Thanks to all who came to our live show in Philadelphia this past Saturday night at The Troc. Great time and appreciate all the love. Also thanks to Vinnie Moore for being a guest. This Saturday me, Don & Jim hit The Token Lounge in Westland MI by Detroit. Hope you can join us for comedy, Q&A, trivia and much more. I’ll have both of my books for sale as well as T shirts and more. Come hang!
Thanks to Judas Priest for coming by my radio show last night. Good to have Priest back in action with a new album coming in July. We hung out for 90 minutes, took calls, and played a new track. Audio already on Youtube (and my news section on this site) and also On Demand on the SiriusXM app. Thanks to Rob, Richie and Glenn for coming in. Tour coming in the Fall! More from the new album when I can play it.
I am aware that once again Paul Stanley was asked about coming on TMS by a fan at a Jewish center in SF. It was caught on video and once again he gave the Wayne’s World line. I love that his FANS are asking him. But the fans are the bosses right? Seems Paul is much more comfortable on shows like The Talk and others and that’s fine. He doesn’t need our show and we are fine as the longest running show in VH1 history without him. But as proven by the clip his FANS are asking him and he has no real excuse besides “Wayne’s world”? As I said when he called us that on Twitter, I don’t take offense to that. I have jokingly called the show that myself! We don’t take ourselves so serious. Paul is very sensitive as he says himself in his new book. So shows like The Talk and CNN where he will get questions a producer fed the host from a latest bio on exactly what he wants is a perfect fit for him. Many Kiss and rock fans don’t watch those shows but at least he is more comfortable there it seems and that’s fine. Our little “Wayne’s World” was good enough for Maiden, AC/DC, Sabbath, GnR, Paul Rodgers, Sammy Hagar, Metallica, Aerosmith Rush, and many many more. Even the last few bands Kiss worked with Motley and now Def Leppard have all been guests on TMS, embrace the show, and realize the importance of it. So all good by me. Wayne’s World was a hugely popular film, TMS is a popular show around the globe with rock and metal fans. Thanks to TMS fans everywhere for all the support and to Paul for at least watching. I mean you couldn’t reach a conclusion on something without having watched right? As has always been the case our doors remain wide open to discuss ALL aspects of an artists career. Party on!
216 Responses
I’ve always been a rock/metal fan and started listening to Eddie about 6 years ago now when I first got XM radio.
I was also never a big KISS fan until I started listening to Eddie and got to know more of the KISStory. I knew who they were and some of their songs but they were before my time so to speak.
I saw KISS for the first time last year and it was a good show and I’ve been to quite a few different concerts by top bands.
I just also read Peter’s book recently and plan to read Paul’s and Ace’s too. KISS is a fascinating band really and I think the RRHOF did the right thing by just inducting the four original members in this case.
The point is that Eddie Trunk on XM and on TMS is a very real and credible show that delivers what fans of rock and metal want and can’t get anywhere else.
I became a bigger KISS fan because of Eddie.
For folks that could care less if KISS papers on TMS you all sure do talk about it enough. Been a Kiss fan for 35 years and my kids grew up loving the current lineup. I had hoped this hating on Kiss would stop once the Hall was over but it keeps being brought up. Usually in the form of passive aggressive whining and cheap pop shots at the guys who have been KISS ALL 41 yrs..if you don’t find enjoyment from the albums and tours anymore…don’t go and please do us all a favor and stop making fun of Paul and Gene. I grew up being picked on and defending Kiss to the outside world and I never envisioned a day when I would have to defend them to other so called fans. The army in my family and thousands more still love and defend Kiss. Do u remember what it felt like to have others put down Kiss? End the Kiss civil war. It’s gotten way out of hand. Paul Stanley and Gene Simmons are rock royalty and Kiss is still my favorite band and many others agree. Those that dont like them fine…just move on and let us that enjoy alone.
Amazing…P/G do nothing but bash ace and peter, but as soon as someone bashes p/g we have to stop making fun of them..lol..this is just too funny…everybody out there that disagrees with p/g please quit bullying..lol…maybe they can license a kiss binky so paul can suck on it..lol
I guess Eric, it’d be different if the small minority would hold Ace and Peter accountable the same way they do Paul and Gene. And again, don’t kid yourself…it is a small minority of the Kiss camp that has the dividing lines. The fact is…and it’s well documented, this bashing has been going on for quite awhile. And it’s not simply from Paul and Gene’s side…Peter and Ace are just as guilty. Hey i’d be great if they all just shut their mouth because they are guilty of bashing each other.
I’ll bet if you manage to get Jimmy Page on TMS (or even Robert Plant) Paul will change his tune. Maybe now that Jimmy is re-releasing the Led Zep catalogue again he might want to come on to ‘promote’ it. I’m sure Eddie and the show have already asked.
Agreed! And considering such iconic artists such as Tony Iommi have been on the show it is not outside the possibilities!
you are and always have been a class act eddie.i have know you 20 plus years now,and every now and again i get to say hello,thanks for being such a pro,see you a bonzo bash 2nd row !!!!
Gotta echo Jeff and a few others, Eddie. No matter how much crap Gene and Paul throw at you (and I’m like you and others here, I’m almost 50 and listening to Kiss since ’74-’75…), you are still loyal to the band (for the most part). That’s awesome! Personally, I think that this “The fans are the boss…We do it for the fans….It’s what the fans want…We do what they/you want…” bullshit is a screwed up sympathy ploy to sell more stuff and more tickets. If they really did what the fans wanted (and not meaning this in a bullying type way..), they would have sucked it up and did one or two songs with Ace and Peter (even with no make up and have Bruce, Vinny, Eric & Tommy join in later…) at HOF (…nobody said that they had to follow up the induction with a tour!!…well…maybe Gene would have suggested a lunchbox and action figures to commemorate the event…and a bowling ball too!!) They would go on TMS and clear things. They would accept the invite to your radio show and take calls from the fans. I honestly think that you would stand a better chance with getting Gene than Paul. Also respect to Ace and Peter. They have proven they have nothing to hide. That they were ready to put crap aside for the fans for one night. But when push came to shove….
Anyways..that’s it for the verbal dump….love TMS…..you and Don & Jim are awesome. Keep it up!
Actually Neil I agree with the general sentiment. However if it’s really all for the fans then Ace and Peter are just as guilty as Gene and Paul. Why didn’t Ace and Peter hold up their end of the bargain? Afterall they were fired or quit several times. When Paul was giving a 100%…why didn’t Ace or Peter.
Peter claims Kiss was his life…then why did he throw it all away? Why sell the rights to his makeup. Why surround yourself and your life with bad things…those were HIS choices. If it’s “for the fans” why was Ace tanked nearly every night of the Reunion tour…is that giving 100% to us? I don’t think so.
At the end of the day I hold Ace and Peter accountable for their actions as I do Gene and Paul…but at the end of the day, two stayed and fought it out and two left because they didn’t respect what they had.
OK, but how would you feel if you were equal partners in a band with two guys, and you only got maybe one or two songs per album, after you had scored the only top 10 hit the band ever had? You think Gene and Paul were Mr. Congeniality? Plus they worked too much in those first five years, they should’ve taken a sabbatical and regrouped. Same with the reunion, they worked Ace and Peter into the ground, they were making, when you factor in the merchandising, 10 times more on those reunion tours, and they treated Ace and Peter like they were the hired help. Now they have exactly what they want, to guys who will only speak when spoken to, sit over there, shut up, heel, roll over…and I really like the two albums they did with Eric and Tommy, alot.
Staten….lots of bands with equal partners but few bands have all contribute to the musical pie. Take Motley…the majority is Nikki, so does that mean the rest of the guys just whine and quit. Aerosmith…who’s the backbone there? Same story. Great Peter helped write a huge hit…so you want the rest of the songs heading down that path. Ace wrote some fantastic songs but when given a larger role in the band we get Torpedo Girl…you want a whole album of that? Well guess what, Ace gave us solo albums and none sold in the same league as Kiss’s albums. Sorry but the band had the proper balance for most of the early run in the 70’s…anything different and we aren’t talking about them 40 years later.
Of course they worked to much in those early years…that’s hard to blame on Paul and Gene though. That was controlled by the label…and it’s really the only way the band survived in the early years. And frankly, why they finally broke big. Was hard let off the gas at that point.
When they did take somewhat of a break in during the solo albums, they came back with Dynasty and the entire musical climate had changed. So would a sabbatical have helped? IMO no…had they taken a long break people would have found other things even quicker.
As for the Reunion…it’s funny you claim they worked Ace and Peter into the ground but what about Gene or Paul? Hard work didn’t seem to bother them. Besides…given the Reunion tours circumstances, you milk that for all it’s worth. Absolutely the right move. As for the money on that tour…sorry, when you quit or were fired 15 years earlier and are given a second chance to make bank (which Ace and Peter did…2 mill apiece ain’t chump change) then you either accept the terms or you don’t. They accepted the terms, their choice, so why whine about afterwards. That’s the consistent message with Ace and Peter, they make choices that bite them in the ass and then whine about it. Well, don’t make those choices. Think about it Staten…these guys could barely sell tickets to a small club with dwindling bank accounts. A year later they are playing sold out arena’s, 5 star hotels, private jets, room service, 10 people ready to do whatever you say, limos, 1st class where they go, 18k screaming fans every show, 2 mill in the bank and there’s a problem with that? Every struggling musician that’s dreamed about that would give their left nutt to have that experience just once for a single day. Ace and Peter got it for a second time and still complained. Nope I don’t understand that.
Btw/ I could care less about Monster or Boom. I personally don’t think they’ve put out anything worth buying since Revenge and I haven’t seen them since the Farewell Tour and won’t. I don’t like what they do now but I respect their right to do it.
…and put out something better than that pile of debirs called Psycho Circus. Alice Cooper actually sued Kiss over one of those songs.
I actually like Psycho Circus and think it is the best Kiss album of the last three. And it has NOTHING to do with Ace and Peter because they are barely on it!
It starts off good, the first two songs are OK, but then it lags, “Into the Void,” is irritating, it’s almost a good song. Then you get that horrible Gin Blossoms whatever that is of “We Are One.” The proverbial side 2 kicks off with a bad imitation of Crue’s “KIckstart My Heart,” with some really dumbo Disneyland narrative, then you get another almost good song from Paul, …another one that’s pretty good they got sued over, “Dreamin’,” and I actually like the last song, a cool Gene song, he has one of the coolest singing voices. But, it sounds like they were searching for a direction …like they were looking everywhere, in the closet, the garage, under the mattress, under the car seat, for an idea. It baffles me, because they got their undisputed World Championship belt back and you’d think that they would just put out a raw Kiss record, side 4 of Alive II, in my mind, the best Kiss sounded in the studio (and please guys..I know Bob played on three songs). I almost forgot, that ballad, you can hear Paul singing behind him the whole time, you can practically hear Peter’s psyche getting beat into submission, it’s beyond comprehension, that record. So, thumbs down on this side of the aisle, Eddie.
Actually it’s more of a SuperFriends thing than Disneyland…I like that chorus, I just can’t stand the verses. Gene’s Saturday Morning Cartoon influence is one of the coolest aspects of Kiss’s music. That whole Yosemite Sam, my pants are on fire, thing he’s got going.
And the thing is, if Paul and Gene did let Eric and Tommy take the ball and run with it as it were, really let them come into their own as personas of Kiss, the response would be, “OK..now where’s Gene and Paul?” Contrast that with Ace and Peter, the response is just affirmation. And Paul and Gene know this, so they can have Eric and Tommy in the band, and they don’t HAVE TO be so dictatorial; by being more prominent, they are giving the fans what they want in this context. Again, much different than with Ace and Peter. I remember them selling out Tiger Stadium in under an hour, the added shows…and they could have kept it going, but Paul and Gene over saturated the market. Hence the ploy of the “Farewell” tour to sell tickets. I also remember that guitar solos became cool repellent, they were practically extinct, they were as cool as wearing a leisure suit. Who made them cool again? And who only could have at that time? Tommy likes to bitch about how he had to teach Ace his own solos, well, Joe Walsh went through the same thing, it is a completely natural thing to happen to an artist.
The Reunion tour was orchestrated to perfection. The problem was Psycho Circus and following tour being so close on the heels of the Reunion. The moment Kiss reunited it ended any hope of them being a valid band in terms of new albums. Sure, you’ll get the diehards but in reality the fans only want the old stuff. Circus just diluted that. Every single old band out there goes through the same thing and it’s why few of the legendary bands…VH, Kiss, Journey, Motley, Leppard…even Aerosmith sell big numbers with albums anymore. It’s why Kiss plays what people want to hear and every other band does the same.
Perhaps without Psycho Circus then we might not have had the Farewell Tour…and I agree, that ploy absolutely helped sell tickets. However clearly fans weren’t ready to put Kiss to bed because they continue on. So maybe here in America that 18k they sold with Peter and Ace is only 12k with a few sold out shows in between. Maybe they gotta package with another band ala Leppard, Motley, Smith…so what. IMO it wouldn’t be any different with Ace and Peter still in the band and further doubtful Kiss would still be operating with them in the band under the best of circumstances. There are only a handful of bands that can tour now without a strong package, even Eddie has made that point.
JB..you bring alot of very good points. I will just counter with, 1.) They were marketed to us as the Beatles, they don’t have a front man. (Sorry Ed, but Paul is not a front man any more than Gene, or even Ace..) Kiss was a 4 wheel drive band. 2).They should have taken a sabbatical between the solo albums and 1980..and put out a very strong record. Every rock band on the planet seemed to know what was on the horizon except Kiss: Back In Black (even with their singer dying), British Steel, Heaven and Hell, ..this was one of the strongest years in the history of hard rock..the first Maiden..Scorpions were coming on (and we can’t forget UFO) what does Kiss do? They don’t take time to regroup, a two year wait would’ve been perfect, no they rush to put out Dynasty because everyone was saying that they were breaking up, and further, pulled the most desperation move ever, that disco song just has ‘we’re panic-ing’ written all over it. Or, for that matter, they could’ve have taken two years off, 77-79 and nixed the solo albums. Take the best 10 from those four…that is one hell of a Kiss record. In any case, the subsequent Dynasty tour killed Kiss.
3)The Reunion: the problem was that ‘lost cities’ tour..then they did a lost cities tour of Europe! they probably went to Alaska. They did over 200 freaking shows! That’s sheer insanity. I know Peter and Ace made alot of money, but that’s not the point. It’s relative. When you are up there busting your balls and sweating and the places are packed because of you and the guy next to you is making 10 times more…that would get under anybody’s skin. And they sucked it up and did it anyway. It was only after the tour when they said that they wanted to re-negotiate. I think Paul and Gene were being curmudgeonly, like a sports team owner, they were raking it in! And you think “well, we could get someone else for less money..” that’s what they thought. I’m not saying Ace and Peter should have been equals, but more equal. Where they came from is irrelevant. That’s a false dilemma. In other words, you are prescribing two choices as if those are the only ones available.It’s like saying be glad you are eating fast food when you could be eating instant noodles. Anyway, I really respect your musical acumen, I liked a lot of what you had to say, especially your take on how great they were in the 70s. PS. That Dana Strum thing I just happened to come across because I pulled up some old Vinnie Vincent footage. I wasn’t investigating Paul Stanley!