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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Hey Ed!!! I posted something the other day, I guess it did not make the cut.
Anyway, I wanted to say that I think this is getting more mediatic as days go by. I bet Genne and Paul are enjoying this, even though Paul has officialy stted he is tired abou t the subjetc.
I’m not a big hard core fan of KISS, I like them and have been privileged to see them twice live in the Psycho Circus tour and the Reunion Tour. Shows were basically the same, but this is something you have to see if you are like Rock or Metal to that matter. I think their are influential in terms that they broke a genere to the masses, but musically I think they are low in musicianship, even though they have very good songs, it was not until better musicians came in the 80’s. I think that is a fact, an many people would say it. That does not take off their influence in many artists.
It is sad to see this childish issue among 60 year old folks, really. To me, being a drumer, it is also sad, not only the use of a persona owned by Peter, but that Eric has to somehow imitate Peters jazzy type of technique, when eric is an amazing drumer and did a great hard rock job his first time in the band.
This is really stupid!
Eddie, isn’t it entirely plausible that the HOF knew exactly that by stating only the original four were to be inducted? In essence it meant the kiss of death to having any kind of performance? Let’s be honest, the Hall didn’t really want them in, so by doing it this way they get to save face by saying “Hey, we tried… it’s Gene and Paul that are the problem.” At this point it is all he said/they said. And none of it really matters. I don’t need to see a full makeup performance by any variation of the band to celebrate the event. I enjoy all lineups. But I admit, I am probably in the minority there.
I don’t think the HOF has any clue about Kiss beyond the original four 70’s version of the band. IF they had a clue and respect for the band they would have extended the induction to at least some other members. Yes, without question the original band is most iconic and started it all, but I can see the case for sure to induct others and understand why it’s easy to be upset by it depending on what era of Kiss you were into. But as I have consistently said you can’t pick and choose. Either original only as it is, or ALL the members.
was the reason just due to the fact that the other members like kulick etc. are not eligible because there not in the hofs time frame?
No, it’s because the HOF could care less about Kiss in reality and only feels the original four should be celebrated
Hey Eddie why don’t Ace and Peter show up and perform with other musicians. That would be just as good. That would interesting having Gene and Paul watching that from their seats!
Because they or Kiss do not run this event
I still say Ace and Peter should book a show in Brooklyn somewhere the night of the induction. They should get together for the entire month of March and rehearse their ass off and invite all the musicians you know will be in New York for that night that were influenced by KISS to come and play with them and completely ignore Gene and Paul and the RRHOF.
At this point ALL of this drama is a joke. First of all nobody cares about all of your great ideas as to how it should or could go down. As if any of you work for Kiss or the Rock n Roll Hall of Fame, Second, Kiss don’t owe you a thing. Third, you really truly dont know any of the guys as a real person but you’ll hurl insults all day and night at them because you didnt get your way…cry babies. Youre no different than a fat, white, middleclass, loser screaming at the tv while watching football. As Shatner said “get a life”.
Kiss has claimed for decades they owe the fans everything….
God knows how much love I have for Paul and Gene. Fact is, I think their music is ingenious. But for God’s sake, the love of St. Peter, etc, etc. : the only other bands that got as much utility out of their first 5 years were the Beatles and Led Zeppelin, the latter of which they competed against and beat! This band was actually bigger than Led Zeppelin at one point! They got more utility out of their original lineup than all of their other ones PUT TOGETHER! Talk of their other lineups is practically superfluous, Bruce Kulick and Eric Carr… notwithstanding. You know, this should just be handled better by Paul and Gene, they should be more gracious towards Ace and Peter; that makes sense from a business standpoint. When I want to like their new record and they bash Ace and Peter…it’s distasteful. And the truth is is that all four, with their gigantic egos, imploded Kiss the first time, and then they did it again! All four of them screwed it up. When Ace and Peter signed on for the reunion there should have been a provision that if the tour went over X amount of dollars they could renegotiate; Ace and Peter have been plagued with bad management.