“I’m deliriously happy,” retorts an unnervingly deadpan Gene Simmons around five seconds into our transatlantic chat.

Whether he really is in the midst of a good mood to end all good moods or not, the KISS founder has every right to be pretty darn pleased with life right about now. Fast approaching 40 years since they formed, the veteran classic rockers are enjoying a rich resurgence, with this week seeing the release of new album Monster, their second in three years, following the critically-acclaimed Sonic Boom.

As he geared up for the record’s release, Gene shared a few memories from some of the band’s career-defining efforts from down the years.