Classic Rock Magazine interviewed KISS frontman Paul Stanley about the Rock N’ Roll Hall of Fame. Read the interview below.
Classic Rock: Did you feel honored at being inducted in the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame?
Paul Stanley: No, it was done begrudgingly and because it had become absolutely ludicrous that they were choosing to ignore us. At the end of the day most people don’t realize that the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame was a privately created establishment and that it has a self-appointed board. It’s a perfect case of perception becoming reality. People heard “Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame” and gave it credibility. So whether it deserves the title has to be weighed against who it inducts. So was it an honor to be nominated? No. It means a lot to the fans and I understand it because it’s validation for them. So for that reason I accept graciously and accept on their behalf.
My feelings and my ambivalence about the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame hasn’t changed any. Their attitude is elitist and it doesn’t reflect the public. It reflects a small group who dictate who meets the criteria that they set up as “rock and roll”. I’ve always felt the spirit of rock and roll meant not only ignoring your critics, but ignoring your peers and going your own way. I think we’ve done that pretty much with few exceptions for forty years. So that same criteria that kept us out has not gotten us in. I scratch my head a little and I also take issue with a certain arrogance within that group.
Nonetheless I look at some of the inductees and any club that has Jimmy Page, Eric Clapton and The Who and the Beatles and the Stones is company I don’t mind being in and my feelings have nothing to do with any of them, it purely has to do with a system which I think is tainted, corrupted and distorted.
Classic Rock: Are you looking forward to playing it?
Paul Stanley: Honestly, I have no plans at the moment to do anything, and that includes playing with Ace and Peter or anyone else. My plan at the moment is to go and accept the award. Anything else, we’ll see how it unfolds or unravels. It was interesting to me, or offensive to me, that when the question was broached with the hierarchy about inducting additional members it was shut down immediately as “a non starter,” which to me is arrogant. People who sit behind desks need to respect the people who are actually either inductees or possible inductees into this so-called hallowed organization. So the fact that there are 30 or 40 or 50 or some absurd number of Grateful Dead members all inducted, the fact that all of the Chili Peppers, including people who played on early albums that never amounted to very much are not inducted, the fact that John Rutsey, the drummer on the first Rush album is not inducted, the fact that Rob Trujillo, who’s a great guy but didn’t play on any of the classic Metallica albums, was inducted after being in the band six years makes me wonder exactly what are the rules? If the rules don’t apply to everybody then they’re not rules.
Classic Rock: Do you plan to bring Ace and Peter up on stage with you?
Paul Stanley: Of course it goes without saying that Ace and Peter deserve this moment in the spotlight. We wouldn’t be here without them. We couldn’t have built what we did without them at the foundation. That being said, we couldn’t have built what we built without a lot of people who followed them. We couldn’t have been here without them and we couldn’t be here today with them. So absolutely, of course they deserve and belong up there.
Classic Rock: Ace and Peter jammed together at recent party for That Metal Show presenter [and radio DJ] Eddie Trunk. How did you feel about that?
Paul Stanley: I didn’t feel one way or the other. I don’t own those songs, I only wrote ‘em. There’s nothing to guard or lock away. Those songs are public domain and they played on those songs so why wouldn’t they play them? For that matter, why wouldn’t anybody play them?
source: classicrockmagazine.com
115 Responses
Take a moment and imagine this poor rock star’s situation of being stuck between a rock and a hard place: if he and Gene do accept and play at the RRHOF ceremony, they cannot use the current lineup. So they could either go up there in their suits and just take the award, smile, blabla, leave. Or they might finally give it a start and perform with Ace and Peter in full gear. Which, of course, would turn the venue into a madhouse. The problem then would be that everyone in this world would expect a second reunion tour, tickets selling out faster than ever before, Kiss as it is today would have a hard time competing with this expectation and justify their further existence. Another problem is, that I think both of these self-important men have is that they never got over the fact that in spite of the undisputable musical quality of the current lineup the real Kiss fanbase still loves Peter and especially Ace. It may quite certainly not be the best lineup musically, but is the one and only with the real mojo, the one that brings back memories.He knows that it will never be different no matter what he does or how much he tries to belittle the two original members and their present condition (I mean what about the condiiton of his voice? Without Singer he would be lost!) . This situation he got no control over, which is atypical for him. he cannot have Thayer and Singer, but he also does not want to have Ace and Peter because they would just overshadow everything else, it is a predicament. The only other thing to do if they just deny doing it together with Ace and Peter is to actually skip the whole thing, which of course would infuriate the fan base even more. And, oh, Ace and Peter could still show up alone and accept their rewards, what a disgrace! So if you read carefully you will see, ttat clever as he is these remarks leave it open, both options are still possible, a reunion as well as skipping the whole thing then refering to what they said before, i.e. that the RRHOF is just a hoax and that that was the reason for not showing up – which of course would be lie. I have been a fan of the real Kiss ever since, I pray for the reunion option (for at least this one occasion) but I do not think it will happen.
Very well said, but I think he is overlooking one key point. Those bands were mainly inducted for their musical contributions. In the Grateful Dead case it certainly wasn’t for their varried tie dyed shirts and jeans. So I guess in their eyes, all who contributed musically mattered. I am in no way saying that all members of KISS should not eventually get in, but for this ceremony Paul should realize that they are unique from all other bands and they are being inducted for their influence not only musically but for the make up and the stage show. That was the foundation started by the four original members. Same with ALICE. He had many talented people in his band over the years who contributed to his musical legacy but only the founding members were inducted. Paul should look at it from that point of view.
Let me start of by saying no one else should be inducted in to the R-N-RHF from Kiss but ACE, PAUL GENE & PETER for the reason is they had to work for it every one that came after got a free Check from what they did That is a Fact !… Now on to Paul’s Comments it seems to me reading between the lines that he dose not want to play with ACE & PETER And HE’s Trying to get the R-N-R-HOF To let them play with Tommy & Eric as KISS the cover band and the R-N-R HOF said NO we WANT THE ORIGINALS 4 TO PLAY and PAUL GOT pissed so now we have this bullshit Comment By Paul Acting like he’s standing up for something acting like he wouldn’t sell out his soul for a buck it’s truly sad we all know he would. I Feel He thinks all Kiss fans are dumb and just want to spend money on them witch is true on some fans.. i stop here because there just to much to say on GENE & PAUL why of ruining Kiss i can’t take anymore !!
Not quite a fact as you present. KISS wasn’t exactly rolling in the dough throughout the 80’s. The hired guns got paid, but not huge dollars. Eric Carr, Vinnie Vincent and Bruce Kulick earned every dollar they made during their time in the band. They were huge contributors and were just as big a part of the KISS machine surviving the band’s transformation as the remaining originals. To suggest someone like Eric Carr rode a gravy train created in some part by Peter Criss is insulting and very uninformed.
Well said and to add I think Eric and fore sure Tommy have taken nothing but crap from fans and people forget peter and Ace sold there rights to the make up thats how much it meant to them
I think Revenge is probably one of the highest selling Kiss albums right? Guess who didn’t play on that album?
Highest selling? Likely not even in the top 10 in their catalog.
Out sold anything Ace and Peter put out since they left the band combined and Ime a guy who liked Ace solo stuff with the exception of Anomaly bad record fans seem to like it I tried because I waited so long for it but…
Revenge is a GREAT album… but it was a commercial disappointment. It’s not even in the Top 15 in terms of sales.
If Gene and Paul refuse to play with Ace and Peter, than Ace and Peter should get up there with any number of the musicians from bands that will be there because they were influenced by Kiss (the American Beatles of influence) and do a set of Kiss songs written or sung by Ace or Peter. Bet you it would blow away Kiss with Tommy and Eric at the show, if that’s who Gene and Paul choose to perform with. I like Tommy and Eric, they do a good job in the band, but I think Tommy and Eric themselves should go to Gene and Paul and say hey “if they are only inducting the original members than you should play with them”. In closing, I hope all the Kiss fans at the show boo as loudly and as long as possible if they do decide to only play with Tommy and Eric. Arm yourself with plenty of eggs and tomatoes just incase.
Ace and Peter can not just do what they want. The HOF has to clear any and all stuff that happens.
YOU OBVIOUSLY DONT KNOW THAT SINGER SMOKES OLD PETE ON THE DRUMS AND THAYER HAD TO TEACH ACE ALL HIS SOLOS AGAIN SO THEIR WOULD BE NO CONTEST . LEAVE SLEPING GIANTS BE KISS WOULD BLOW THEM AWAY. PAULS VOICE AT THIS POINT IS THE ONLY CHINK IN THEIR ARMOR
The American Beatles? You are either joking or insane. Kiss are and always have been entertainers and merchandisers first. They have limited musical ability and are popular because they worked hard and put on a good show. They are not going into the Hall of Shame because of their music.
I’m very well aware of how much better a drummer Eric is than Peter and that Tommy can play Ace’s stuff to a tee and come up with his own solos that sound just like Ace. As a life long die hard KISS fan I think Sonic Boom and Monster are GREAT records and I wish Gene and Paul had truly made the decision to move forward with these two, which for me would mean that at least half of their set list live now would consist of songs from both Sonic Boom and Monster. Didn’t happen though did it? Still playing the same old old stuff with one or two new songs in the set. As I said in the previous post I LIKE Tommy and Eric in the band. But we are talking about the ORIGINAL line up being inducted. They should play together for it. As much as I wish Ace and Peter were still in the band, I’m of the opinion that for the most part they have nobody to blame but themselves for not still being in the band. And if as Eddie said “Ace and Peter can’t just do what they want” the HOF has to give it an OK, than maybe ACE and Peter should book a show together in Brooklyn near the HOF show and invite all those musicians who will be there that were influenced by them and play a show with those guys. IF Ace and Peter are truly both clean and sober, I say it would have much more balls and energy and mojo than the current line up. Again I realize how good the current line up is, GREAT actually, much better than listening to a drunken Ace Frehley and a sloppy Peter Criss. But if they are both clean and sober and are both playing to their mid seventies abilities then they as THE line up that is being inducted should play together. As far as the American Beatles comment I’m simply saying as far as influence to young kids to pick up an instrument, start a band, try to become a rock star, I’m not trying to compare the songwriting of Paul/John to Gene/Paul you moron.
You don’t think The Beatles were merchandisers? Dude they invented rock n roll merchandising. Where do you think Gene got the idea from?
Grow up.
Not quite 50, but did the Hall did induct all 12 members of the Dead that came and went over 30 years. I won’t argue it because I love the Dead, all eras, but I wonder how many other bands have been given that much leeway with its members, and not being pinned down to a certain era of potential inductees.
I think Paul came across as extremely intelligent and articulate in this interview–very well spoken and well said. Impressive.