New VH1 Article mentions Vinnie

[Streetbeat]

http://www.vh1.com/news/23139/greatest- ... s-in-rock/

Band: Kiss Replaced: Ace Frehley Tenure: 1982-84

Lightning-riding axe-master Vinnie Vincent found his way to the top of the heavy metal mountain through one very amusingly peculiar path: he was the music coordinator and chief songwriter for the cheeseball 1982 Happy Days spinoff, Joanie Loves Chachi.

Clearly talented and obviously in need of a more appropriate outlet, Vincent met Kiss members Gene Simmons and through a mutual songwriting pal. When original guitarist Ace Frehley split from Kiss in ’82, Vinnie hopped on board. He started by co-writing several tracks on that year’s Creatures of the Night LP, which he then toured with Kiss to support, donning ankh-emblazoned face-paint as a new Kiss character, The Wizard.

Vincent amplified his Kiss role for the group’s first makeup-free effort, 1983’s Lick It Up. He co-wrote eight of the comeback album’s ten songs and erupted forth as a guitar virtuoso in his own right—The Wizard proved to be a wizard, indeed.

In fact, so mighty did Vinnie’s guitar magic prove to be that he parted with Kiss rather promptly, forming the Vinnie Vincent Invasion in 1984. For the Wizard’s transformative powers on Lick It Up, however, Vinnie Vincent will always rule as a crucial member of Kiss, successfully leading their charge out of their original phase into their bald-face success throughout the late ’80s and into the ’90s.

[Genebaby]

Nice write up that one.

[SonOfTheAnkh]

Vinnie should be number 1 on the list. He's a so much better player than Ace (in my opinion)