Lydia Criss Biography

Like most of her generation, native New Yorker, Brooklyn-born Lydia DiLeonardo discovered rock and roll while watching American Bandstand every afternoon. But unlike most of her peers, Lydia would marry the man who would become the wild, grease-painted drummer for KISS, and rock and roll became the foundation of Lydia's life.

Only a week after her 16th birthday, Lydia began a seven-year stint at Abercrombie & Fitch (The World's Greatest Sporting Goods Store) in the Gun Department. Shortly thereafter, in July 1966, she met the Brooklyn-born Peter Criscuola aka Peter Criss. The two instantly became a couple and eventually married in January 1970, neither knowing that Peter would find fame and fortune as the cat-faced drummer of the legendary rock band KISS.

After leaving Abercrombie & Fitch, Lydia worked for five years as a bookkeeper/statistical typist for philanthropist William Rosenwald (the son of the founder of Sears-Roebuck). During this time, she supported Peter in almost every way imaginable, from making some of the earliest KISS costumes, to providing financial and emotional support for him while he pursued his dream of rock stardom. This continued until KISS finally became successful in late 1975, when Lydia began enjoying life as a homemaker and playing the role of the 1970s rock star wife.

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