I’ve seen SO many comments about Ace & Peter reuniting at my party, Kiss (as usual), the R&R Hall and Gene’s comments about Ace & Peter not playing, and more. Last night on the radio show had MANY calls on the topic with many opinions. I welcome all opinions as usual if based in some level of reality and not just blind worshipers one way or the other that drink the Kool Aid they are served. The biggest question I have heard from many is why would Gene & Paul (Gene most recently) continue to talk about what fuck ups these guys are (he hasn’t played with them in over ten years), talk about them being drunk or on drugs (both have been sober for many years now), and say they can’t play at a Hall induction when Kiss has not even been inducted yet (no matter how you feel, that is just INSANE!). The answer is simple. Gene is the ultimate salesman. He prides himself on this, that is no secret. His job is to sell THIS Kiss. Just like it was to sell all the other lineups when that was happening. Explains why he will tell you THIS Kiss is bigger than anything, when in reality they CO HEADLINE tours with Motley Crue instead of HEADLINING arenas in the US. Explains why he takes subtle shots about Ace & Peter doing signing shows, when he and Paul sell signed played guitars to fans after shows. Not a huge difference from what I see? But it’s about selling whatever he is doing and Kiss is doing now, which will soon be a sanctioned Kiss tribute with no original members. And who knows, that might be a pretty good band. Many will say the same old “Eddie is just backing up his friends, only cares about the original band”. Yes Ace & Peter are friends and did an amazing thing playing together for me recently. But I’m more just trying to offer some balance and objectivity as a lifelong Kiss fan myself, who HAS supported and loved all the replacement members and lineups. I simply chose not to support what they have been doing lately because the impersonation rubs me (and MANY others who won’t say it) the wrong way. That’s my huge sin to some I guess, so be it.
The real reason these barbs in the press from them continue at Ace & Peter is because they know the avalanche that would happen if they ever played with them again from fans and the media. Example? I was at the 1996 MTV Unplugged taping. Then they were all about the non makeup lineup with Singer and Kulick. That’s what they were selling then. When Ace & Peter came out for a brief appearance on a couple songs the entire crowd went nuts. From the second they stepped on that stage the electricity was insane, and they knew they had no choice but to go back to that band no matter how hard they were selling the Singer/Kulick band and about to release a new album with them. I felt a very similar energy in the crowd when Ace & Peter walked out on stage together at my event last Wednesday, right down to the ear to ear smiles from every fan and musician in the building! So I see it as a big defense mechanism by Gene & Paul. They know another reunion, even for a song, would ignite a huge fire once again. For the record I do NOT think there should be another original Kiss reunion. For a couple songs at a long overdue Hall induction, for sure! But for a tour, no way. I don’t think ANY of the original members could deliver enough of a high energy show to do the legacy justice at this stage. As I have said MANY times the current Kiss can and should do whatever they want. The fact that it’s not for me doesn’t matter. If you are cool with it enjoy what’s left of it. But the idea of the original band FINALLY getting into the Hall (and I must stress they were nominated before and passed over once already, so NOT a done deal!) and Ace & Peter not being invited and welcome to at least play a song or two would be a travesty to even the most hardcore Kiss fan. I look forward to your comments.
173 Responses
Nicely put, Eddie. Thanks. I’ve pretty much stated my views on this whole thing earlier, so I won’t reiterate. Like yourself, been a fan a long, long time. They will always be THE band that started it for me and made me want to be a musician.
I’m pretty sure G&P now own all the makeup design copyrights, so even though Eric and Tommy could wear other personas, ownership is with the band regardless of who created the faces, I don’t believe Ace and Peter would have legal grounds to promote themselves with those images anymore. Might be mistaken, but I’m pretty sure that’s accurate.
I understand your POV about the imitation, but don’t agree 100%, There is absolutely no doubt the current lineup is being influenced by their older sound, but I still think Monster is a good album, far better than Sonic Boom. We can just agree to disagree on this one, it’s opinion. Hands down, Psycho buries both of them, so we’re on the same page there. 🙂 Really glad A&P made your day special – must’ve been awesome to see them play together again.
You are right about the Hot in the Shade tour with Slaughter and Winger boosting the gate, because Hot in the Shade actually sold the worst of all the non make up albums besides Revenge, only going gold.(only??) I have seen the book of gate totals you are referring to. It also documents how bad the Creatures tour did with many dates being canceled. I have been to nearly 50 kiss shows around the country since 1979 so my observations are coming from first hand experience. Other than Creatures(I did not attend any shows during unmasked or elder period) the other bad draws I saw were Revenge, where the local shows were half empty. I was suprised because that was a pretty heavy album but I do remember a lot of empty seats,but that was during the grunge takeover. Eddie I would still love to be on that Kiss cruise hearing that obscure set list, but with kids in college Gene and Paul can’t get all my doe!!
I think it was corrected on here, but Gene said that the original KISS would not tour together, nothing about not performing together. Out of respect to the legacy and the fans, they should perform together at the R and R Hall of Fame, as much of a farce as the R and R HOF is, let’s hope they finally get they get in and get their due. Truth is Ace and Peter could no longer exist in band due to their substance abuse and lack of interest – see THEIR books. Gene and Paul – mostly Paul, kept KISS relevant and alive during the 80’s after so much success in the 70’s. Kept KISS on the map, successful tours and albums. So without them keeping KISS alive – no pun intended, there may have been no reunion. The reunion was GREAT no doubt, amazing and I think we would all agree that it would have been nice for it to keep going, but again, the same old, substances and lack of interest, in fighting, etc, the original 4 could not continue. Now, the current lineup as it exists is solid, tours are successful too, so by no means a failure. As far as the “replacements” not a Tommy fan, but he does play a good Ace, Singer is solid, I too would think that variations of the characters might work, similar to what they did with Vincent and Carr. But hopefully the sniping can stop and they can exist going their own ways. But it would be fitting for the original 4 to play once more at the r and r HOF – where they deserve to be.
Ed. Keep in mind Kiss has basically been on tour nonstop since Alive35 right into sonic boom and right into Monster. With Sold out tours in europe and one that just finished in Japan. Then 3 KISS cruises. I’m watching a european tour highlight reel on Axs tv running all haloween night and it’s still like beatlemania for them abroad. Most bands wish their peak was as good as KISS’s so called down stroke.
What bothers me most about Gene, and there is a lot to cover so I’ll leave it at this, is that he seems to fail to understand as much as he thinks he was doing Ace and Peter a big monetary favor in 96 with the reunion and everything, from all indications, if it weren’t for Ace and Peter deciding to come back, I don’t believe Gene would be in the shape he is today. Kiss was limping along from everything I’ve read. The reunion and subsequent tour was when Gene finally gave in for eternity and said to himself,”I’m never leaving this formula again, no matter what” and he ramped up the merch again and the rest is Kisstory with the fake Ace and Peter being the icing on the cake, but the cherry will be if Kiss actually goes through with what Paul hinted at that Kiss is brand and not a band, and it is conceivable they could tour without any original members, like Eddie mentioned. Gene should thank his lucky stars everyday Ace and Peter decided to come back in 96 and stop trashing them.