Although WICKED LESTER never actually released product, the New York based group take their place in the history books by playing an important role in the formation of the infamous KISS. The New York Shock Rock outfit arose from the ashes of WICKED LESTER after the duo of Stanley Eisen (PAUL STANLEY) and Gene Klein (GENE SIMMONS) split the group up in order to assemble their vision of the perfect Rock band. WICKED LESTER had actually recorded an album for Epic but it was never released, although poor quality bootleg versions have emerged over the years.

Simmons and Stanley first assembled the project under the billing of RAINBOW in 1970. The first line-up included guitarist Steve Coronel, keyboard player Brooke Ostlander and drummer Joe Davidson.The latter would be substituted by Tony Zarella. In early 1971 RAINBOW performed its one and only show, which comprised two sets at Staten Island's Richmond Community College. However, following this concert the band learned of another RAINBOW and duly switched title to WICKED LESTER. 

WICKED LESTER only performed in public on two ocassions, the first concert took place in April 1971 at the South Fallsburg Rivoli Theatre and the second, that summer, was at a B'nai B'rith Youth Organization function in Atlantic City, New Jersey. The band then suffered a major setback when all of their musical gear was stolen. Progress was made when Electric Lady Studios engineer Ron Johnston offered to record demos for the band. These tapes prompted interest from Epic Records.

Ron Leejack, of CACTUS repute, took Coronel's place upon Epic's insistence in 1972. Over a protacted period of sessions, commencing in November 1971 and finally wrapping up in July 1972, the band recorded an album's worth of material at Electric Lady, after which Ostlander and Zarella were apparently fired. The final tapes but were turned down by A&R men Tom Werman and Don Ellis and the group duly folded. Leejack never got to perform live with the group. Simmons and Stanley re-activated WICKED LESTER as a trio now involving drummer Peter Criss, this unit soon changing title to KISS.

The shelved WICKED LESTER album would include a cover version of THE HOLLIES 'We Wanna Shout It Out Loud' and two songs re-recorded by KISS for their 'Dressed To Kill' album, 'She' and 'Love Her All I Can'. Strangely, the intended cover art for the album was used as the sleeve for an album by LAUGHING DOGS in 1979.

In 1998 Ron Leejack featured on the STILL WICKED recordings issued 'Something Wicked This Way Comes' on Pittbull Records.

It was learned in 1976 that CBS Records, owners of the rights to the album, were to remix the WICKED LESTER songs and were scheduled to release the album to capitalize on KISS's then huge commercial popularity. However, KISS manager Neil Bogert purchased the album from CBS for $137,500 only to shelve it. KISS themselves then secured the rights and the tracks 'Keep Me Waiting', 'She' and 'Love Her All I Can' were released on a five CD KISS box set in 2001.