According to Ultimate Guitar, KISS frontman Gene Simmons told Radio.com that if the band is inducted into the Rock N’ Roll Hall Of Fame, they will not be re-uniting with original members Ace Frehley and Peter Criss.
Simmons stated, “No. How many chances in life do you get? When you stick your hand in fire, you get burned the first time. Fire and nature doesn’t care if you’re a good guy or a bad guy. Both of those guys had three chances to be in the band. Three times they f–ked it up. They were every bit as important as we were at the formation of the band and they would have been the ruin of the band if they had continued to be in the band. When you have a cancer in your system, it’s best to cut it out as fast as you can. It used to be a part of your body; it turned into cancer. You gotta cut it out.”
Simmons also added that he believes his former bandmates are much happier not being in the band, “I believe that both Ace and Peter are happier now. They’re healthier, they both look fine. When they were in the band, they were both on junk, or crack or alcohol. Clearly not a healthy place for them. They belong home doing autograph shows in clubs. They’re happier.”
See the entire interview below. The comments in question appear at 4:26.
source: ultimate-guitar.com
155 Responses
Well if they aren’t going to play with Ace and Peter then there’s no point of an induction. Congratulation’s Gene, you just screwed yourself and the band.
This is unfortunate. I offer a suggestion to not only Gene Simmons but to the original band as a whole.
Before you close the door on this opportunity, please take the time to speak to the members of RUSH.
I recently had the chance to speak with Alex and Geddy, and it was surprising to them just how much it meant to share that together. Neither had really emotionally prepared for it, and both felt so grateful for the night – to celebrate it together. Agreed, RUSH and KISS are indeed apples and oranges, but each band has surely paid their dues. We’ll never see bands like them again, the molds are broken – please don’t let the lasting memory be broken as well.
In my opinion, participation should be decided jointly by the original four. Those four guys created what we all love … not one or two of them.
100+ posts great job everyone.
LOL!
After reading Nothin to Lose I have a whole new respect for Gene, Paul, Peter, and Ace. Its unbelievable what they endured to make it. Reading the book also gives me a new found respect for the stand Gene and Paul are taking. They have put their lives into this band and sacrificed everything to keep the ship afloat. Ace and Peter both went through periods where they were not pulling their weight….While we re all entitled to our opinions, only Gene and Paul can say whats right or wrong for the band, as its their blood, sweat, and tears that have kept the band alive. And it would appear they haven’t made too many poor decisions because this incarnation still draws quite a following. I’ll be headed to Miami on Sunday for the third KISS cruise with fans literally from all over the world…This will be my third KISS cruise and those boycotting(biting their nose off to spite their face) are missing out on what is an unbelievable experience. With that being said, that is only my opinion, and we all are entitled to our own. I would suggest reading the book…..Unbelievable the road they took to success…And to think they’re still one of the hardest working bands out there….Impressive
KISS cruise, eh? Does everyone sleep in kiss caskets. These guys are corporate whores.
…and have more money than you.
Not true….