Kiss drummer bails out of 'farewell tour'

Glam rockers Kiss in 1977

Peter Criss, drummer with glam rock band Kiss, has left the band before the end of their farewell tour.

Former Kiss drummer Eric Singer, who played with the band from 1991 to 1996, will replace Criss who left the group before in 1980.

Lead singer and bassist Gene Simmons aka 'The Demon'

In a statement on their website the band said: "Eric has been a member of our family, and his drumming and singing have been the cornerstone of past Kiss tours.

"We are stoked that we can bring our ultimate spectacle to Kiss fans worldwide."

Though critical success eludes Kiss, they play to packed audiences worldwide and do a brisk trade in memorabilia.

On-stage antics

Their most celebrated album Destroyer was released in 1976 and is considered a blueprint for heavy-metal albums.

Apart from on-stage antics like blood-spitting and tongue-waving, Kiss have a tumultous past with members leaving and returning throughout the band's history.

They reformed with all four original members in the late 90s to launch what became the band's still-ongoing Farewell Tour.

The Kiss Farewell Tour trundles on with Singer joining remaining band members Paul Stanley, Gene Simmons and Ace Frehley at 13 March date in Tokyo, complete with signature face paint.