4/13: RECAP OF KISS AT THE HOF, MEXICO, JOE ELLIOT, MORE
Just back from another crazy run of travel and rock insanity over the last few days. It started Thursday night with the HOF ceremony in Brooklyn. If you followed on Twitter you saw a ton of great photos and coverage I sent out as it happened from the very first row of the arena. I also have the complete Kiss induction speeches on my Iphone from the first row. I will post when I can. It was a great night and I am grateful Ace and Peter included me among a very very small amount of people they had sit with them at their tables. The HOF only gives every inductee a plus one for free. Everyone else they bring as guests must pay an extreme amount of money per seat. Ace and Peter’s tables were at opposite ends of the very first row. Nothing in front but the stage. Just an awesome view. I mostly hung with Ace and sat with him since that was where my seat was. But I did walk over and sit with Peter for a bit as well. The Kiss table with the current band and Bruce was slightly behind Peter’s. I did say hi to Bruce briefly but there was no interaction with any of the other guys which honestly I did not expect or seek out. I was there as a guest of Ace and Peter’s to celebrate this historic and long overdue moment. There was no real interaction I was aware of between Ace and Peter and Gene and Paul until they went up on stage. From my view it seemed at times awkward while they were all up there and at times okay. Obviously there was a ton of drama leading up to this with all kinds of things said from all corners, but in the end it was fairly uneventful as far as them all standing there and accepting. I thought they all looked good, said good stuff, and did the best they could under a fairly stressful build up to the induction. A few observations:
*Kiss was pretty much the only band who played by the rules and kept their speeches to the 2-3 minute time limit. They were up there maybe a total of 10 minutes. Most artists took a TON of time, especially the E Street Band.
*Tom Morello did a GREAT induction speech. Really fired up the Kiss fans and captured the moment perfectly!
*Paul Stanley’s speech was last and very very good. Loved how he called out the HOF
*Because Kiss choose not to perform they really ended up being somewhat of a footnote in a very long night. All the other acts had much longer inductions and played 3 songs or so. Kiss’s moment was all of 15 minutes total with a simple video package, Morello and the speeches. Could only think if Gene and Paul would have allowed just one song with the original four they could have blown the place up! Sucks to think what could have been.
*As a result of no performance from Kiss the Kiss fans in the building were much less than I expected. Maybe third biggest reaction from the crowd after E Street band and Nirvana to be honest. I also know some tickets were given away to help fill the building at the last minute. No way that happens if original four did even one song.
*The original four did pose for photos in the press room after their speeches but did not take questions. I tweeted out some of these shots which likely will be the last time the original four are photographed together.
*I was stunned in Gene’s speech when speaking about Ace how many guitarists try to imitate him but none come close. I’m sure Tommy Thayer sitting right there loved that!
*Ace stayed until the end of the very long night. He was asked to jam with Nirvana and Tom Morello to close the night on a cover of “Highway To Hell” but at the last second the jam was called off by the HOF because the event ran way too long. Ace was ready to go and even had his guitar with him! He would have been the only member of Kiss to play on stage if it had happened and was clearly bummed when it was cancelled.
*Bill Aucoin’s sister and partner were also at our table along with a photo of Bill. Ace said he was really thinking of Bill all night.
*Tommy, Eric, Vinnie, Mark, Bruce and Eric Carr were all mentioned during the induction to minimal reaction from the crowd. A few cheers, a few boos, and many cries of “Ace” and “Peter” from the stands.
*All four members of Kiss wore sunglasses on stage. Weird but I guess they thought it looked cool?
For me it was a weird night in the sense that I had been screaming so hard for so long like many fans to see this finally happen, but then we only got an abbreviated section for Kiss since they wouldn’t play. But there were also times I went back to being that kid in high school made fun of for liking this band and relished the moment and let out a cheer when they all stood on stage. It was sweet vindication for Kiss fans to see this happen right in front of the critics who tried to keep them out. But you can’t help but to think how much more special this night would have been if Kiss would have taken the stage to play. They were the only band to not have some music represented on the stage. As Kiss continues to inch closer to being a full time sanctioned tribute band (and that is what is in the works soon) I have to think this may have been the last great moment for fans of the original band to see them at least standing there one final time. So much more to discuss but that’s how I saw it. I’ll take your calls on all of this live Monday 6-10P ET on SiriusXM 39 TRUNKNation. Joe Elliot and Chris Von Rohr of Krokus will also be guests.
As of the rest of the night all the performances sounded good from the other artists inducted. I thought Joan Jett with Nirvana sounded really good and was a cool surprise.
My thanks also to Matt Swanson for his hospitality at the HOF event and the many fans I met that night who thanked me for pushing to help get Kiss and other hard rock bands in. The HOF still has so much wrong with it but progress being made with Alice, Rush and Kiss now in. Purple MUST go next!
Thanks to all in Mexico City and Puebla! Just returned home from live shows there this weekend with Don & Jim. Was a blast and the Mexican TMS fans were amazing and sold out both of our appearances. Thanks also to Christian Beristain and his entire team for having us and treating us well. We will be back Mexico, thank you!
See you live on the radio tomorrow night!
You forgot to mention how Dave Marsh, the most active asshole keeping KISS out of the HOF, cried like a bitch during their induction. I would pay good money for a picture of that.
Some points:
Thank you for reporting the events of the RRHOF.
Tom Morello nailed that speech. Very well said
Loved all the band’s speeches – love the digs Peter and Ace had at the band of a variety of topics.
I thought Pa’s speech was a teaching moment to the RRHOF – Paul is the Oprah of Rock and Roll.
Clearly Peter and Paul hate each other. I think they shook hands and that’s it.
Paul sounded HORRIBLE on the Tonight Show… Wow.
Congrats Paul, Ace’ Peter and Gene
I can’t figure out what’s with Paul. According to the other three’s books, Paul and Peter were very close when the band first formed. They roomed together and everything. Then at some point Peter and Ace took up.
From the very beginning of Paul’s book he has lobbed cheap shots at Peter like he couldn’t stand him from the get go. One was because Peter chose the Cat as his representation- in which Paul deemed him ‘not to be an intellectual’. What does not being an intellectual have to do with his choosing the Cat to represent his make up?
I just wonder what happened?
Hi Cali,
Probably nothing more than Peter got out of control and Paul was more serious and committed to the band.
Paul is in charge of Kiss…too bad he is making really stupid decisions.
Haha, I just L♡VE your screen name! I’m thinking of changing mine to Gene’s Sea Moss Toupé.
After reading Paul’s book or most of it at this point, it seems like his panties are in a huge wad. I know early on that he and Peter were close. In his book, boy he never mentions that. At every turn he manages to take jabs at Peter from being illiterate to being an idiot. Not ONCE in his book did he say anything really positive about him.
Peter didn’t dig up that much dirt on anyone in his book, not to the extent Paul did.
I find I’ve lost quite a bit of respect for Paul- he just comes across as evil in his book. Very hateful and spiteful.
Lol…you can hardly go through one page in Peter’s book where he doesn’t wrap whatever angle around he’s selling and blame Paul or Gene for something. Constantly whines, moans and bitches about both them. About the only thing Peter doesn’t go into detail on is how he lost the makeup. That’s because he freaking sold it to them. Peter didn’t dig up dirt? What about the Gene/Microphone story, crew/champagne bottles, Ace and himself getting it on with each other etc… ad nauseam. Paul never approaches that type dirt. Man the bias is just comical. Thanks for making laugh today though…I needed that.
I have not read Paul’s book yet but suffice it to say they ALL leave out key things to pain a certain picture in EVERY Kiss related book. A good friend who knows the inner workings of Kiss told me Paul’s book is very good but also skates around some major issues that would implicate him at times. I found Peter to bash himself as hard as he bashes others. Really don’t see the “whining” angle many have referenced because he is as hard on himself as others.. EVERY book is going to be that persons view on things.
Yeah – that wig he has is as fake as Tommy Thayer 🙂 Bring it on people !
Have not read any of the books except scanning in a book store.
Love Ace and Peter, but their memories (or the ones that helped them remember, are suspect).
Gene is a blowhole….so would not give his book the time of day.
I think the premise of Paul’s book is a good one, and he is very articulate. However he has gotten so full of himself where I would tune out if reading it.
The best way to measure the Kiss dynamic is to watch the Tom Synder interview…
pete :out of control. no pun intended
Now that I’ve read all four books- I can more easily see where details were left out from one band member to the other. I too think Paul skated around things that would implicate him. Paul was fibbing when he said he originally would never write a bio. He just wanted to wait everyone out and see what they would say first.
Paul has always liked to present himself as superior, clever, like a man in charge, and that is what has been happening, look at the official website, in the last, let#s say five months it has been 0% Gene, 20% the band in general and 80% Paul that has been featured in the news section. That – and also the fact that the two latest albums were produced by him (and he clearly stated they were only recorded just because he was put in charge) – leads to the assuumption that Paul has finally taken control of Kiss, which ight be one of the reasons why there is no passion left in Kiss when lead by a control freak, it is all so foreseeable now, no rock’n roll, no danger, no surprise – like with the HOF, he carried through his point of only featuring the current lineup/product whereas Gene probably would have played with the original two guys in some way. To me it always seemed like Paul wanted to be seen as the intellectual and sensible one in the band, a very controlled person in the uncontrollable rock’n roll circus, so no wonder he again is trying to diminsh other band members to elevate himself.
Great to meet you at Largo Cultural Center (Was in the Jon Oliva tour shirt). My opinion on KISS at HOF is…. It was respectful and cool and simple. Just as it should be. Forcing a reunion down anyone’s throat, is not cool.
Thank God it wasn’t like that Van Halen Debacle!
The only place I can see an official KISS tribute band being popular is Vegas. Maybe the tribute act will just be touring casinos when the last of the original members retire.
Hi Eddie.Why did you report that Gene,Paul refused to ply with Ace,Peter? Gene,Paul offered to have them join in with the current line-up.Peter, Ace refuse to play with Eric ,Tommy in make-up.
Ace and Peter found it offensive to play with Thayer and Singer in their makeup; they could have did an unmasked jam – should have !
Trunk reported that because he has his own biase pro Ace/Peter agenda.
Yes the pro Ace and Peter agenda that has me for 30 years playing every era of Kiss on my radio show! The one that saw me dedicate my book to Eric Carr! YOU are SO smart, got me, damn! So Ace and Peter were supposed to play at the HOF with two guys not being inducted, and stand side by side with those same two guys who just happen to dress, play and impersonate what they created. Just makes so much sense….
I didn’t ask what happened or why Ace,Peter refused to play with Tommy,Eric in make-up (that is their choice). I ASKED WHY YOU REPORTED THAT GENE & PAUL REFUSED TO PLAY WITH ACE,PETER? When the details are that they were asked but didn’t like the situation presented.Gene ,Paul stated that Ace,Peter could join in a performance with the current line-up. I personally don’t agree that all members of KISS should have been inducted,like the Eagles,Grateful Dead Van Halen Metallica,RHCP……….But we already know how biased unfair and without reason the HOF panel makes decisions , Don’t we? 14 Years? Come on!
Chris, not sure why you are so focused on semantics here. I consistently said Gene and Paul would not play a song with just the original four guys, which is the truth. You should also know that the offer for Ace and Peter to play with the current band as absurd as that would have been, was pulled. Not sure what you are reaching for but it’s over and time to move on. Kiss dropped the ball hugely on the HOF and became a footnote in the evening because they couldn’t do just one song with the 4 guys going in only. That is the simple truth.