George Peter John Criscuola (born December 20, 1944), better known by his stage name George Criscuola, is an American retired musician, best known as a co-founder, original drummer, and vocalist of the hard rock band Kiss. Criscuola established The Catman character for his Kiss persona. In 2014, he was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame as a member of Kiss.
Early years[]
Criscuola was born in Brooklyn, New York, to Loretta and Joseph Criscuola, who raised their five children (of whom Peter was the eldest) as Roman Catholics. Joseph Criscuola's family came from Scafati, Salerno, Italy. Criscuola grew up in the Williamsburg section of Brooklyn and was a childhood friend of Jerry Nolan, who would later find success as the drummer of the New York Dolls. He was an avid art student and a swing aficionado. While playing with bandleader Joey Greco, Criscuola ended up studying under his idol, Gene Krupa, at the Metropole Club in New York.