In the late 1970s, Kiss went through the difficult departure of Peter Criss from the band. Without their founding drummer, the group carried on with Eric Carr between 1980 and 1991, when the musician died of cancer.
Three decades later, Carr's family is working on a documentary about the drummer . According to Loretta , the musician's sister, his presence was essential to Kiss's survival at that time, as she stated in a recent interview with Vinyl Writer Music .
According to Loretta, the musician never had any apprehension about replacing an original band member. “My brother was confident enough to know he was really good. He auditioned, they felt comfortable the moment he played,” she said (via Brave Words ). “He didn’t want to take anyone’s place. He wanted to be himself – and he was.”
Eric Carr's sister recalls that at the end of Kiss's show at The Palladium in July 1980, some fans were shouting Peter Criss's name, but the chant quickly changed completely. "The shouts of 'Eric!' began to drown them out until it became just his name. With all due respect to Peter, nobody can replace him. The band just needed to move to the next level to continue."
Beyond Carr's undeniable musical abilities, the musician's personality fit very well with the band's needs at that time. “I think he's what kept them alive. It wasn't just the sound, it was his personality. An artist is more than just the music. If you're going to be a snob and distance yourself from the fans, you don't really deserve to be there,” Loretta analyzed. “My brother loved the fans. I remember him hanging out in front of the house with the fans instead of going to a party. That's the kind of guy he was.”