4/28: PAUL STANLEY BOOK REVIEW
Had a chance to read Paul Stanley’s book on my many flights lately. I was looking forward to seeing how much Paul would open up in a book like this. In my limited dealings with him over the decades I have found him to be fairly private and very sensitive to anything not in line with the current plan, so his approach to an auto biography would no doubt be interesting. Contrary to what many think, and despite whatever feelings he has about me, Paul was actually always my favorite member of the band. For a long time he was one of my favorite singers and his songs were always what I liked best in Kiss. I agree with his own feelings throughout the book that he has always been the prime driving force in the band. In much of the press he has done leading up to this book he has painted doing this for some greater more legitimate reason than most other rock books. I don’t see any great difference with this than any of the other MANY rock books out there. It is very well written, entertaining, inspiring, and told from his perspective and how he saw it, like ALL of these books are. But I don’t see a great distinction over many other good ones that are out there as Paul has said is the case with his. The one down side is that his is the last of the Kiss members books. The good; that he answers some of the others books, the bad is that many of these stories we have heard already. Especially if you consider we just had the very in depth Nothin’ To Lose as far as Kiss books for history which he was a writer on. But still for any Kiss fan this is a more than worthwhile read. But like ANY book it is his spin and take on the story as he wants to tell it. That is the case with all the books, it’s up to the reader to find the balance from four peoples perspectives when it comes to Kiss. Not surprisingly Paul’s book paints him as the guiding force in the band throughout and rarely does he ever take responsibility for anything that was bad for Kiss. For example he describes the demise of Kiss in the late 70’s to be more about the costumes and stage show than writing a disco song. I can tell you even though it was a hit, I Was Made For Loving You was DEATH to the Kiss fan base at the time and some still haven’t recovered from it. The shots at Ace and even more so Peter are expected, but more surprising are the shots at Gene and how bad their relationship was at some stages. Almost every bad decision was because of someone else it seems at times. Some other interesting things:
*No acknowledgment of what a big song “Shock Me” was for Ace and the Love Gun LP, or the success of Ace’s solo album over the others with “NY Groove”.
*Not much made of the impact “Beth” had crossing the band to an entire new audience. A huge moment in the bands history to get on the radio.
*Glosses over some of the later 80’s albums. Almost no mention of Crazy Nights and recording with noted producer Ron Nevison. Would have loved more back story on the making of the 80’s and 90’s albums.
*Talks about the many bad songs Gene mailed in during the 80’s but outside of the two on Smashes Thrashes (which were bad and he does say so!) never mentions his role in some duds as well. Bang Bang You? Read My Body? Although his material was mostly better he had some clunkers for sure along the way.
*Good to see how he admits not handling the passing of Eric Carr within the band the right way. How the band didn’t stop while Eric attempted to recover is hard to believe. It did bother Eric Carr greatly that while he was fighting cancer his band was already recording with Eric Singer, who he predicted would replace him. Def Leppard stood by their drummer when he lost an arm, Kiss could have waited to see how Carr would do. He does take this on and take responsibility and it was good to see finally.
*Didn’t acknowledge that fans at the MTV unplugged in ’95 actually booed when current band was re introduced and chanted for a reunion at the end of the taping. I was in the audience. It was an avalanche that resulted in the reunion in ’96.
*Psycho Circus very glossed over. Who plays on it? Why were they not able to make a deal with Peter and Ace? Also no mention of performing with the symphony in Australia. Not my favorite thing in KISStory by any stretch but should have had a mention.
All that said I truly enjoyed the book and would suggest it to any Kiss fan. But like ALL Kiss books it is HIS version of how he saw things. I’m not about to go tit for tat with all four books and who’s told the story best and most accurate. They ALL are coming from that persons point of view and get that persons story out as they saw it. And something tells me there will be no shortage of more Kiss related books to come…
*No acknowledgment of what a big song “Shock Me” was for Ace and the Love Gun LP, or the success of Ace’s solo album over the others with “NY Groove”.
What about “Rock Ride”? It peaked at #39.
I’ve read all 4 members books…all are good to decent.
Paul’s book is good. Easy to read, well written. Every Kiss fan should read it. As Eddie said, Paul has upped his stance as the leader of Kiss and he hammers that point home. However lets face it and if you’re honest, you have to come to the same conclusion…it’s the truth. Nothing wrong with that folks. It certainly doesn’t make any of the original members any less important. The fact is when all other members were absent from the band due to movie making, drugs, alcohol, wrecking cars, getting shot, card games, whatever…Paul was there, the backbone keeping it going. From reading his book it’s clear, Kiss was all Paul Stanley ever had as he didn’t particularly enjoy his own life, wasn’t close to his own family and had no outside interests other than Kiss….until the birth of his first son. As for dirt on other members or detail…IMO it’s more than Ace’s but falls well short of Gene or Peter’s books. Nothing surprising about his feelings on Peter or Ace…although not as much detail as one would think or the haters would like to latch onto. I do get the impression that Paul always liked Ace though, especially from a musical/guitar perspective, besides it’s been well documented he wanted him to stay in the band. Still, it’s like none of these guys can give the other a pat on the back. The biggest revelation is Paul opening up about Gene…he pulls no punches from his point of view.
I agree with Eddie, good book and a different slant that obviously favors the authors point of view “as they all have”. The high points I took from Paul’s book is just how little this guy had outside of the band. Truly Kiss was everything to him. Also that it took him well into his 40’s to finally learn to enjoy life with the birth of his first son and now with his family.
I’d rate this 3rd best of all the books from the original guys…in terms of pure enjoyment. Would have liked to have seen more detail and admittedly a little more dirt. As Eddie pointed out, whole era’s were glossed over or rarely touched on. Leading me to believe that Paul, like Ace probably has book number two up his sleeve in the future.
Wouldnt surprise me if he did another book…it seems that saying one thing and doing another is the MO in the kiss camp…
I tend to agree with JB. From all the accounts of the 4 books(I have read all 4) the one theme that is prevalent is the actions of Peter and Ace hurt their own career’s. I mean look at them now. They look Old,feeble and in Ace’s case fat. If you have heard the claims of people around the band and many that are mentioned in all 4 books their take is more in line with Gene and Paul’s books. I mean the guy everyone calls the imposter(Tommy Thayer) Had to actually teach Ace and Peter how to play again! Ask DocMcgee or Kullick or any of the producers on site they will all tell you the same. Is that being TRUE to the fans?? Every one is so forgiving of Ace and Peter and I don’t understand why. I mean Kiss songs from the 70’s although Great are not complex pieces of music. If you struggle playing that stuff I mean you are screwed. Ace was good in his book(the parts he could remember) and Peter’s book was just a twisted cry baby view where he takes no accountability for how bad his playing had become. I know the Disco tune hurts and every one made some mistakes but I know Paul always did his best for the cause. I like to see a Healthy KISS where they still Play and Look great. Lets Hope Paul’s voice holds up, They sounded Great on Jimmy Falon’s set recently but That is the main concern for the band now.
Great post Billy.
Eddie’s is pretty much bang on. So many of the stories I’ve read and know of, as most Kiss fans would.
A lot of it was Paul growing up with his ear situation and it is his story of overcoming that.
There were some interesting tidbits about Bill Aucoin, Paul saying he wasn’t gay, Ace giving Peter’s dick a kiss, Slash calling Paul a fag behind his back, some stories about Donna Dixon. A lot of the other stuff is basically just retold in Paul’s voice. Otherwise, there isn’t that much that separates it from other Kiss autobiographies or books. Like Stuart commented, I would recommend “KISS Behind The Mask” by Leaf and Sharp as the best KISS book out there. “Kiss Alive Forever” is a fantastic book of the complete touring history of Kiss by Curt Gooch and Jeff Suhs if you can find it.
The Slash remark reminded me of one of the best stories out of Slash’s book, when Slash calls Paul to get some free equipment and Paul just says, “no,” and it all comes from stories of what Slash may or may not have said in the press getting back to Paul.
Twin Paul said Bill Aucion wasn’t gay? That invalidates the entire book. He is re writing history. I know people very well who were managed by Bill Aucoin in the 80s. Twin Paul has taken over. Gene even says Bill was gay. Who cares anyway? Gay people have made such a huge contribution to the arts, Sean Delaney, for example, that I think we need some gay people on this planet.
Paul said he himself wasn’t gay, not Bill Aucoin.
The interesting tidbits were about Aucoin and age of some of the guys he fooled around with,
Eddie, I have been a fab of yours for a long time, however, you seem to have made this whole Ace & Peter against Paul & Gene thing your personal crusade. You know, probably better than most, that Paul IS/WAS and ALWAYS will be the driving force of Kiss. Ace and Peter’s books were more about who had a bigger dick rather than what things were really like behind the scenes. I honestly wish that you and Paul could just bury the hatchet and move on but I won’t hold my breath. Paul’s book is the best one as I expected it would be. Eddie…. I love you man but you have to stop bashing Paul.
Mike, did you even take time to READ what I wrote about Paul’s book? I mean you have to be kidding me! Bashing? I just gave a book he wrote a positive review and called him my favorite member and the driving force in the band and you call it “bashing”. UNBELIEVABLE! I have no need to “bury the hatchet” because I have nothing to bury. But your baseless absurd position is EXACTLY what causes the problems when others read and post with NO basis of reality and just spin things they make up! Unreal.
The whole “basis of reality” is your post. Anyone who has any intellect can clearly see by reading your post that you still feel the need to take jabs at Paul. If Paul discovered a cure for cancer, you would probably say something like, “it’s great that Paul did that, but I think Ace and Peter had the cure several years before and they are the ones who should get credit for it.”
Wonder who really has the agenda when I can say 90% positive things about Paul and his book, but certain people POUNCE on a couple things I point out missing? EXACTLY the problem with Kiss and some of their fans. Buy it all or nothing! No objectivity or opinions allowed ever.
Eeeeeaaaasy there Eddie, quit getting your panties in a bunch……
Wow…Eddie…You have been bashing Paul for quite some time now…don’t get mad at me for pointing out the truth. Like I said….I am a fan of yours…but you have been backing Peter and Ace in every situation for a few years now…don’t get me wrong…I love those guys too but why would you expect Paul to mention anything positive about them when in their books all the did was bash Paul and call him “he-she”…. I did read what you wrote…maybe you should re-read what you wrote as well….I am an “objective” fan….I don’t buy any of the stupid gadgets and toys they put out…I am all about the music and the live show….I wish Paul would come on one of your shows and you guys could talk to us fans of both of you and we could all get along….Paul is the king in my opinion….and you are the best rock host/reporter that ever lived….you both should rise above all of the BS….you know KISS rules…
Be careful, Mike. Your opinion conflicts with Trunk’s, so he may decide to delete your posts.
That’s how he rolls. (like a 5th grader)
Tsk, tsk, just when I thought we were getting along.
Eddie has the right to approve or disapprove any comments as he sees fit, it is HIS website.
If you don’t like that your comments are being censored, please feel free create your own blog with Mike where you can be free to post whatever your heart desires. It would be really interesting to see how many disparaging comments about yourself that you would allow through on a daily basis by someone using multiple ID’s. In the beginning, you might be congenial and flexible. However when it is the same comments being made time and again, I am sure you would end up getting annoyed and losing your patience.
Dana from EddieTrunk.com 🙂
Ok, for the record…for Dana…Don Kirschner and I do not know each other and we are not the same person and I never said anything negative about Eddie, in fact, I admire his work and his passion for the music we all love…..I read all 4 books and I rate them in this order:
Paul/Ace/Peter/Gene (a distant 4th)….
My point is, I think some people are discounting what Kiss is today because Tommy and Eric are wearing the same make up that Ace and Peter wore….but if you look beyond that I think you would admit that the last two studio albums are actually really good…Maybe Tommy is going to far with the song titles and the guitar solos but isn’t tribute the best form of flattery? I have been a KISS fan since 1976 (I was 8) and they have been a big part of my life….do I wish the original four stayed together? Perhaps…but then we would have never gotten to know Eric Carr and Bruce Kulick, who in my opinion deserve just as much adulation and credit as any other band members including Paul and Gene….so guys…we are all KISS fans right? Let’s try and enjoy every era of our favorite band….peace
Mike,
I think I might have been referring to another poster with the same name.
Dana from EddieTrunk.com 🙂
Mike Mahler Eddie is exactly correct, you didn’t even read his review. You are one of the senseless Paul & Gene flag bearers that will continue to dredge up crap and controversy because that is truly what Gene and Paul are about now. Money, not the music. For all the headlines and shots Paul has taken at Eddie, and Gene, I thought he was overly gracious of Paul’s book. KISS is one Eddie’s favorite bands, he said Paul was always his favorite and Paul was the driving force behind the band. Taking into consideration his friendship with Ace, Peter and the late Eric Carr and what a monumental egomaniac Gene and Paul are, and the huge personal backlash Eddie got over the RRHoF I think his professionalism in reviewing the book is outstanding! But you as a hater didn’t bother to actually read it, you saw what your small mind wanted. Well done Eddie!
You obviously missed my point….
Mike, your ass isn’t a hat so get your head out of it before you post.
Paul and Gene have spent several years bashing Ace and Peter, calling them hacks, calling them a Cancer, living in the past and talking about substance abuse while both have been sober for nearly a decade. Since when did Eddie make this a “crusade”?
Did you just glance over the part of Eddie’s review when he said “I agree with his own feelings throughout the book that he has always been the prime driving force in the band.”??
Bury the hatchet? Have to stop bashing Paul?
WOW, you must be most biased fanboy of Paul Stanley ever…do you have a shrine in your house? The current lineup WOULD NOT EXIST if it weren’t for the music made by the original four, and your golden boy Paul is publicly calling Ace and Peter Jew haters but I guess Paul can say whatever he wants right?
You’re right Eddie, no mention of the Symphony. He explains why they had to get Peter back in 2003 for the Aerosmith tour. The promoters required 3 original members but no mention that Peter was signed on for the Symphony in mid 2002.
Also glosses over the Live to win solo album and tour, the recording process and his heart scare in 2007 pre show. C’mon Paul! What happened? How did you feel, did you think you were going to die, how did your family react?