performs live with Robert Fleischman & announces return of Vinnie Vincent Invasion |url=https://sleazeroxx.com/vinnie-vincent-performs-live-with-robert-fleischman-announces-return-of-vinnie-vincent-invasion/ |access-date=2022-10-08 |website=Sleaze Roxx |language=en-CA}} He said he considers Gene Simmons and Paul Stanley family, wishing them nothing but the best. After some e-mail exchanges with Gene Simmons, Vincent agreed to appear with Simmons on stage in April 2018 which was the first time they have met in person in over two decades.{{cite web |last1=Magnotta |first1=Andrew |title=Gene Simmons Reunites With Vinnie Vincent at Vault Event in Nashville |url=https://www.iheart.com/content/2018-04-18-gene-simmons-reunites-with-vinnie-vincent-at-vault-event-in-nashville/ |website=iheart.com |publisher=IHeart Media, Inc. |access-date=November 9, 2019 |archive-date=November 9, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191109024505/https://www.iheart.com/content/2018-04-18-gene-simmons-reunites-with-vinnie-vincent-at-vault-event-in-nashville/ |url-status=live }} He also gave an exclusive interview to Eddie Trunk for Sirius XM, which was his first in over two decades, and held multiple question-and-answer sessions with fans.{{cite web|title=Vinnie Vincent Returns: 10 Things We Learned|url=http://ultimateclassicrock.com/vinnie-vincent-return-things-we-learned/|website=Ultimate Classic Rock|date=January 20, 2018 |access-date=January 20, 2018|archive-date=January 20, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180120091355/http://ultimateclassicrock.com/vinnie-vincent-return-things-we-learned/|url-status=live}}

On February 16, 2018, it was announced via Facebook that Vinnie would appear at the Days of the Dead convention in Charlotte, North Carolina in May 2018.{{cite web |url=https://www.facebook.com/daysofthedead/posts/1690709640967382 |title=Days Of The Dead |website=www.facebook.com |access-date=July 15, 2019 |archive-date=July 28, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190728051922/https://www.facebook.com/daysofthedead/posts/1690709640967382 |url-status=live }}

Vinnie Vincent's first concert in 30 years was scheduled for December 7, 2018, at Graceland, in Memphis, Tennessee. However these shows were postponed until February 8–9, 2019 in Nashville,{{cite web|url=https://www.vinnievincentlive.com|title=Vinnie Vincent Live|website=Vinnie Vincent Live|language=en|access-date=August 5, 2018|archive-date=February 22, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200222002913/http://www.vinnievincentlive.com/|url-status=live}} before being canceled. These shows were promoted by Derek Christopher, who despite never having finalized or fulfilled a contract with Vincent, continued to sell tickets nevertheless. This left everyone wondering where the money went, and ultimately blamed Vincent.{{cite web|url=http://ultimateclassicrock.com/vinnie-vincent-cancels-comeback-shows/|title=Vinnie Vincent Cancels Comeback Shows|last=Kielty|first=Martin|website=Ultimate Classic Rock|date=January 29, 2019 |language=en|access-date=January 29, 2019|archive-date=January 29, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190129170756/http://ultimateclassicrock.com/vinnie-vincent-cancels-comeback-shows/|url-status=live}}

Vincent then announced another show in Nashville called "Speedball Jamm", which was scheduled for June 7, 2019.{{cite web|url=https://ultimateclassicrock.com/vinnie-vincent-nashville/|title=Former Kiss Guitarist Vinnie Vincent Announces Nashville Concert|last=Irwin|first=Corey|website=Ultimate Classic Rock|date=April 13, 2019 |language=en|access-date=May 27, 2019|archive-date=May 27, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190527061021/https://ultimateclassicrock.com/vinnie-vincent-nashville/|url-status=live}} This show was ultimately canceled.{{cite web|url=https://ultimateclassicrock.com/vinnie-vincent-cancel-june-2019-show/|title=Vinnie Vincent Reportedly Cancels June Comeback Show|last=Wilkening|first=Matthew|website=Ultimate Classic Rock|date=May 20, 2019 |language=en|access-date=May 27, 2019|archive-date=May 27, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190527061023/https://ultimateclassicrock.com/vinnie-vincent-cancel-june-2019-show/|url-status=live}}

Two months later, Vincent hosted Vinnie Vincent's Birthday Bash on August 10 in Nashville, TN, followed by Vinnie Vincent's Merry Metal Christmas on December 14–15, 2019.{{cite web|url=http://vinnievincent.com/product/vinnie-vincents-merry-metal-christmas/|title=Vinnie Vincent's Merry Metal Christmas Premium Ticket – Vinnie Vincent|language=en-US|access-date=December 17, 2019|archive-date=December 17, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191217092802/http://vinnievincent.com/product/vinnie-vincents-merry-metal-christmas/|url-status=live}}

On May 22, 2022, Vinnie played for the first time live together with his lead guitar colleagues from Kiss, Ace Frehley and Bruce Kulick, performing a 4-song all Kiss set at Creatures Fest (hosted by Neil Davis, Brian Bell, Dale Walter) in Nashville.

In May 2023, Vincent held an album listening party, at Starstruck Studios. The upcoming album was well received; several bands opened for Vincent, and he played with backing band Leo Roriz of Sleeper Signal and Ben Hanz of Trixter.

Vincent was married to AnnMarie Peters, and they had twin daughters born in 1982.{{Cite magazine|url=https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-features/the-long-kiss-goodbye-the-search-for-vinnie-vincent-187427/|title=Inside a Hair-Metal Meltdown: Search for Ex-Kiss Guitarist Vinnie Vincent|first1=Max|last1=Blau|magazine=Rolling Stone|date=April 8, 2014|access-date=July 15, 2019|archive-date=July 15, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190715142052/https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-features/the-long-kiss-goodbye-the-search-for-vinnie-vincent-187427/|url-status=live}}{{Cite web |last=Blabbermouth |date=2002-11-16 |title=KISS Murder Trial Update: Cusano's Daughters Kept Secret |url=https://blabbermouth.net/news/kiss-murder-trial-update-cusano-s-daughters-kept-secret |access-date=2024-11-30 |website=BLABBERMOUTH.NET |language=en}} Peters was reported missing at age 43 on January 2, 1998, after failing to pick up her daughters from a sleepover with friends. Her remains were found two years later after Gregory McArthur pled guilty to the crime. Peters had been working part-time as an escort, and McArthur had a history of crimes related to prostitution.{{Cite web |title=KISS Asylum: Vinnie Vincent's Ex-Wife Missing |url=https://kissasylum.com/news/vinnieEX.html |access-date=2024-11-26 |website=kissasylum.com}}{{Cite web |last=KENNY |first=DAVE |date=2000-09-03 |title=Homicide suspect leads cops to body |url=https://www.middletownpress.com/news/article/Homicide-suspect-leads-cops-to-body-11936997.php |access-date=2024-11-26 |website=The Middletown Press |language=en}}

In 1996, Vincent married his second wife Diane Kero, a former girlfriend of Ace Frehley; Vincent and Kero had first met at a Kiss convention in Chicago the previous year. The two resided in Smyrna, Tennessee until her death from alcohol-related complications on January 13, 2014. She was 47 years old.{{cite web |url=https://www.courant.com/news/connecticut/hc-xpm-2003-02-15-0302151808-story.html |title=MCARTHUR SENTENCED TO 60 YEARS |last=Writer |first=TINA A. BROWN; Courant Staff |website=courant.com |date=February 15, 2003 |access-date=July 15, 2019 |archive-date=November 30, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211130115242/https://www.courant.com/ |url-status=live }}

• Creatures of the Night (1982)
• Lick It Up (1983)
• Revenge (1992) songwriting credits only

• Smashes, Thrashes & Hits (1988)
• Alive III (1993) songwriting credits only
• Kiss Unplugged (1995) songwriting credits only
• The Box Set (2001)
• The Very Best of Kiss (2002)
• Kiss Symphony: Alive IV (2003) songwriting credits only
• The Best of Kiss, Volume 2: The Millennium Collection (2004)
• The Best of Kiss, Volume 3: The Millennium Collection (2006) songwriting credits only
• Kiss Alive! 1975–2000 (2006) songwriting credits only
• The Best of KISS: Green Series (2008)
• Playlist Plus (2008)
• Playlist Your Way (2008)
• Jigoku-Retsuden (2008) songwriting credits only
• 15 Classics (2008) digital download only
• 15 Discoveries (2008) digital download only
• 45 The Complete Collection (2008) digital download only
• Alive! The Millennium Concert (2008) songwriting credits & digital download only

• Vinnie Vincent Invasion (1986)
• All Systems Go (1988)
• Euphoria (EP) (1996)
• Judgement Day (2023)

• Black Satin featuring Fred Parris (1976)

• The Hitchhikers (1976)

• WOW (1984 Passport)

"Ain't None Of Your Business" Songwriter (Simmons, Carr & Vincent) & Guitar

• Let Me Rock You (1982)

• No Brakes (1984 EMI)

Songwriter "Tears" (1981)

• Instant Replay (1978)

Rhythm & Acoustic Guitars, Tambourine, Backing Vocal

• Nested (1978)

• Treasure (1977 Epic)

Guitar & Lead Vocals on "Innocent Eyes" & "Turn Yourself Around"

(with Felix Cavaliere: of The Rascals)

• Castles in the Air (1979)

• Still Waiting (1981)

• Kiss My Ankh: A Tribute to Vinnie Vincent (2008)
• Virtual Invasion – Gypsy in Her Eyes (2017)
• Virtual Invasion – Young Blood, Young Fire (2018)
• Virtual Invasion – Forbidden (2018)
• Virtual Invasion – Tears (2020)

• Everything (1988) Songwriting credit & Guitars for "Make a Play for Her Now" {{cite web|url=http://www.allmusic.com/album/everything-mw0000197855|title=Everything – Bangles | Songs, Reviews, Credits, Awards | AllMusic|publisher=allmusic.com|access-date=September 4, 2015|archive-date=September 9, 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150909132623/http://www.allmusic.com/album/everything-mw0000197855|url-status=live}}

• Born to Laugh at Tornadoes (1983)

• Warrior (2017 HNE Recordings). Collection of Demos.
• Warrior II (2019 HNE Recordings). Another Collection of Demos.
• The Complete Sessions (2024 HNE Recordings). Boxset of the previous two albums.

{{Reflist}}

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{{succession box | title=Lead guitarist of Kiss| before=Ace Frehley| after=Mark St. John| years=1982–1984}}

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{{DEFAULTSORT:Vincent, Vinnie}}

Category:1952 births

Category:Living people

Category:Musicians from Bridgeport, Connecticut

Category:American people of Italian descent

Category:American heavy metal guitarists

Category:American rock guitarists

Category:American male guitarists

Category:American lead guitarists

Category:Glam metal musicians

Category:Kiss (band) members

Category:Vinnie Vincent Invasion members

Category:Guitarists from Connecticut

Category:20th-century American guitarists