Greg Prato of Ultimate Guitar spoke with bassist Dave Ellefson about KISS’ retirement, a majority of the discussion, appears below.
Ultimate Guitar: Do you think KISS has really played their final show?
Dave Ellefson: I don’t know for sure. I always felt like KISS, if they wanted to, they could always do corporates. I’m surprised there’s not a KISS Las Vegas, KISS Tokyo, KISS London, and put some other guys in the make-up and go out and have KISS carry on.
But look, Gene [Simmons] and Paul [Stanley] are artists and musicians. Gene is already out on tour playing. I get it, I was like that even in and around Megadeth. I still put out a solo record, wrote a book, music is your life. This isn’t a job where you just put in your 30 years, clock out, get your gold watch, and play golf. That’s not who we are as people.
I think, at the end of the day, the stage always calls us back. The studio always calls us back. I’ve talked to some people, and the more they threaten to retire, the better the calls they get for the next gig. I think that’s a pure sign that the universe is like, ‘Yeah, you ain’t done. Keep going.”
Ultimate Guitar: Should they have had Ace Frehley and Peter Criss back for the last performance as special guests?
Dave Ellefson: As a fan, I’d take all of it. When Dave called about putting Megadeth back together in 2004, Asia and Yes had just done a thing where they both played together, all the members were there. I even brought it up. I said, ‘Why don’t we call Jeff [Young], Chuck [Behler], Nick [Menza], and Marty [Friedman] and do an awesome comeback of having everybody. Even if it’s a song or two.’ And that always fell on deaf ears…
But, I feel as a KISS fan, I would love to see those guys back. At the same time, getting to know Ace, I hit Steve Brown right away, I said, ‘You did an amazing job on that new Ace Frehley record [10,000 Volts]…the best thing I’ve heard from Ace since his solo album in 1978, when they still had the make-up on.I always thought that he had the best solo record. Paul’s was probably the next right behind it…At some point, you just put things away…
Ultimate Guitar: What are your thoughts on the KISS avatars?
Dave Ellefson: I didn’t see them. I think the ABBA avatars are awesome. In fact, I was in London last year, and I wanted to go up to see the ABBA arena. Because I’m a huge ABBA fan. I missed it though…
…Look, I’m cool without any KISS avatars, quite honestly. I’m cool if KISS now just retires and that’s it and it’s done…Because I saw them in that last month, a show in California. And it was phenomenal. I behold those memories of seeing those four human beings on stage, because for me, I don’t need to see an avatar version of it. I’m still relishing in the memory. I want to remember that, because that was a real experience.
Read more at Ultimate Guitar.
6 Responses
Not exactly sure why Prato thinks Dave Ellefson has any insight into what Gene’s and Paul’s plans are for KISS. Ellefson’s conjecture as to whether KISS has played their final show is about as valid as my opinion – inconsequential!
Word of the day! INCONSEQUENTIAL! Nice RTunes!
Avatars have zero emotion. The connection with the Kiss Army was always feelings. We loved them, they loved us. When the guys were really into it, we felt it, too. Rock And Roll is about feeling good, it pumps you up. Although the Kiss avatars are, according to Kiss, unfinished. Aside from curiosity to see what it becomes, there’s no emotion. I can’t be a part of that. Gene’s band is incredible. If he tours America and hits Connecticut, I’ll go. After they are gone, memories based on emotions are where I’m going to be.
Peeeeeeeooooooppppppllllleeeee!!!! Trunk Nation let me hear ya!!!!!!! Wowwwwwwahhhaawwooo! Alright, alright lithen! Rumor has it…..I said rumor has it that Dave was listening to our song Let’s Put The X In Sex while making his famous video lemme hear ya!!! Whoooaaaa ooohhhh HEAVEN’S ON FIRE!!!!!! Don’t believe what you’ve heard about Mustaine firing Dave over this classic video no no no people! He was pissed that Eleffson chose a KISS song over any song in the Megadeth library lemme hear ya!!!! So people, ready? Look I want to play X In Sex but we don’t have the back up vocals recorded (crowd sighs). But I gotta feeling you all will like this one! Ready? I want you to sing with me. Whoa I really love you baby, I love what you got! (Crowd sings) Let’s get together we can get HOTT! People it’s time to pull the trigger of my (crowd yells). LOVE GUN!!!! Doc hit the tapes ah 1…2….3…..4…..
Thank you for your service
Who cares anymore …..kiss is dead and gone