As previously reported, Original KISS drummer, Peter Criss will be special guest on this Saturday’s (March 22nd) episode of That Metal Show.
In the preview clip posted below, as transcribed by blabbermouth.net, Criss explains how he found out about KISS’ Rock Hall induction and he expressed how heartbroken he is that we won’t be performing at the event.
“I got a call from [KISS leaders] Gene [Simmons] and Paul [Stanley], which I hadn’t got a call from them in many, many, many, many, many moons, including when I had my cancer,” Criss said. “And so, all of a sudden, I get a call and I’m being congratulated. ‘We’re gonna have fun.’ And I’m thinking… And I know, as I wrote in my book, there’s a lot of bad blood, and I just don’t trust [those guys] anymore. And I took it with a grain of salt and said, ‘Maybe.’ But then again, I had to go back and read the book myself and go, ‘What, are you crazy? Nothing’s changing. It doesn’t matter what goes on. Something’s gonna happen.’ And I said to [my wife], ‘It sounds too good to be true.'”
He continued: “The fact that we’re not perfoming is heartbreaking. I wanted to. I thought we were going to. I was all up for it. I was crazy enough to think, even if I had to get back in the ‘Cat’ outfit, I would have been proud to do it. Because, whether in or out of makeup, I’ll always be the ‘Catman.'”
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78 Responses
thanks eddie and peter! can’t freakin’ wait for tms on sat. “a zinger at singer”
There just guys doing a job. If it wasn’t them it would be someone else….
I love original KISS (musically) but this guy wants us to feel sorry for him, no thank you. You don’t trust Gene and Paul, I get it, however they can’t trust you either. I’m so sick of the 4 douchebags opening their mouths and the crap that comes out. JUST SHUT UP!
I got to agree with you…I wouldn’t trust a rehabilitated coke fiend either. …poor me …look at me…help me… No thanks
Very true…with the ceremony would just happen already so we can move on…
Ken,
I totally agree – Ace and Peter made their bed. I love the original 4, but I got no qualms at all with Eric and Tommy. I saw them in 2011 and they are solid musicians. I could give a rats ass about who is in what character. Have you seen Ace lately, he ain’t getting into makeup and leather anytime soon! Just so sick of the BS coming from all 4 of them. Get inducted, don’t play and just shut up about it.
flashing lights keep running through his brain.. someone find a Doctor to ease all the pain.
Well, is he even showing up?
…I love Peter Criss, the guy has so much soul. He is the only reason I got into Kiss in the first place, ever since I was a little kid I have always been a cat person, so Gene and Paul should thank him for him converting me to being such huge fans of theirs, now 37 years on. Bill Aucoin said that they would reunite one more time at the Hall. I mean I actually heard him say it, he was at Ace’s solo gig in Hollywood in 2007. This is something I think Paul and Gene will end up wishing they had done, man, Kiss touched way too many people, and life is way too short
Plus Ringo was my favorite Beatle, and I dug how he influenced Peter, just check the drumming on the Love Gun record, that is some of the most brilliant rock drumming I’ve ever heard. That intro Pete does to “Plaster Caster,” that is so musical. Just listen to the very subtle, not just dynamics, but the way he shifts the motion of the sound. It’s all about the motion of sound,for Peter he never drummed like it was an exercise in showing off, and that is a lost art.
I agree that drummers from that era had more a shuffle, laid back, emotional approach to drumming and the role of the drummer within a band context, today it is mostly high energetic muscular drumming. the finesse of one like Ian Paice, e.g., is rarely to be found these days, these guys could actually take their bands to different emotional levels in one song by shifitng and changing the mood. I watched the big Euopean Wacken metal festival on TV last year and Paice was outstanding because he sounded and played so different from all the other interchangeable metal players out there. Peter might seem weak from that modern point of view because we have become so used to drummers like Singer, but he is/was great in his own right. The typical and classic Kiss sound from the 70s is also due to his drumming and therefore today’s lineup can NOT recreate that sound, even though Thayer copies all the licks, because the feel of Criss is not there – Singer is very good but his drumming is totally different. Many say Peter was lame when he just was different. Classic Kiss never had that monumental drum sound. Actually Eric Carr’s sound I found annoying because when he was in Kiss the drums on very many professional records got mixed like they were recorded in a cave. So instead of comparing Peter to high speed drummers of a million out there one should understand his playing and influence (on Kiss) by looking at the music from the point of time when it was created. The sound of the drums and guitars in the early Kiss songs also seems to be far inferior to today’s production standards, Ace used fully blown Marshalls that did not really give that over the top distortion sound heavy players use today, it is more like a modded blues sound. Today no one playing music like Kiss etc. would use that little distortion (the more distortion you have the easier it is to play fast!), so again there is a big difference here. Everyone who has ever tried to make a Marshall that does not deliver high gain distortion like modern amps sing and wine knows what I mean. Ace could do that. It is in your fingers. Today’s music might again seem strange to younger generations in a few decades. Regarding musical influence and originality, it is the same with Peter or Ace, Ace might seem a sloppy player, but so is Jimmy Page, compared to today’s shredders and legions of studio musicians who are perfect players. But he got the mojo and the ideas, so did Ace. Musicality is not all about technical abilities on your instrument, sometimes the lack of a certain virtuosity creates a far more influential and interesting piece of sound and music than if you were a perfect player. Vai leaves me cold, Ace moves me. Peter’s payling style was a product of the drummers he listened to (Starr, Bonham, jazz blues and swing drummer etc.), Singer has different heroes which also shows. The only thing that is just stupid is to compare things that cannot be compared. Enjoy what you like and leave the rest alone.
I completely agree. Plus, Peter leaves his soul in every beat, an Singer plays like he doesn’t care.
I agree with you guys about he emotion in Peter’s drumming, but just to clarify: I really did mean motion of sound. Sound waves are movements in the air; and the way Peter drums, he moves those sound waves with volatility, with combustible energy.
“Leaves his soul in every beat”? No that’s just Peter trying to remember which drum to hit. Look at any clip of concert footage from the Reunion to Farewell tours. Peter looks like he doesn’t really know what he’s doing. Almost timid and disgusted. Never smiles. Seems like a real treat to be around.
I’d love to know what Peter did to this guy….
I do not know if he does not care, surely it is more like a job to him than to Peter who co-founded the band which forever makes you feel emotionally related, but as I said the way Singer drums is completely different and you cannot blame him for that.