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
Of course the original lineup should play, are you kidding? In street clothes, or what would be cool is if they switched their personas, Gene in the space makeup, Peter as the demon, Paul as the cat, Ace as the starchild….you only live this life once, it is the last time to honor a band that was…wait for it…bigger than Led Zeppelin. Who else in that Hall can say that? ….I don’t hear anything.
No..they shouldn’t switch personas…they should put the makeup on and play ..why would Tommy and Eric even want to impede this? Tommy and Eric should give this their blessing. Life’s too short for this complete nonsense.
Since the very first memories of my life, I’ve always been singing. Great part of these years, I’ve been playing in bands (still doing it at 45) and even if I’m not famous and rich, I can state one thing for sure. Talent is important, technique is important, rock attitude is important but the most important thing, to endure and face the test of time, is being clever, smart, focused on what the vision or mission is. Obviously, Gene and Paul were, Ace and Peter not. I perfectly agree with what Paul said about HOF, so if they want to celebrate ONLY the birth of Kiss, they just wouldn’t show up or at least, if they want to please the fans, go there in street dress with Ace and Peter, shoot a couple of pics and that’s it. KISS are 40 years of rock history, Ace and Peter were important at the very beginning, but without them we, the fans, received milestone records as Creatures, Lick it up, Animalize, or Revenge thanks to Eric Carr, Vinnie Vincent, Eric Singer, Bruce Kulick, Mark St. John, TT. KISS is a reason of life, a way to stand against the critics of people who doesn’t understand the dream of being a different persona. KISS is a vision experience, a brand, a trademark. KISS is “dream big”, despite of which member is behind the mask. KISS followed any little step of my life and I personally thank each member of the band. This one, is the only reward they shoudl be interested of. Thanks, Renato
Eddie, you’ve got it on the money. It was a business decision in the end. Paul and Gene love the KISS brand, the same as Bill Gates loves Microsoft. At this point forward it’s all a PR move, or what they feel will benefit them best in the long run. Nothing wrong with that. I anxiously await Ace’s new album, and will be curious about the next KISS album. Sorry Peter, your stuff isn’t my thing…but good luck.
Gene and Paul, quite frankly, could have hired just about anybody, even you Eddie Trunk, as replacements and the fans would have accepted it. That’s why all of this romantic talk of ..”so and so’s contribution to Kiss” is inflated. Those replacement guys stepped into a made situation. To try and equate them with the originals is laughable. Kiss survived because of Gene and Paul, nobody stepped in and saved Kiss, that’s absurd.