Eric (real name: paul Caravello) replaced original drummer Peter Criss just prior to the sessions for the band's 1981 album 'Music from the Elder', and remained with the group until he passed away ten years later.

Because of the 20th anniversary of the passing of their drummer, the official Kiss website published a special statement:

"Over the eleven years Eric spent with Kiss, he played over 800 concerts to millions of fans around the world, and he brought joy to and touched the lives of so many people."

hard-hitting and technically impressive drum style, as well as his enthusiastic spirit, has been credited with partially helping to re-invigorate Kiss, who were in a severe commercial slump when he joined the band.

Watch Eric Carr singing and drumming on Black Diamond in Australia in 1980:

Despite the fact that Carr was in Kiss for an extremely lengthy and successful period in the band's career, his death was largely ignored by some in the mainstream rock media, partially as a result of the fact that Queen singer Freddie Mercury passed away on the exact same day.

Offended by the lack of coverage, his bandmates wrote an letter to Rolling Stone magazine stating that they were "shocked and disappointed" at Eric Carr's death being ignored, citing him as "someone who still lived and believed in the spirit of rock and roll". You can read the whole letter by clicking on the image at the right side of your screen.

Watch Eric Carr playing a drum solo during Kiss' Hot In The Shade tour in 1990: