2/27: MORE KISS HOF DISCUSSION AND THOUGHTS

Been doing press all day for That Metal Show and almost everyone is bringing up the Kiss HOF stuff with me. It is no doubt the story of the week and since it broke on my show last Friday when Ace called in many are discussing it with me. It’s interesting to hear everyone’s take on all of this. It’s also been interesting reading everyone’s comments here on this site and the loads of email about it. I get and understand ALL sides of this. People who actually take the time to fully listen to and read what I say realize there is no agenda here but being a fan and giving MY opinion when asked. I respect yours even if it differs from mine. Just like I respect your decision to go see the current version of Kiss, even if I decided a while ago it’s not for me. There is SO much misinformation out there. Not only about what I say and feel (anything positive doesn’t make a good headline) but about the whole HOF process to begin with. In a nutshell I think this whole thing again comes down to Gene and Paul not wanting to go down reunion road with Ace and Peter at all, and not wanting to open a huge can of worms like the MTV Unplugged. Again, I was there, once Ace and Peter came out for two songs it was a reunion avalanche they could not go away from. When you spend 12 years telling people (believe it or not) it doesn’t matter who is behind the makeup, you can’t bring Ace and Peter out and get a huge reaction and remind everyone it does matter! Eventually Kiss wil be a franchise with no original members in those personas. That is where this is all heading. Going back to the original band hurts selling that concept and is bad for the current Kiss business model. I don’t believe it is any real hate against Ace and Peter, it is just a bad business decision and we all know Kiss knows business! I don’t agree with this decision, but get it from a marketing standpoint.

 

There has also been a familiar cry from Ace and Peter detractors that “they had their chance, they fucked it up”. True, they will be the first to tell you they are far from innocent in their conduct at times while a member of the band. But what exactly does that have to do with now? NOBODY wants a reunion tour again. I sure don’t! Nobody can go forever. But it seems the past keeps getting thrown out there as a reason for the HOF issue. Why? It has nothing to do with the fact that the original four guys are the ones being inducted and a song or two is all anyone is looking for one night only. Nobody is also mentioning that these guys have been clean and sober for many years now. People change with time. A couple songs would have only damaged one thing, the current Kiss marketing plans. And I GET THAT. If I was trying to sell what was coming and owned the business of Kiss like Gene and Paul do I can’t say I would feel different from a BUSINESS angle. But we were always told the fans were the boss with Kiss. And no denying the MAJORITY of the fans who fought so long and hard to see this day are upset. But I still feel no performance in this instance (because the HOF decided only the original four are going in) is better than a current band performance which you can see any time you want pretty much.

 

I am curious if they all show up. To me it’s clear if you read the recent interview that Paul is annoyed with the whole process (rightfully so), the fact they were snubbed for 15 years, and the fact the HOF is ignoring other members for induction (again, the case can be made rightfully so). But most artists who complain about it still end up showing up. Axl Rose didn’t. he knew it was all a play for a reunion if even for a photo op and stayed away. I honestly don’t think the HOF cares that much if Kiss plays. Getting them in the same room together is a victory enough for them. Now we wait and see what happens next. Do all four guys show? What does the HOF put on since there is no performance from the band? Is there so much fan pressure that a last minute performance gets pulled together? One more thing; fans did not get Kiss in the HOF through voting. It’s a nice thought and the fans being so vocal about it helped sway voters, but the actual fan vote is minimal and can not alone get a band in. If it did bands like Kiss, Rush and Alice Cooper would not have been snubbed over a decade! If the HOF would have put Kiss in when they were first eligible in 1999 none of this would be happening, because the original band was still together then from the reunion! And we all know the fact that Kiss, like them or not, should have gone in first time eligible, NOT 15 years later! More soon no doubt.. Again, ALL opinions welcome here as always.

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280 Responses

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  • rtunes68 on

    Bravo, Ed. This was the fairest, most thoughtful, and most realistic opinion piece I’ve seen written by anyone on this topic.


  • Sean on

    Great points as usual. For all the rhetoric of the ‘fans rule’ from the band it’s obvious there’s something to Gene and Paul upsetting the apple cart by bringing Ace and Peter back. Sadly what they don’t realize is that we fans don’t want another reunion tour at all. We did it twice already. We just want the original 4 up there for 3 maybe 4 songs, take a bow, and move on. KISS is 40 years old and we love it, and I think just a glimpse one more night is nothing to much to ask for. I’m so tired of all camps involved here. Just acknowledge without us fans, they’d all be living in that loft in SoHo still.


  • Stu on

    I don’t think Kiss would have played even if there demands of all members could play and the HOF is going to have tuff time this year. Linda Ronstadt has Parkinson’s and can’t sing, no performance. Kiss has no performance. Cat Stevens (Yusuf Islam) may not get entry into the US again, lol and of course Kurt Cobain is dead, so it doesn’t leave much of a show, I guess a bunch of people (John Fogerty/Bruce Springsteen) will do the playing instead.


  • Jason on

    Ed, are you guys going to be at the Golden Gods Award?


    • Eddie on

      Don’t know


  • Frank Knez on

    I was in 7th grade when my family moved from a blue collar town, to an affluent town. I was an outcast, and felt I didn’t fit in. In class one day, a kid had a Circus magazine. While thumbing through, I came across Kiss. They were a hard rock band that was different, like me. They were a band that appreciated their fans. Made us feel cool, like we knew something no one else did. When you saw them they made you feel special. I’ve been a fan since 1978, and I’ve always felt special, like I’m part of a secret society. When I wear kiss stuff, you’ll get a nod or a smile from someone else who knows what it’s like to be a fan. I don’t feel so special anymore. The band who said it was all about us, now is only thinking about themselves. Trying to think about Kiss in the future, not about the fans that have invested 40 years of their lives believing in them. Shame on Gene and Paul.


    • josette on

      B R A V O!!! After so many years of the HOF snubbing KISS, and finally because of the fans they get in, it’s the fans who get snubbed. What a freakn turnoff! Why not induct all the members? Why not have all the living members jam together? Instead we get a bitchfest. So disgusted. Thanks guys; so glad I didn’t book KISS Kruise IV; they got enough of my money already with this slap in the face.


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