m y family life
Paul Stanley
On stage Paul Stanley, singer and guitarist of the band
Kiss, sings about wanting to “rock and roll all night,
and party every day.” But this 56-year-old father of
sons Evan, 13, and Colin, 1, would really rather have
a good night’s sleep. Give this rock star dad a round of
applause. BY PATTY A. MARTINEZ
You’ve traded the superstar lifestyle of LA’s Viper Room for
the Diaper Room. What are some of your day-to-day duties?
At 6 A.M. I was up with Colin. I changed, dressed and fed
him, then we played together and watched Baby Einstein
DVDs. Mornings are my favorite time of day. And as soon as
we’re off the phone, I’ll pick Evan up from school.
Sounds like you’re an involved dad. You have to be hands on.
But I’m fortunate: When I’m not on tour I’m here seven days
a week, 24 hours a day. I probably take on more of the load
than most fathers. And, of course, my wife, Erin, is amazing.
She’s always there for the kids, making them feel special.
What are your house rules? Bedtime is an important routine.
We try to get Evan to sleep by 9: 30 P.M. Having respect for
everyone else in the house is also key, as is maintaining good
grades in school.
Do you and Erin help Evan with his homework? He’s an excellent student—especially in science—but we do our part. I
quiz him for tests; Erin is the whiz when it comes to math.
Which rule is Evan most likely to break? He always wants to
stay up past his bedtime. If I told him he could stay up until
midnight for a special occasion, he’d try for 12: 30.
What’s the hardest question you’ve had to answer as a
parent? When Evan was very young he said to me, “Dad, if
God is inside everyone, why are there bad people?”
And how did you respond? I told him, “Because some people
don’t listen to what he’s saying.” But I admit it took me a
little while to come up with that.
You’re a painter as well as a musician. Do you see a lot of
creativity in your sons? Oh, yeah. I finger paint with Colin,
and Evan is a phenomenal guitarist—he can even outplay
me! But he is very much his own person, and I am grateful
for that. My wish for him and Colin is that they’ll make their
own tracks in life without walking in my shadow.
What’s your idea of a perfect day with your family?
It doesn’t take much to make us happy—going to the mall,
playing instruments at Guitar Center, sitting down to dinner
together, giving Colin a bath—it’s all great. I also like to
spend time alone with Erin to recap the day and revel in how
lucky we are to have this family.
Most teens think parents are embarrassing. What have you
done to mortify Evan? It’s a little different when you’re a
rock star. You’re pretty cool no matter how you slice it. M
FACTS OF LIFE
BIOGRAPHY HIDDEN TALENT
I was born Stanle y
Bert Eisen on
January 20, 1952,
in New York City. In
1973 I helped form
Kiss. (They’ve sold
90 million albums
since then.)
ALSO KNOWN FOR
Cooking.
My specialty is
swordfish with
white wine,
capers, mustard,
garlic and basil. I
made it for Erin on
our first date.
Painting.
I’ve been at
it for eight
years. (He’s
earned $2
million-plus
selling
his art.)
FAVORITE TAKEOUT
We can usually get the
entire family to agree
on Italian or Chinese.
