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, I agree with you 100%. I don’t understand why Gene is perpetuating all this negative about Ace and Peter. Just to bolster his ego I guess.
If those two stubborn f*cks would get it together, this could be a GREAT moment for Gene and Paul but Paul has his knickers in a knot and isn’t letting go.
Reuniting to play a couple of songs would be FABULOUS, THE BEST PUBLICITY FOR KISS, EVER! I think everyone knows that a ‘tour’ wouldn’t be on the books- Gene and Paul should know that WE know this too. Hell, Gene and Paul shouldn’t be out touring. They are both too old to be wearing the makeup on stage- they look ridiculous at this point. No seriously, they do. There comes a time and day when you should accept it, and age with grace and dignity.
If Paul and Gene were to act decent and be decent on the HOF induction and play a couple of songs in Hotter than Hell ‘suits’ (loved Peter in his white saddle shoes) it would be such great publicity for the new KISS too- but those two will be as stubborn as a couple of raccoons fighting over a tipped over trash can.
Unfortunately they will miss a great opportunity to show love to the other founding members, their old fans and new fans. This could be a win-win for Gene and Paul but they’ll never see it.
agreed on everything Eddie has said here…
We don’t care about the marketing,we care about our passion!!
Eddie…you state “Ace and Peter” detractors…this is actually looking more like Gene and Paul detractors. The sad thing here is, those that created their “own” problems continue to get a pass from criticism and yet the two people who have kept Kiss alive for 40 years are becoming the enemy. On one foot…Ace and Peter, two people who nearly destroyed the band and on the other, the guys who kept it going. Certainly the shoe has changed to other foot. Or perhaps simply wearing out your welcome. Yeah it would have been great to have the originals do a few songs, I’m sure politics were in full force behind the scenes from both camps…each has played their part for the media. I mean, all parties couldn’t get their story out there fast enough. I’m of the mind it all should have ended with the Farewell tour…as the name implies. And as the name implies, I said my farewell on that tour and have not been back. Still, I love the band. Wish they could come together and give us “something” one last time but that’s just not going to happen. At this point…we should all just support and get behind the fact that Kiss finally made it in the RRHOF. Considering everything the band has battled against from the get go and succeeded…in some ways this is the ultimate battle won against “the” so called musical aristocracy. Time to Army up Kiss fans one last time…whatever side of the fence you reside on.
Peter and Ace didn’t ‘nearly destroy the band’. This is another silly perception, like P&A’s behavior is why they’re not playing at the HOF. :/
Gene and Paul nearly destroyed the band if you want to look at it that way. Gene and Paul have always been in charge. Ace showed up tanked to his AUDITION. Peter had drug issues from the beginning, YET Paul and Gene kept them in the band until 1980. If these guys were SO bad they should’ve been kicked out by 1975.
Have you ever played in a band? Anytime people don’t carry their weight the band risks dissolving. You say they should have kicked them out right on the cusp of stardom? Had Gene and Paul done that…game over nobody wins. Before that, the band never gets off the ground. So by 78, Kiss is the biggest band in the world, based on 4 distinct personalities and faces. Kicking a member out by then would have been akin to The Beatles dropping Ringo or George. Wasn’t going to happen. In essence you could say Ace and Peter had carte blanche to do what they wanted at the height of Kiss’s 70’s popularity because nobody was getting outed from the band at that point. So here you are…biggest band in the world and your continued success depends on an alcoholic and a drug addict. Nice.
Why not have the original four, in make up, play the songs they did then switch out Tommy and Eric for the songs they were part of, with no make up?
Exactly what songs would be played that Tommy was a part of at a HOF that neither Tommy or Eric are going into?