John Jeffrey of Rock Music Star spoke with KISS drummer Eric Singer. Excerpts from the interview appear below.
RMS: …You’re not only an accomplished drummer, but a great vocalist as well. Although you first started singing with KISS, why did you never sing backing vocals with Alice Cooper?
ES: I actually did sing with Alice during one of the last runs I did with him. Mainly because the other guys in the band weren’t very good singers. That particular lineup wasn’t one the vocally stronger bands, or versions of Alice. So I said, “I think I need a mic,” so I could start helping out because things didn’t sound the way they were supposed to sound. So I just took the initiative to do it. I think I said something to Alice about getting me a mic, so I could start singing. So I did sing (once), but I normally did not with Alice at all. I just played drums. That’s what I loved about it, that I could just play more physical, and get into just being a “rock drummer.”
RMS: Do you feel you play less “physical” in KISS?
ES: In KISS, I always have a responsibility with singing, and to be honest with you, that makes it harder for me – the workload of all the singing. I really have to pace myself, how I play and how I approach the drums in KISS, because of the vocal aspect. I can’t play as physical and as hard, because it ends up putting strain on my voice.
RMS: And for people who don’t sing, most people don’t realize that sitting down while you’re singing, makes it even harder to do.
ES: When you’re playing drums and singing, you’re sitting down, which is not an ideal position for singing. You’re almost pinching your diaphragm by being in that position. That’s why I put my microphone up higher, which forces me to sit very upright, and almost makes me slightly reach for the mic.
RMS: Well, let’s say if you get to a point where you either don’t wanna play anymore or (hopefully not) get to a point where you physically can’t play anymore? What is the “Eric Singer musical bucket list?”
ES: I have to say that I’ve been pretty blessed, playing with a lot of cool people. I’ve played with some people, that I probably never expected to happen, in some regards – to be honest with you. So again, I have to have that I’ve been pretty blessed. The only thing I can think of that I’ve still yet to do, is play with some other people, like Jeff Beck for example, but that’s probably never gonna happen, unless it’s a jam or some kind of situation like that.
RMS: There’s always been a lot speculation over the years, but for the record, who has the final say with KISS?
ES: People always think it’s Gene. Respectfully, Gene and Paul do the thing together, but I always tell people, it’s not what you think. Nothing happens in KISS without Paul Stanley saying, “Yay.” There’s some times when Paul doesn’t care about something, and says, “Yeah, I don’t care. Whatever.” Put it this way, if Gene wants to do it, and Eric and Tommy want to do it, and everybody else…if Paul doesn’t want to do something, we’re not doing it. If Paul wants to do it and Gene doesn’t, Gene usually says, “Okay, whatever.” Gene usually just wants to play. He just wants to keep doing whatever we do. So, there is that….
Read more at Rock Music Star.
source: rockmusicstar.com
9 Responses
Well, after all, Paul is the “King Of The Mountain!” 😉
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What do the candles look like…cant get the link to work
Jason, just go to kissonline.com, scroll down to 6/26/2018 – new Kiss candles, click on CLICK HERE to order now, and all the info you need will be there. The candles come in a round tin cup, with different lids from most of the album covers from the 70’s & early 80’s, with the KISS logo on the side in black and silver. They are $14.99 each, and worth every penny, IMO.
I think he has done a pretty good job with KISS. I really liked him though when with Badlands.
I think Paul has the most time and effort invested in KI$$, so he should have final say on matters. During the 80s, Gene sorta tuned out from KI$$ and devoted his attention more to Hollywood, celebrities, music production, and other non KI$$ related business matters…and his involvement with non KI$$ related business matters continues to this day. Gene may be the face of the band and has contributed greatly to its success, but Paul is definitely the brains of the band.
Paul’s been the boss in that band. That’s both good and bad. I’ve moved on. That band, the original band that is, were my childhood heroes. I’ve said what I needed to say on what they’ve done since Ace Left the last time. I don’t like it, I don’t support them anymore, I don’t go to see them live and I don’t buy their new music or merchandise. I sti very much love what they did in the past, even a lot of the non-makeup era. But Kiss isn’t on my radar anymore and the only thing that’ll get them back on my radar is if a certain guitarist and drummer rejoin for one last go at it.
With regards to Paul having final say on matters, Eric just stated what people already know – and what has been so obvious since the mid ’80s. In fact, Paul pretty much said so himself in his autobiography. I’m not sure why there’s this undertone of how this is somehow a negative thing. So what if Paul calls the shots? Somebody has to call them. He’s been the the most focused and dedicated member of the band since Day One. Forty-plus years later, his track record for success has been pretty unassailable – whether you agree with his decisions or not.