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When KISS Took Over The Empire State Building
On June 24, 1976, KISS climbed to the top of the Empire State Building and turned Manhattan into their own comic-book backdrop, posing for what would become some of the most iconic images of their ’70s run.
With New York City spread out beneath them, the band leaned fully into the larger-than-life personas that were already starting to push them into legend territory. Photographer Barry Levine was on hand to capture the session, shooting atop the Empire State Building and at other Manhattan locations, freezing that moment when KISS were still raw, hungry, and absolutely owning the visual side of their mythology.
Those shots have been recycled in books, magazines, and fan collections for decades because they nail the essence of ’70s KISS: towering, theatrical, and unmistakably New York. In Bloom: The God of Thunder.
KISS On The Edge: The Empire State Building Shoot
On June 24, 1976, KISS turned New York City into their own playground, staging a now-legendary photo shoot that produced some of the most famous images in the band’s history, including the shots taken high atop the Empire State Building.
The session ran across multiple Manhattan locations: from 3rd–34th Street on 5th Avenue in front of the Empire State Building, to the top of the building itself, then over to the Brill Building and Colony Records on Broadway, Rumplemayer’s at the Hotel St. Moritz, several Central Park spots near the José Julián Martí statue and the Plaza Hotel, and the American Museum of Natural History. It was pure mid‑’70s KISS spectacle, dropping their larger‑than‑life personas right into the heart of the city that helped shape them.
Ace Frehley said,
I remember crawling through this elevator room to get to the edge of where we were gonna do the photo session. It was pretty bizarre seeing the motors for the elevators and the cables. I don’t have a fear of heights so I thought it was cool. There was a kind of safety thing there so I don’t think we were in any real danger.
Peter Criss said,
I got so drunk with Ace. We drank so much champagne and I was loaded on that shoot. I was feeling great as we all do on champagne. Ace and I were loaded. We had a ball. I was hanging off the fucking edge of the damn thing. Gene was having a heart attack about it.
Paul Stanley said,
We were all scared shitless. You could see one arm and one hand of each guy and the other hand was holding on for dear life. It’s pretty awesome to be up there and look and see three states. We climbed the ladder in those boots. It was a pretty interesting time.
Gene Simmons said,
We were nuts! We would do anything you would imagine. Let’s go on top of the Empire State Building and hang over the side for a photo. That’ll look cool. Let’s go!
