Greetings from the final day of Monsters Of Rock Cruise. Had a blast this weekend, so many bands, too much to cover here. I’m live from the ship 2-4P ET today on SiriusXM Volume 106 (replay 9-11). Guests scheduled include Lynch Mob and Queensryche. Tomorrow the ship transitions to Prog with Mike Portnoy cohosting with me live all week from Cruise To The Edge. Should be fun!
Huge bucket of gas thrown on the Kiss/Ace reunion rumors with Gene going to Ace’s show. I knew this was happening last week. John 5 made it happen and told me. Needless to say I had to stay quiet. Honestly I have no idea if this is all messing with the fans, just Gene reconnecting, or part of a bigger play kind of “checking Ace out..”. But here’s what I will say, Gene and Paul have been selling the “anyone can be in Kiss” and it doesn’t matter who the lineup is line now for a while. If it doesn’t matter I wonder why there is so much excitement at the POSSIBILITY of a reunion with Ace? Guess what? It has ALWAYS matter and always will…
17 Responses
Look, I have been carrying the Kiss flag since 1978, when I got my first album (Alive II). I’ve been lucky to see every incarnation at least once, and as recently as the tour with Def Leppard. I’m not an apologist; I recognize Paul’s voice isn’t what it was. I love Ace as much as the next guy, but I’ll pay to see Gene – Paul – Tommy – Eric all day long before I go see Peter embarrass himself and the Kiss name again. I saw the Kiss-Aerosmith tour – Peter’s last with the band – and it was ABYSSMAL. He was HORRIBLE. Half-assed, you could tell that many of the drums were triggered, and I’m convinced to this day that there was a drummer (or at least a keyboard player triggering things) back stage.
I’ll go see a Gene-Paul-Ace-Eric show, primarily because I’d take my daughter to see Ace. But I’m not going to pretend that somehow it’s some massive universal correction, because I don’t think it is.
I know it’s not the popular opinion on this site, but I totally agree.
I have been a member of the KISS Army since Rock and Roll Over came out. I have seen each and every KISS incarnation live, and have great reverence for the original lineup. But I am getting a little tired of all of the bashing of Gene and Paul that I see on this, and other, websites. Is Paul’s voice is good as it was back in the day? HELL NO! But I would like to see some of the haters try and sing in a band for 40+ years, and tell me their voice would be the same as it was when they started out. Is Gene a money loving ego maniac? Probably, but most of the haters would probably trade places with him in a second, given the chance. Gene and Paul have kept the KISS train going for 40+ years, and can still bring it live! Eric and Tommy are hired guns, and they know their place. They both do their jobs, and do them well. Personally, I would have rather KISS had stayed with the Revenge lineup, and kept the makeup off. But, obviously, Gene and Paul saw things differently, and it has worked well for them. Monster was a pretty damn good album, and the tour was great! I would definitely go see a reunion tour with Ace back in the lineup. But he is definitely NOT the savior a lot of folks are thinking he would be. Ace is a killer guitar player, but a great singer or song writer? Not so much, based on the two latest solo albums of original material I purchased.
I agree. i would love to see Ace return ,but if he doesn’t , I’ll still go see them with Tommy. I accepted the fact that Ace was out a long time ago.
Ace has really become a better guitarist since becoming sober. He always had an original sound but he’s stepped it up recently. As far as a reunion? I dont think peter could play for two hours at this point. Any reunion will probably be with peter doing a few songs with eric filling out rest of show. Why not a show celebrating all eras of kiss. With bruce and tommy doing a few sets. Some acoustic and then having a finale of the original band. Maybe drag vinnie out of hiding for awhile.
I do think it’s cool that they are getting along. Paul sang on Ace’s album, now Gene’s checking Ace out live. These guys are, in a word, old. Nobody lives forever and maybe they’ve realized that and don’t want to go through their senior years as strangers. I’d love to see them as Kiss again, but I’m not gonna hold my breath because passing out from lack of oxygen does not sound like fun. I saw Ace the last time he played here in Texas and he was absolutely amazing and at the top of his game. I’m actually looking forward to a new Ace solo album more than I am a Kiss reunion because at least it’s safe to say there will actually be another Ace solo album.
James,
I agree with you that the fact that they are getting along is terrific. And if it leads to Ace coming back into KISS for a final reunion tour, I would be all for it. All I’m saying is that Ace is not the savior of KISS that a lot of folks are believing he is. His is a GREAT guitar player, but I am just not a big fan of his singing or his song writing. I have purchased every Ace solo album he has ever put out, and I always will. He was always my favorite KISS character since my first KISS album purchase, Rock and Roll Over. But, based upon his last two solo albums of original material, his song writing and singing are just not that great, in my opinion. Paul and Gene have always been the prime drivers of the KISS train, and bringing Ace back into the fold will not change that fact.
kiss does not bring it ….. musically tight , energy not so much paul and gene look/ sound/ move old- anybody watch youtube clips of ace and kiss recently??? I will say ace is playing great guitar, he never was a great singer, but I don’t see anything special watching these recent clips he is a lazy singer for sure and he is way out of shape , would not want to see an out of shape old ace back onstage with an old paul who cant sing or strut/run around anymore , gene has dropped off vocally as well, they should hang it up it’s not special anymore, well at least it’s not special enough for me anymore –