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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I think that – to end B-S – pick the two songs EVERYONE knows Rock n Roll all night and Detroit Rock City and have the past and present line ups do those two. I think any knowledgable fan realizes there wil be no reunion after the HOF! In MY opinion it’ll be good for the collective beast known as KISS and the fans deserve a performance! as do Ace and Peter,
I was hoping for a few songs from the original four without makeup. That would alleviate the ‘who’s gonna were the make up” question and it would be nice to see them throw down one last time the way they started….naked faced. It would also be cool to show the HOF that they can kick ass without costumes and such.
Good post brother! I totally agree.
I was under the impression that when a band was inducted into the Hall of Fame, all members were inducted. Ernest Boom Carter played on 1 Springsteen track, Born to Run, and he’s in. When I bitch about Deep Purple not being in the HOF, wait til you hear me if they exclude Glenn Hughes, Tommy Bolin, David Coverdale and Steve Morse! Bruce Kulick, Vinnie Vincent, Eric Singer and above all, the late Eric Carr should be represented and i was a hardcore “original 4” KISS fan. The controversy over this could not be more perfect if Gene, Paul, Peter & Ace sat around a table and thought “How can we overshadow all the other inductees?” …. Hey, wait a minute!
Purple will be VERY complicated with all the versions. CRIMINAL they are not already in!
Thing is would Ritchie show for that one I’m thinking not
He already said he will not!
Well said Ed. I would love nothing more than just to see the 4 of them bask in the applause of a New York crowd just accepting the award. Playing a song or two never mattered to me, it’s about them being celebrated by the fans in their hometown. Still crossing fingers, but like Ed said, it would not fit the template. Understandable, but it wouldn’t kill them for a night. Shock everyone and bring ALL the members up and show everyone just how awesome the KISS Army really is!!
You wanted the best! Well, you’re not gonna get it.
I grew up in the 70s. When I first discovered rock music, Led Zeppelin immediately became my heroes. Some of my friends had older brothers and sisters and we were influenced by their taste in music. We listened to Johnny Winter, Hendrix, Allman Bros Band, Rick Derringer, Humble Pie, Faces, Who, Beatles, etc…
One day I walked into my house and my dad was watching The Mike Douglas Show. It was 1974 and I was 14 years old. Gene Simmons was sitting next to Totie Fields. He was in full make-up. Her facial expressions are worth the You Tube search. It was surreal. He caught my attention. I learned he was in a band called KISS. Their first album was just released. After the break, I saw KISS for the very 1st time. They performed Firehouse. My immediate reaction was an Alice Cooper connection due to the make-up. I liked the song. They had smoke, red lights, sirens and Gene blew fire. What’s not to like?
I soon learned how music not only brings people together, but it can tear them apart. When I tried to turn my friends on to this band, you’d think I was listening to The King Family. None of the older crew took them seriously. I was told they were a joke. They suck. They’re for kids. What? It’s rock n roll. Loud drums. Cool lead guitar solos. It looked like a good show. What’s with the hating?!
Anyway, I continued to listen to what they were listening to. KISS Alive came out in October of 1975. So, for Christmas, I shamefully added that album to my wish list. Well, Santa must have been a fan because I got it. Throughout 1976, that album made KISS bigger and bigger. I kept trying to get my friends to like KISS. They wouldn’t even listen. Frampton Comes Alive was the biggest album in the world at the time. Boston’s first album as well. When I had friends over the house, I used to trick them. I’d play all the usual hard rock from back then and then I’d slip on KISS Alive.
“Hey Cords, like this tune?” I’d ask Anthony Cordiello. “Yeah. Sounds cool.” “Know who it is?” “No, who?” “KISS!” “Well, it’s not that good…blah blah blah…”
In 1977 I went to my first rock concerts. Number one was Led Zeppelin in June. Number 2 was Queen in December and number 3 was KISS, also in December. Not bad for the first three. All three shows were mind blowing. All three shows were in Madison Square Garden. I was spoiled.
In the 80s, I almost didn’t listen to hard rock or heavy metal at all. I was hooked on punk and new wave. Guns n Roses brought me back. KISS wasn’t what it used to be so I didn’t really pay much attention. I was still going to see Van Halen, Aerosmith, and Guns n Roses, along with Billy Idol, The Cure, Depeche Mode and more. Damn… I loved the 80s.
On August 9, 1995, KISS was on MTV Unplugged. A lot of bands were doing that show. I watched. By this time, Gene and Paul Stanley worked hard to get this new version of KISS popular with fans. As a surprise, Ace Frehley and Peter Criss joined the current 4 members of the band and played a few tunes. Well, the reaction was over the top. Gene and Paul knew right then that it was possible to recapture lightning in the bottle. Say goodbye to Bruce Kulick and Eric Singer. I can’t imagine how they must have felt. Oh well. That’s show biz!
In 1996 you had to buy tickets at Ticketmaster locations which were usually in record stores. The demand for tickets for this tour was huge. The day the KISS Reunion Tour tickets went on sale a bunch of us went to a small record store on Rutland Rd in Brooklyn. It was a black neighborhood. We figured KISS didn’t have many black fans so our chances of scoring tickets was greater. We weren’t alone. It was a very happy, festive atmosphere. They added dates and we got our tickets.
That was one of the greatest concerts I was ever at. The original 4 members of KISS in their make-up for the first time in many years. A glorious night it was. After the show we went to a bar. While reminiscing, I looked at the TV to see that a bomb went off at the Olympics in Atlanta. That was weird…
I saw KISS a few more times. The Psycho Circus Tour, The Farewell Tour and then I went to a couple of shows and there was no Ace or Peter. I vowed to never go again unless it was the original 4.
I was very happy to see they were inducted. I was going to have to get tickets. The original four. Their hometown. This should be great.
In the last 13 years Gene and Paul have been working hard, once again, to get this version of KISS as much respect as the original. It just can’t happen. They do know one thing. If the original four perform, once again, the reaction would be so huge that KISS: The Hall of Fame Tour would have to be seriously considered. For Eric Singer, that would be like getting divorced from your wife, taking her back and she leaves you again. For Tommy Thayer, I really don’t see a down side. He had a good run. The current brand of KISS would be ruined.
As it stands, there will be no version of KISS playing at the Barclay Center that night. I guess that’s what’s best for all. It must kill Gene and Paul that amongst their peers, Ace gets the most props. He was just a kid from the Bronx. He has problems. He can be a dick as well. The Ace Frehley signature Les Paul is Gibson’s biggest seller ever. More current guitar slingers credit Ace as their main influence to play. Gene and Paul are looked at like opportunists. Money is bigger than the music. Peter scored their biggest hit with Beth. It really must kill them.
I predict that other musicians will play KISS songs. They will play New York Groove and Ace will get on stage. That would be his perfect fuck you to Gene. You’ll see…
I think the current line-up would be a lot more accepted if Tommy and Eric had their own make-up personas instead of using Ace and Peter’s look. Eric Carr was pretty welcomed when he came in with his own look.
Ya think? Would have solved MANY issues..
Well said.
For years they try to subtly pass off Eric and Tommy as Ace and Peter- Eric even wears Peter’s hair!
As another poster here said, Tommy and Eric having their own makeup would’ve been best and maybe some newer songs on their repertoire instead of mostly their 70’s stuff.
That right there, says it all.
Nicely said! A true KISS fan’s story from the beginning.