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.
280 Responses
Eddie
If the 4 cant play. Having the best tribute band play excluding the current tribute act we call kiss.
I’m Switzerland in all of this…I respect all incarnations (except the horrible hair-metal non-makeup version) but I think the degeneration of Ace and Peter’s playing is also a major factor. They were struggling 13 years ago, I can only imagine the trainwreck it would be now. God bless Peter and Ace but by the end of the reunion days Ace couldn’t play one solo without serious flubs and Peter with his drum triggers was barely even hitting them. I think the right decision was made.
Paul says that everyone who played with KISS is responsible for their success. WRONG! Face it, KISS is going into the HOF because of what they did in the 70’s. If KISS first appearance to the music scene would have been the 80’s unmasked KISS, they never would have gotten a record deal. KISS was huge until Peter and then Ace left. KISS revived again after Peter and Ace returned in 96′ twenty years later. The only reason they blew up in 96 was because everyone that was a kid in 76 now had disposable incomes in 96, and Mom can’t say “NO KISS CONCERTS!!!” anymore. Peter and Ace leave again and KISS becomes irrelevant again.
Gene and Paul are NOT class acts. Ann and Nancy Wilson went through some very tough times with their original band members and yet they mended fences and played with them at the induction ceremony and it was fantastic! One thing is for sure… all the original members are being inducted and have been invited to accept their award on stage I really hope that they all show and give a nice heated acceptance speech. Van Halen absolutely botched their induction I hope KISS does not.
As a 15 yr old I saw Kiss w Rush as the opener. How ironic the direction of these 2 groups. RUSH became one of the greatest bands of rock musicians ever. KISS became a BRAND, really nothing more than money whores. Sure, there are a number of musicians who claim the influence but I suspect not one would speak fondly of the “Brand”.