Wicked Lester

Wicked Lester

Company type	Rock band
Industry	Music
Founded	1970 in New York City, United States
Defunct	1973
Headquarters	New York City , United States
Products	Rock music, folk rock, pop rock

Wicked Lester was a rock ensemble from New York City that included bassist Chaim Witz, performing under the name "Gene Klein," and rhythm guitarist Stanley Eisen. Initially formed in 1970 under the name Rainbow, the group changed its name to Wicked Lester in 1971 to prevent confusion with another local act. Despite securing a contract with Epic Records and recording an album, the agreement fell through, and the band dissolved in 1972. Convinced that the band lacked a unified direction, Witz and Eisen adopted the stage names Gene Simmons and Paul Stanley, brought in new musicians, and established the highly successful band Kiss by early 1973.

The unreleased album recorded by Wicked Lester for Epic exists only as bootleg copies known as The Original Wicked Lester Sessions. Three tracks from these sessions were officially released by Kiss on their 2001 Box Set. Wicked Lester’s musical style was a fusion of rock and roll, folk rock, and pop influences.

Rainbow

The origins of the band date back to 1969 when keyboardist Brooke Ostrander teamed up with bassist Klein and lead guitarist Stephen Coronel, who had collaborated since 1964 in various groups including Coffee. In August 1970, Coronel suggested rhythm guitarist Stanley Eisen from his previous band The Tree, despite Eisen having been turned down before. After Eisen joined, the group adopted the name Rainbow. With Ostrander bringing in drummer Joe Davidson, the lineup was set; Davidson was soon replaced by Tony Zarrella, who was a friend of Ostrander.

Rainbow’s debut performance took place in early 1971 at Richmond Community College in Staten Island, where Klein had earned a BA in Education in 1970. Upon learning that another band named Rainbow existed, they opted to rename themselves Wicked Lester—a decision driven by legal caution and Klein and Eisen’s desire to concentrate on original compositions.

Crossroads

Wicked Lester appeared publicly on only two occasions: once at the Rivoli Theatre in South Fallsburg, New York on April 23, 1971, and later that summer performing at a B'nai B'rith Youth Organization event held at an Atlantic City hotel. Soon after these shows, the band faced a significant obstacle when all their instruments were stolen. On August 7, 1971, Klein, Eisen, and Coronel recorded an acoustic demo featuring 20 songs that included pieces from prior bands Bullfrog Bheer and Rainbow; some of these tracks were incorporated into Wicked Lester’s unreleased album or later adapted for Kiss albums.

A fortuitous encounter with Ron Johnsen, an engineer at Electric Lady Studios, resulted in demo recordings made in November 1971. Johnsen produced this tape and pitched it to various record companies without success until Epic Records acquired the masters and agreed to finance a full album. One stipulation required replacing Stephen Coronel with a more proficient guitarist. Consequently, Coronel was substituted by session player Ron Leejack (formerly of Cactus) on December 15, 1971. The recording process extended nearly a year as several tracks were re-recorded to suit Leejack’s playing style. Ultimately, Epic's A&R director Don Ellis rejected the completed album in August 1972, leading to Wicked Lester's departure from the label.

Kiss

After Wicked Lester's failure, Klein and Eisen adopted the stage personas Gene Simmons and Paul Stanley. Recognizing that the band lacked a cohesive identity and clear direction, they resolved to establish a new group. Leejack was instructed to dismiss Zarrella and Ostrander; Ostrander exited in November 1972 to focus on music education and passed away in 2011. Zarrella remained until Simmons and Stanley left, later joining New York City bands Dreams In Color and Myth.

Leejack stayed on briefly but resigned on January 15, 1973, shortly before Kiss's debut performance featuring Peter Criss and Ace Frehley. Wicked Lester’s original sound was a fusion of folk and pop, but Simmons and Stanley steered the style toward a harder rock edge. They found drummer Peter Criss through an advertisement in Rolling Stone in late 1972. The newly formed trio engaged in intense rehearsals without having secured a recording deal.

In November 1972, they performed again for Epic’s Don Ellis; although Tom Werman appreciated their energy and showmanship, Ellis declined to sign them once more. Soon after, Stanley placed an ad in The Village Voice looking for a lead guitarist with "flash and ability." This led to auditions including Paul "Ace" Frehley, who impressed by playing immediately upon arrival. Frehley joined by Christmas 1972 or early January 1973. The band then adopted the name Kiss and played their inaugural concert on January 30, 1973.

Unreleased album

Recording for Wicked Lester's album commenced in November 1971 at Electric Lady Studios located in Greenwich Village and wrapped up by July 1972. The record featured a mix of original compositions and cover songs, showcasing the band's diverse musical approach. Three tracks from this collection were later reworked as Kiss songs with varying degrees of alteration. Bootleg copies exist, some missing Coronel’s credits, indicating that Leejack substituted his guitar parts.

The chorus from their rendition of The Hollies' "I Wanna Shout" served as inspiration for "Shout It Out Loud" on the 1976 Destroyer album, although the two tracks differ substantially. Two other songs—"Love Her All I Can" (written by Paul Stanley) and "She" (co-written by Simmons and Steve Coronel)—were revived on the 1975 album Dressed to Kill. "Love Her All I Can" retained much of its original arrangement, while "She" omitted the initial congas and flute instrumentation.

Only the album's cover art from Wicked Lester was released at first; it was later used for The Laughing Dogs' debut album in 1979. CBS Records, which owned the rights, remixed the album and planned a late 1976 release to capitalize on Kiss's rising fame. However, Kiss along with Neil Bogart, president of their label Casablanca Records, bought the master tapes from CBS for $137,500 but ultimately chose not to release them. They feared that the album’s eclectic style combined with unmasked photos of Simmons and Stanley would damage their market image. Subsequently, the recordings circulated unofficially as a bootleg titled The Original Wicked Lester Sessions. The band later acquired Bogart’s share of the masters and officially issued three tracks—"Keep Me Waiting," "She," and "Love Her All I Can"—in 2001 within a five-disc box set.

Track listing

1. "Love Her All I Can" (2:28) Stanley
2. "Sweet Ophelia" (2:56) Barry Mann / Gerry Goffin
3. "Keep Me Waiting" (3:04) Stanley
4. "Simple Type" (2:33) Simmons
5. "She" (2:54) Coronel / Simmons
6. "Too Many Mondays" (3:27) Barry Mann / Cynthia Weil
7. "What Happens in the Darkness" (2:59) Tamy Lester Smith
8. "When the Bell Rings" (3:11) Austin Roberts / Christopher Welch
9. "Molly" (also known as "Some Other Guy") (2:23) Stanley
10. "We Want to Shout It Out Loud" (2:04) The Hollies

Additionally, the group recorded a track titled "Long, Long Road," written by Paul Stanley, which was under consideration for inclusion on the album.

Members

• Paul Stanley – vocals, rhythm guitar
• Gene Simmons – bass guitar, vocals
• Brooke Ostrander – keyboards
• Stephen Coronel – lead guitar
• Joe Davidson – drums
• Tony Zarrella – drums and percussion
• Ron Leejack – lead guitar

See also

• Chelsea, another band featuring Kiss drummer Peter Criss prior to Kiss

References

• Gooch, Curt; Suhs, Jeff. Kiss Alive Forever: The Complete Touring History. Billboard Books, 2002.
• Leaf, David; Sharp, Ken. Kiss Behind the Mask: The Official Authorized Biography. Warner Books, 2003.
• Gill, Julian. The Kiss Album Focus, Volume 1. Xlibris Corporation, 2005.