The last 24 hours or so have been pretty cool following the announcement Kiss has finally made the R&R Hall. I want to thank the many fans that have reached out to me and said thanks for pushing for this so many years. I’m not for a minute taking credit for it, but it is nice to see progress being made after so many years of disrespect and ignoring not only Kiss, but Alice and Rush who also recently finally went in. If my ranting on TV and radio for the last decade has helped push this along it’s nice to know many feel it had an impact. For those that don’t know the back story, the president of the Hall became so aware of how outspoken I had been about these bands he actually came on my radio show a couple years ago to discuss it all. I was even thrown directly into the discussion yesterday when Andy Greene from Rolling Stone brought my name up to Gene in an interview with him (link in my news section). It’s nice to know so many have associated my voice with this happening and I appreciate it and I’m just glad for all the fellow Kiss fans it’s now a reality. We have waited far too long and if it all indeed did play a role and help, great! Most important 15 years of injustice will come to an end (even though it will always bother me how they made bands like Kiss, Alice and Rush wait, while Nirvana and Guns go first time!). One other thing about the RS story, Gene must have been clearly caught off guard when the writer asked him about me and why he won’t come on TMS, because it was an absurd explanation that barely made sense! Hand gestures? Not heavy metal? (we are rock and metal, didn’t bother Heart, Paul Rodgers, Aerosmith, Cheap Trick, etc). As always my door remains open to Gene and Paul. Their FANS want to see and hear them on my shows, because they want informed objective discussion on platforms with people who truly know the band and history. Paul plays a much larger role in Gene not coming on than anyone thinks. He of course is also more than welcome and I congratulate them both on the induction. Being a fan of anything should allow you to discuss what you like and don’t like in a bands history. I have and always will do that and respect other views as well.
Now that Kiss is in my comments section on my site, twitter and email have exploded with questions and comments. It’s been all good stuff and appreciate all opinions. What’s important to note is that many of the questions people are asking are simply not decided yet. Only yesterday did the band learn they were in. The Hall selected only the original band to be inducted. That does not mean however that other members may not be involved or represented on stage. But Ace, Peter, Gene and Paul are the ones actually being inducted. I would fully expect some acknowledgment (as there should be) and maybe even some performance that includes others. Again, this is where the negotiations come in over the next couple months, and honestly where things can get nasty with bands and the Hall and how things go down. But at the very least the original 4 will be there by all indications and all seem open to a song or two, at least as of now. I fully expect Gene and Paul to push for Eric & Tommy to be involved somehow. If that’s the case I surely hope Bruce and Vinnie are offered a role and proper acknowledgement of Eric Carr and Mark St. John are presented. Which leads me to my point about all or none. To me the Hall would have had to induct everyone from Kiss. Or just the originals which they have decided. So since this night is about the four guys that started it all I would keep it at just that. Of course Gene and Paul can mention the others by name, even have them there. But once the playing starts getting mixed in then it could get weird and hard feelings can come into play. Especially if makeup is involved, which we do not know yet. So there is still much to be worked out. You have three separate camps here; Peter, Ace, Gene/Paul. And no doubt 3 different views on what should happen. More info as it comes available, but let’s hope it all plays out in the best and most respectful way possible for the band and the fans. We have all waited too long for this!
My annual KISSmas special is this Friday 11P-2A ET on Q104.3 NYC. You can listen outside NYC area via the iHeartradio app or at www.q1043.com Rules of streaming and it’s access controlled by the station not me. This show also airs the following weekend on all affiliates. Ace Frehley will call in live! All Kiss music, all eras as usual.
130 Responses
Ego’s are a wonderful thing. Give the fans what they want. Suck it up and be professionals. We the fans, largely have put them where they are today. If not then the fans will find other bands to spend their money on. KISS is not KISS w/o Ace and Peter.
I just want to say thanx Eddie for putting your voice out there in support of KISS all these years. I have no respect for the RRHOF and with them inducting KISS I still won’t change my mind. But I am glad to finally see them get this. They definitely deserve this. I have been a HUGE KISS fan for nearly 30 years. I have known so many people who have bashed KISS for their commercialism and marketing. They say that’s what has kept tehm around all this time. Last time I checked people aren’t cranking Rock N Roll All Nite in their cars because of how much toilet paper KISS sold and the hundreds to thousands of people at their concerts aren’t there to buy KISS bears and potato heads. So I hope this induction shuts all the haters up even though I’m sure it won’t. Once again, thanx Eddie for what you’ve done. You have made a difference. Keep up the good work. BTW, I love the That Metal Show! \m/
Thank you!
Eddie, one of my biggest concerns with this, is Paul Stanley’s completely shot voice. I’m sure you’ve seen recent live footage of them, and Paul sounds like he just ran around the block 50 times before he got onstage. Now, we have these assholes at Rolling Stone magazine, who have always thought KISS were a bunch of no talents, and guys like Dave Marsh on the panel who personally has had a mission statement of keeping KISS out of the Hall, these guys are going to see what I’m afraid will be a train wreck onstage mainly because of Paul. I, like you, grew up a fan during the heyday(1976-79), and had to put up with the “KISS sucks” bullshit all throughout the Dynasty-Creatures years, and having defended these guys to the end, here we are, they are getting in the Hall and getting some over due respect, and my nightmare is that they will suck and be an embarrassment. Your thoughts????
Paul’s voice is an issue but it will likely only be a couple songs and the original band all sings lead so should be able to get through that
Odd thing about Paul’s voice is it is spotty at times. Seen some shows where he was on and some not so much.
Then saw kiss kruise footage and he was amazing. See the oath.
i agree with Eddie. i went to see kiss on the monster tour when it hit the turning stone casino. Paul’s voice held out good for the first three songs then it started to crack and i noticed they’re adding more Gene, duets, and tommy and eric sing too are getting added into the set list. ( even though tommy sang shock me with a grin on his face like he wrote it irked me a bit before he cut into outer space)
Since Nirvana is also being inducted who will the hall use to induct Kiss as Dave Grohl is their go-to guy for these types of things.
TBD
I read Gene’s newest interview with Rolling Stone. It’s a real shame he used Jon Stewart as his analogy to explain why he won’t do That Metal Show. I’m only 20 years old so obviously I didn’t consciously live through the era of Kiss before you were “thrown off their ship”, and I might be wrong about this but I have a feeling that you and him had a stronger bond than Jon Stewart and him did. I mean he did a LONG in-depth interview on your radio show when he was promoting the KISS box set and his auto-biography. He even was talking to you about his views on your (at the time) upcoming marriage, not exactly something you would talk about with an interviewer you only knew on the surface. I hope you don’t mind me asking was the last time you saw Kiss live in Las Vegas with Peter Criss in the band at the Palms? Anyway, I’ve watched That Metal Show vividly since Season 4 and am a big fan of the show. Looking forward to the new season in January! Peace.
Last time I saw them live was in Wisconsin with current lineup maybe 5 years ago at Rockfest.
Very true Jon Stewart does not quite have the history I have for supporting and loving Kiss, and his show is not exactly where Kiss fans go to see them and rock related talk.