4/13: RECAP OF KISS AT THE HOF, MEXICO, JOE ELLIOT, MORE
Just back from another crazy run of travel and rock insanity over the last few days. It started Thursday night with the HOF ceremony in Brooklyn. If you followed on Twitter you saw a ton of great photos and coverage I sent out as it happened from the very first row of the arena. I also have the complete Kiss induction speeches on my Iphone from the first row. I will post when I can. It was a great night and I am grateful Ace and Peter included me among a very very small amount of people they had sit with them at their tables. The HOF only gives every inductee a plus one for free. Everyone else they bring as guests must pay an extreme amount of money per seat. Ace and Peter’s tables were at opposite ends of the very first row. Nothing in front but the stage. Just an awesome view. I mostly hung with Ace and sat with him since that was where my seat was. But I did walk over and sit with Peter for a bit as well. The Kiss table with the current band and Bruce was slightly behind Peter’s. I did say hi to Bruce briefly but there was no interaction with any of the other guys which honestly I did not expect or seek out. I was there as a guest of Ace and Peter’s to celebrate this historic and long overdue moment. There was no real interaction I was aware of between Ace and Peter and Gene and Paul until they went up on stage. From my view it seemed at times awkward while they were all up there and at times okay. Obviously there was a ton of drama leading up to this with all kinds of things said from all corners, but in the end it was fairly uneventful as far as them all standing there and accepting. I thought they all looked good, said good stuff, and did the best they could under a fairly stressful build up to the induction. A few observations:
*Kiss was pretty much the only band who played by the rules and kept their speeches to the 2-3 minute time limit. They were up there maybe a total of 10 minutes. Most artists took a TON of time, especially the E Street Band.
*Tom Morello did a GREAT induction speech. Really fired up the Kiss fans and captured the moment perfectly!
*Paul Stanley’s speech was last and very very good. Loved how he called out the HOF
*Because Kiss choose not to perform they really ended up being somewhat of a footnote in a very long night. All the other acts had much longer inductions and played 3 songs or so. Kiss’s moment was all of 15 minutes total with a simple video package, Morello and the speeches. Could only think if Gene and Paul would have allowed just one song with the original four they could have blown the place up! Sucks to think what could have been.
*As a result of no performance from Kiss the Kiss fans in the building were much less than I expected. Maybe third biggest reaction from the crowd after E Street band and Nirvana to be honest. I also know some tickets were given away to help fill the building at the last minute. No way that happens if original four did even one song.
*The original four did pose for photos in the press room after their speeches but did not take questions. I tweeted out some of these shots which likely will be the last time the original four are photographed together.
*I was stunned in Gene’s speech when speaking about Ace how many guitarists try to imitate him but none come close. I’m sure Tommy Thayer sitting right there loved that!
*Ace stayed until the end of the very long night. He was asked to jam with Nirvana and Tom Morello to close the night on a cover of “Highway To Hell” but at the last second the jam was called off by the HOF because the event ran way too long. Ace was ready to go and even had his guitar with him! He would have been the only member of Kiss to play on stage if it had happened and was clearly bummed when it was cancelled.
*Bill Aucoin’s sister and partner were also at our table along with a photo of Bill. Ace said he was really thinking of Bill all night.
*Tommy, Eric, Vinnie, Mark, Bruce and Eric Carr were all mentioned during the induction to minimal reaction from the crowd. A few cheers, a few boos, and many cries of “Ace” and “Peter” from the stands.
*All four members of Kiss wore sunglasses on stage. Weird but I guess they thought it looked cool?
For me it was a weird night in the sense that I had been screaming so hard for so long like many fans to see this finally happen, but then we only got an abbreviated section for Kiss since they wouldn’t play. But there were also times I went back to being that kid in high school made fun of for liking this band and relished the moment and let out a cheer when they all stood on stage. It was sweet vindication for Kiss fans to see this happen right in front of the critics who tried to keep them out. But you can’t help but to think how much more special this night would have been if Kiss would have taken the stage to play. They were the only band to not have some music represented on the stage. As Kiss continues to inch closer to being a full time sanctioned tribute band (and that is what is in the works soon) I have to think this may have been the last great moment for fans of the original band to see them at least standing there one final time. So much more to discuss but that’s how I saw it. I’ll take your calls on all of this live Monday 6-10P ET on SiriusXM 39 TRUNKNation. Joe Elliot and Chris Von Rohr of Krokus will also be guests.
As of the rest of the night all the performances sounded good from the other artists inducted. I thought Joan Jett with Nirvana sounded really good and was a cool surprise.
My thanks also to Matt Swanson for his hospitality at the HOF event and the many fans I met that night who thanked me for pushing to help get Kiss and other hard rock bands in. The HOF still has so much wrong with it but progress being made with Alice, Rush and Kiss now in. Purple MUST go next!
Thanks to all in Mexico City and Puebla! Just returned home from live shows there this weekend with Don & Jim. Was a blast and the Mexican TMS fans were amazing and sold out both of our appearances. Thanks also to Christian Beristain and his entire team for having us and treating us well. We will be back Mexico, thank you!
See you live on the radio tomorrow night!
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It should be noted that the surviving members of Nirvana played a 19-song secret show at Brooklyn’s 350-capacity Saint Vitus venue after they were inducted – with Joan Jett, Kim Gordon, J Mascis, St. Vincent and John McCauley singing lead vocals.
And KISS (with Tommy and Eric) performed live in makeup on The Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon on Friday night – playing King of the Night Time World, Deuce, Black Diamond and Hotter Than Hell/Firehouse. (They also appeared on The Today show Friday morning for a few short segments.)
Nirvana did it right and KISS missed a big opportunity to throw their own party. They easily could have done what Nirvana did – invite the entire KISS family to take the stage throughout the night and play a bunch of old tunes. Get Bruce up there, somebody find Vinnie. Just rock out for two hours. Gene could have filmed the whole thing for KISSOLOGY DVD Volume 4 and had it in stores in time for Christmas!
Would have been awesome Ken but Kiss is just one of many bands that haven’t done anything. Look at Van Halen, Guns and Roses…at least Kiss showed up and accepted the awards. Gave the fans one last glimpse of all 4 together…as Ed said, it’ll probably be the last time.
I’m completely fine with them not playing…bands rarely sound good in that setting, I think back to Alice and it just wasn’t good. To get all those guys together w/ makeup like the Hall wanted, they would have had to rehearse, Ace would have had to drop 50 pounds…it just wasn’t going to happen.
Personally I wished they would have played without makeup…just get up there and rock a few tunes with the original band in the clothes they wore and then…bring out Bruce, Eric or a special guest on a few songs. That would have been more appropriate for that setting.
Also…Kiss fans shouldn’t forge, the RRHOF and the cronies hate them…say no more with a freaking backup band getting more response but that is the nature of that crowd, that’s who that crowd deems important. Granted had the originals played, it would have been packed with Kiss fans.
Still, good speeches and great to see them all together one last time…all I can say is thanks guys, it was a fun ride.
I was there. The newer members were cheered the first and second times they were mentioned. Eddie is thinking they were booed the third time, as do others, but that is not the case. Paul said Bruce was in the house (the other two times mentioned that was not said) and as Paul mentioned Tommy and Eric and cheer of Bruuuuce was heard. This was not not unplugged where they were booed. Watch the you tube videos. Both other times they were cheered (and very nicely during Tom’s speech). It makes no sense to think that people all of a sudden thought they should boo the same people they just cheered for. Paul said Bruce was there, and pointed, and people said Bruuuuuce. Just as they did for Springsteen all night. And Eddie’s right, the E Street Band were on the stage for what seemed like forever. Hall and Oats followed and made a comment about it, which received a nice applause.
Anyway, last comment of the KISS side, clearly the fans there love Ace. He, to me, seemed to get the loudest cheers and was really funny in his speech.
Mike, the youtube videos I have seen don’t support your post. Even Eddie has posted that they were booed. That Bruce chant did not happen the other two times when they were mentioned. It is what it is, they were booed.
Hmmmm I’m going to go out on a limb here and say THE GUY WHO WAS ACTUALLY THERE, has more credibility than you do, E Black.
It doesn’t matter in the bigger scheme of things–KISS has 12 million fans on facebook. Monster sold well enough (in this digital age where people pick and choose) to land at number three in the Billboard 200. Of course people booed–the ones who don’t want someone wearing the Cat and Spaceman makeup unless its Peter and Ace. Clearly, people love Eric and Tommy. One night people are booing and the next cheering on the Jimmy Fallon show. I miss Peter and Ace, still love them for their contributions, but I think some people are being stubborn and see the Cat as just Peter and the Spaceman as just Ace. If that is the case, and those characters can only be Peter’s and Ace’s, why call those characters the Cat and the Spaceman? Those characters are iconic and everyone who supports the idea that only Peter and Ace can wear that makeup are limiting the lifetime of those characters. If Paul and Gene are willing to let someone step in and wear the Starchild and Demon makeup (which I struggle with) then I think its fair to let someone other than Peter and Ace wear their makeup. It would be nice to see all involved honor the characters they created and let someone worthy (like Eric and Tommy) wear the makeup that means so much to everyone. I guess KISS fans will continue to be divided on this issue–at least for the next 30 or so years.
Good post Mike
You are mistaken; when Paul mentioned Singer and Thayer there were boos. They were very plain to hear from where I was sitting. Paul even paused in surprise and put up his hand as to say “WTF” : it’s all about the Originals – always has been – always will be. Anyone can copy – but their can only be ONE original band. Apparently YOU do not think so, and for that I feel sorry for you. I mean, this Thayer guy is a joke – just listen to his accent !
If you think that Tommy is a joke and that you’d rather hear Ace and Peter play on stage in 2014, then you clearly hear with your memory only.
Why is it that most of the time we see comments that disagree with Tommy and Eric wearing the original makeup, we see a response that states something along the lines of – “you’d rather hear Ace and Peter play on stage in 2014”? NO, most people would not rather see Ace and Peter there at this point. We would rather see a) the 2 newer guys with new makeup, b) the band with no makeup, or c) the band to have retired after the farewell tour.
I personally would prefer option a or b. Tommy and Eric are great musicians and are currently limited, having to stay in the Ace and Peter box. I want to hear the great Eric Singer play like Eric Singer, and I would love to hear what Tommy has to offer (he was pretty good with Black and Blue and didn’t sound like Ace).
Eric Singer is a technically monster drummer whose resume speaks for itself. I agree that his playing has had to be stifled to a degree to accommodate Peter’s playing who has not been a consistent drummer since the Alive album of 1975. It would be nice if Tommy & Eric were able to step away from the shadows of Ace & Peter and be able to develop themselves within the band. Make up or not. And quite frankly, if it is KISS’s desire to see the band continue after they retire, it would be easily more accepted if Eric & Tommy stayed on without the makeup. Unless you are a robot, no one is willing to accept Eric & Tommy as Peter & Ace. It isn’t fair to the players, the fans or the creators of the makeup design.
lol…do you honestly think that many people would be so passionate about praising Bruce as fans of the original KISS would be about booing the imposters? If the audio doesn’t convince you that they were boos, just look at the expressions on the original 4’s faces as they hear it.
After watching the acceptance speeches on YouTube at least twice, I left it thinking that I was happiest for Peter as he seems to FINALLY be comfortable in his skin and has found a personal peace. Whether that’s due to his wife, a second chance at life following breast cancer or his relationship with his God or a combination of the 3 is irrelevant. He just looked good. I found it very rude that while Peter was speaking, Paul, Gene and Ace were having their own conversation. Although when Peter thanked Gigi with the line of “walking through life” which I thought was a very nice sentiment, I did notice Gene looking at Peter either a bit somberly or regretful that things ended the way they have.
I still stand by the opinion that while Paul’s speech was correct and honest, it was also hypocritical. Knowing how little he wanted to be there -per his own words – and knowing how he felt about Ace & Peter – calling them anti-semitic – days before the induction, the roads that Mr. Stanley has had us travel recently with his roads being bumpy, icy and classless has made me contemplate plugging my GPS to get directions off of his roads and to nicer, easier to navigate and less cluttered roadways. He has lost my respect and financial support as a fan because of his callousness, pettiness and hypocrisy. Don’t support the HOF? Then you stay home. Feeling that former associates don’t like you because of the religion you were brought into the world with? You ignore them. You don’t seek them out to help restore your professional career and then shit-can them for years after they leave your employment. Don’t like RS magazine? Stop giving them free press and congratulating yourself on being on their cover.
How ironic that the two dope addict, Jew hating fuck ups that we’ve been spoon fed from Gene & Paul – when it has been convenient – turn out to be the ones showing nothing but class, gratitude and grace in the face of getting bullied from the KISS pulpit. Lessons can always be learned. In my case, better late than never.
STEVEDRUMS!!! You may have the best post on here ever bro. You are dead on!!!! Ace and Perer have more class than Paul and Gene ever could understand.
I doubt that, but thank you very much.
See Steve, every time somebody mentions losing respect for Paul because of his views and what he said…then the same has to be applied to Peter, Gene and Ace. They’ve all said worse about each other. So in reality who’s being hypocritical here? Yeah, it’s okay that Peter, Ace can and even Gene slam Paul in their books, memoirs and interviews in the past but it’s not okay for Paul to have an opinion now? That kind of thinking is mind boggling to me. So before pointing fingers about someone else being hypocritical…start with yourself. Then again…go back and read what you wrote, your simply looking at things to mad about…Gene, Paul, Ace having a conversation while Peter spoke…I saw nothing rude or wrong in the least. Probably the biggest problem with some of you people is that you can’t fathom that these guys are just human, guys that have shared some great times and turbulent times. Guys whose careers and lively hood at various points depended on one another…that right there is going to raise the stakes immensely especially when one or two guys have carried the majority of the load.
You want class…then that means all 4…not one or two members simply need to say “no comment”. But then, what would some of you have to bitch at.
I see your point, but I am only speaking about from the HOF induction onwards. Since it was announced that the band was going in, Paul has the been the most voracious about his feelings about the HOF. He SHOULD NOT HAVE ATTENDED! He cites having issues with the process, the people (Jann Wenner, Dave Marsh etc…) behind it, the inconsistencies with the nomination, who goes in and who doesn’t. Then he moves on to goad Ace & Peter by calling them Jew haters. If that is true for the sake of this discussion, then why in the hell would Paul associate with people on ANY level who dislike him simply for what he was born into? In today’s world, there is nothing that you can call someone that is more damaging than a ‘bigot’ with the exception of possibly a ‘pedophile’. It was classless that in all of Paul’s ranting and raving about Peter he couldn’t have plugged Peter’s efforts for breast cancer awareness? Would it have killed him? It has been Paul & Gene continually minimizing Ace’s accomplishment in staying sober for 7-8 years simply because they need to sell the myth that Ace is a perpetual fuck up and his character can be replaced by anyone Paul or Gene deems worthy. it’s a scam and almost insulting. Paul then has the temerity to suggest that Ace & Peter’s talent has sunk to such depths of unacceptability that he doesn’t want to risk 40 years of building a “brand” and ruining it by having those two share a stage with him. What band does he think he’s in, ‘Yes’???? Yet Paul is willing to take whatever throat he has left and pass that off as singing. Give me a break! These two apparently never learned the lesson that if you have nothing nice to say, then shut up! They have absolutely nothing to gain from it with the exception of trying to minimize their personal character in a lame attempt to maximize their makeup character and then try and convince the KISS robots that anyone can fill those roles. You talk about Peter’s & Ace’s books and having read both I would say that Ace’s was fairly boring with really not much going to maintain my attention. And Peter’s was quite frankly more about him going off on himself than anyone else, though he did save any venom for Paul and viewing his behavior lately from afar I can see why.
In closing, all I can judge is what I’ve seen. I have absolutely no horse in this race, but I don’t like bullies and Paul is one. He’s a walking hypocrite and in truth if I were Peter or Ace, I too would have considered a book if for no other reason than to redress what Paul & Gene has said about them for decades!!!! They don’t have the platform that Paul & Gene do. This isn’t about me not liking Eric or Tommy, either. I saw them in 2004 and the advantages to having Tommy & Eric in the band are obvious starting with that they can playing anything from the KISS song book. Peter and/or Ace couldn’t. I’m just talking about personalities. And Paul is a bully and a prick.
Well, the books…first, Peter and Ace have just as much of a platform as Gene and Paul. Both of their books were well received. Further, Paul’s book is sparse on details and quite frankly not as venomous as some want to believe. It’s a good book. As for who started the mud slinging…well again, it started with Peter back in the early 80’s. Any well versed, unbiased Kiss fan can attest to that. The rift between Ace and the guys really didn’t come to fruition until a few years before the reunion. I think this really boils down to how people view other people…I look at Paul and I see someone who kept the band going for 40 years. I look at Peter as someone who bitched the whole time, the habitual complainer verified by Lydia and virtually anyone ever associated with him, Now, he may very well have changed but you can’t blame all those people who had to deal with him for all those year. Same for Ace. However they’re still Kiss to me and I like them all the same.
As for the rest of it…I guess Paul finally feels vindicated himself somewhat now that the very people who ignored him and his band, ignored us the fans finally had to kiss his ass. Obviously, he wasn’t going to make it a good experience for them. I don’t agree with all he’s said but at the end of the day, he has that right. Again, and I can’t say this enough…if they rest of the guys can air their laundry, so can Paul.
Stevedrums:
Very true. Paul and Gene’s feelings have really come out lately. Maybe Peter and Ace DO know what they’re talking about. It’s often been said that if you have to work with Genie or Paul it would probably drive you to drink.
Very good, well-obeserved, but JB will never admit that. He keeps indirectly defendig Gene and Paul by calling us, who criticize G and P for certain reasons (not for evcerything they did and are!) classless etc.
Wrong again schoco…apparently you’ve failed to read much of what I said or more important, comprehend…that’s fine. I’m sure you couldn’t give a crap.
However I’ll clarify for you…I don’t like how Paul has acted lately, I personally wish he would tone the rhetoric down. Now Ace and Peter may very well be anti-semite’s but he probably needs to explain why there’s pictures of him in nazi gear as well. It also pains me that he’s come out guns ablazing lately when in reality…he won. What is their to complain about at this point in his life. He kinda reminds me of Peter in that regard. I could easily run a list of things about Gene that I disagree with but there’s not enough space here. I don’t like the current Kiss, have not seen them since the Farewell…I do continue to support the band though and all former members.
However in saying that I know Paul is the reason Kiss has survived 40 years…there is no debate there. Gene may have been the “face” of Kiss but Paul is the one that kept the band going. Peter, Ace…both could have gotten their shit together and stayed but they didn’t. That’s their fault and always has been. Further I’m glad Paul did…COTN, LIU, Animalize, Revenge…they were great era’s in Kiss. Nope, nothing will top the original but thank god the band survived…and they could not have survived with Ace in his condition and especially Peter. He’s simply not the same caliber of musician that Carr was. See it wasn’t just the drug use or alcohol, it was everything else that went with it. It’s clear if you read Pete’s books with an open mind…he’s a miserable person. Which Lydia pretty much confirms. He wasn’t happy before success, he wasn’t happy with it and I’d say he’s probably not that happy now…albeit he seems to have come to terms with life. Been stated numerous times they never wanted Ace to leave. Still the band moved on, evolved and most Kiss fans went along for the ride.
Lastly, and I’ve been consistent here…Ace, Peter, Gene – all have had their say. All have said classless things about each other. Now it’s Paul’s turn and if your going to criticize him, then you have to criticize the them as well because his remarks are no less classless as the others. You cannot have it both ways. Nothing to admit because I can see things from all angles.
I am sorry JayBee, you are just always thinking you are above others which clearly shows you just do not get the fact that people like me here sometimes like to provoke these reactions you have just shown from exactly the kind of self-acclaimed smart guys like you … and of course we know that people like you will react this way, we know we are biased, but that is OK, at least we have an opinion, and actually, I am laughing at your futile attempts at making people like me, who are taking sides with Ace and Peter, you think inferior or less clever than you “comprehend” … besides the fact that I am actually in favour of Ace’s camp, I see this here as a game which you seem to be taking all too seriously, but you shouldn’t, it is social media, it is a new world of illusion – do you not COMPREHEND that? Do you really think you can judge people’s true opinions here, in the anonymous virtual world? Has it come to your so clever mind that I might be just waiting for you to once again try to make me “comprehend ” your view of the matter?? Of course not, because that would require real cleverness. So you are wasting whatever brain cells you have on a useless and forlorn cause. You keep repeating yourself all over here, you keep instructing people posting here if they do not fit YOUR perception of the band and its politics. You are one of those who clearly need these “speak your mind” areas to feel important. I feel sorry for you:-)
And see schocoloco…that’s the difference between you and me. I’m in Kiss’s camp…always will be. Provoking me? Please, this is child’s play. You think I take this seriously, lol. Your right about one thing finally, you can’t judge “all” people based on these posts, which I don’t but you….you’re easy to figure out. You’re amusing. Why do you think I keep responding to you.
I find your comments RUDE and CLASSLESS – well, I guess YOU are RUDE and CLASSLESS.Show some respect, and don’t believe all you listen to from the media !
Sal, who were you speaking to?
I agree it all seems a bit much what happened in the media and twitter on Paul’s side with the HOF and Ace and Peter. There is a lack if class the way the whole thing was handled.
Yeahh Eddie thanks for coming to México, thanks for a good night in Puebla .
The always waiting with open arms with rock and beer 🙂 Muchas gracias !!!