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
I agree with Eddie’s comments 99% but I would like to add one thing. For sake of comparison, look at how Metallica handled it in 2009. They tried to include all present and former band members, because they felt that ALL those people helped get Metallica to that point. I remember seeing nothing but goodwill between everyone on that stage when they accepted that award.
Gene Simmons should look at that example and try to be a bigger man about this. If Kiss were to be inducted, I say ALL band members should be included, past and present. Ace, Peter, Bruce, everyone! Heck, even invite Vinnie! And it would also be nice to mention those that could not make it: Eric Carr and Mark St. John. Some of us are bigger fans of a certain “era” of Kiss and would love to see our favorite musicians recognized.
Everything KISS is doing now began with the reunion. There was no other logical way to go back to the makeup. Both Ace and Peter have been very candid about their problems and how they contributed to the end of the original lineup and reunion. It would be nice if Gene could bury the hatchet for one night like Metallica with Newsted, instead of being an Axl Rose level douchebag about the induction. KISS fan for more than 30 years…disappointed yet again.
The GnR induction FIRST TIME eligible was about one thing, the Hall trying to get an original reunion. You really think GnR was deserving of FIRST TIME ELIGIBLE induction on a fairly short run with that band? Not even VH or Aerosmith or AC/DC had that!
Thank god someone said that, Ed!
From my perspective, G&R sucked after the Speghetti Incident. They made it to the HOF mostly off of Appetite/Destruction and not much else except reputation.
I meant “Lies” – not the Speghetti Incident. My bad.
Though not a huge G&R fan, I understand their influence, but outside of Appetite and the 2 Illusions, the band pretty much self-imploded into excess, and the long delay between the 2 Illusions, and Chinese Democracy should have ensured they’d wait a little before getting in. Let’s not forget, Kiss and too many other bands to mention (to name a few, The Cars, J. Geils Band, Journey, the list goes on aren’t in) put out numerous successful albums and haven’t even been inducted, some not even nominated. Guns were great, and though undoubtedly influential, I think a certain amount of longevity ought to count for something. Also, other writers were wise to point out that VH, AC/DC, Rush, and possibly Aerosmith didn’t get in on their 1st attempt. I’m not sure if Nirvana are in either, and though influential in their own way, their it can be debated both ways as to whether their entire body of work (2 albums and an EP I believe, and a live album) are worthy of the Hall. I understand why ET has issues with the Hall as it can be nonsensical in terms of who gets in and who is left out. At least the fans are more involved in the process so I hear, which should bode well in future years.
Let’s stay with what ET mentioned that KISS ISN’T IN YET, AND THERE’S NO GUARANTEE YET. Hall & Oates may well get the nod over Kiss, and I happen to have liked both bands though Kiss is obviously more of a serious rock and roll band. Still Hall & Oates are more rock and roll than Abba or Madonna for sure. The point is, unfortunately Gene and Paul should be humble enough to admit that Kiss’ true glory period was 1973-1980 (if you want to let Dynasty and Unmasked into the picture, and you can go back to 1978 if you really want to chart the decline, right after Alive II in my opinion), and those years of Kiss’ dominance definitely involved Peter and Ace. What came later kept the band viable, but the magic as far as being at their peak and putting out classics was gone. I don’t think Crazy Nights or Tears are Falling rate with earlier songs such as Deuce, Strutter, Black Diamond, which don’t sound dated or cheesy to this day. They did put out some worthy material after the ’73-’78 period, but the albums were largely spotty. If you don’t believe me, go back and listen to everything from their 1st album through Love Gun, and get back to me. On that alone they deserve Hall, and all else is gravy. Will it be enough??? We’ll see… It ought to be in my book.
If the RnR HoF is based on the 25th ann. of the first release of the nominated band, then it simply should/has reflect the original/surviving members, regardless of petty disputes…How long can that jargon resonate?!, …makes no sense. If EVERY member (generally speaking for example, and from asst. bands) had to get up there for acceptance, jam etc, the stage could collapse, way too many and not needed. At the most reasonable dynamic, founding and current members makes the only sense to appear, and not to diss the band’s other historical members, but it needs to make some structural logic.
I’m pretty sure only the original 4 would be inducted based on the timeline
I think that Ace and Peter are way more important to the band than Tommy and Eric. I like Tommy and Eric, but there wouldn’t be KISS as it is without Peter and Ace. So they need to be invited because it would be a horrible travesty without them. Some of the bands biggest hits wouldn’t have been written. Beth, Cold Gin, Hard Luck Woman, etc
Hard Luck Woman was written by Paul Stanley
Peter sang it though