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 tweeted Paul a few days ago (ignored, of course) that the best thing would be to play without makeup and including both the old and the current members. That way there would be no conflict of who the spacemen and who the cats are. Without makeup, it would simply be a good rock show with good musicians with their own styles celebrating the past, present and future instead of an awkward reunion as it would have otherwise been.
I like Ed’s comment above about starting with original members and then adding every member on stage for what else, RnR All Nite. Might steal some thunder from HOF darlings Nirvana. That’s what I’d like to see.
I hear a lot of posts saying a medley of kiss songs performed by many members of Kiss is what many want including myself. And this is EXACTLY what Kiss was open to do. They never denied wanting to jam with Ace and Peter not just ONLY with them for reasons Eddie has stated like it would be hard to market the current line up 10 years strong with 2 strong albums of new kiss music. Even by chance if you only liked portions of both albums it was still kiss making new music which shows they still care about creating the music. Again kiss wanted current and Ace and Peter to play and for keeping kiss relevant for 40yrs I think the Hall should have respected that. I love all kiss lineups.proud gene and Paul didn’t let hall bully them into doing only what they wanted after snubbing them 15 years. That’s my opinion.
I don’t think people would react the same way as they did in 96. That was the first time they had played together as a whole since Peter left the band. Yes I agree that it would put a dent in what kiss is selling us now but it wouldn’t destroy it all together. We know why they are there. We know it would only be for the HOF induction. The unplugged thing was unannounced. No one saw that coming. And again, it was the first time some of us saw them as the original 4. We’ve seen it. Yes we all wish they were all still together but it is what it is. I’m glad there is at least still something to go see.
I agree with you Eddie on a lot of this situation. The snub, the fact that no one expects a tour just because the original four play together, and the whole ridiculousness of the HOF all together. But what gripes me the most is finding out they aren’t inducting Eric Carr. He was a huge part of their success in the 80’s and wasn’t he a member of KISS longer than Peter Criss? The mess they’ve all made over the performance has really marred the entire induction for me.
All members have pretty much been with KISS for around 10 years each. Everyone forgets that Ace and Peter were back for two tours.