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
WALL OF SOUND on the MONSTER album is a great cut reminiscent of Billy Squire s LONELY IS THE NIGHT. As much as I like Ace and Peter, they re better off with Eric and Tommy. BLACK DIAMOND is Peter’s song all the way and it would be a disservice to have Eric do the vocals. Oh by the way, no one cares about the hall of fame. The reunion in the 90s-2000s is good enough for me. The hall doesn’t deserve a KISS reunion. Peter’s book is a great bio, one of the best out there. FREHLEY’S COMET had a very underrated logo. A reemergence of Vinny Vincent would make me watch the induction more than Ace or Paul. How bout Vincent, Anton Figg, Bruce Kulick and Michael Bolton do FOREVER and I dressed as the original 4. I from ….THE ELDER is really good as well.
Best post ever Richman and I agree completely. Reading Gene’s book a few years back, its clear to me that he had no patience for Ace and Peter. Having a single mom who literally escaped the nazi’s and moved her and her son to the USA, Gene is the world’s biggest capitalist. I don’t think he can comprehend how Ace and Peter literally pissed away the fame and money that the four of them had and he can’t forgive them for it. In a way I don’t blame him. This is reminiscent of Axl and a Guns reunion for the HOF. Although Axl is a massive dick and destroyed the GNR name, clearly the thought of him and Slash together puts knots in his stomach and he can’t give the fans what they want no matter what. As much as I don’t like him, I can appreciate that. Gene and Paul probably don’t want to deal with all the follow ups that would happen if the four of them did reunite if just for one song. Like Richman, I got my fill of the original four when they re-united. Don’t need to see them at the HOF and like Mr. Trunk says, they haven’t even gotten in yet. Don’t want to come across as defending Gene, but he did say in the same article that he would gladly go in with Ace and Peter and be there with them at the show – just wouldn’t perform with them. Paul feels the same way, Gene just says it. Clearly there is a tonne of water that’s gone under the KISS bridge and Gene wants no part of it. Like I always say, if you don’t like it I don’t blame you. But at the same time Gene and Paul did a shitload for those two in the glory days and helped them both become millionaires. They pissed it away and whined like babies – Mr. Crisscola especially. So if Gene can’t hack it for one night, I can understand that to some degree. BTW, the Rock and Roll HOF is a fucking joke and I hope Vinnie Vincent shows up and accepts on KISS’ behalf should they get in. Then Mark Slaughter can join Vinnie on stage and they can reunite and perform Beth together, and then we have a whole other topic to talk shit about. And Richman Eric Singer does sing Black Diamond at the concerts and its a cardinal sin. Just like Tommy singing Shock Me.
Oh, and The Oath from The Elder is really good to.
A couple points I’d make here:
Regarding the cancer bit from Gene, it’s tasteless, but the first shot was fired across the bow years ago with Ace dressing up in Nazi Gear knowing full well Gene (and Paul’s) background.
As much as Gene feels Ace and Peter have done things to ruin KISS’s legacy, with performances that weren’t 100%, Gene’s marketing machine approach to KISS, with the lunchboxes and junk starting waaaayyyyy back did the band more harm credibility-wise. Yes, the band made countless millions off of their fans, but all credibility was lost a long time ago.
Check Lydia’s book for the pics of PAUL standing next to Ace in full Nazi regalia.
Paul Stanley also dressed as à nazi with Ace & Peter. So Whats your point???
Gene forgets to mention the picture of Paul Stanley and Peter Criss in nazi uniforms……google it and take a look
i must say i have lost ALL respectfor these guys. as a almost lifetime fan of the band it sad for me to say this but i cant wait till they are over with for good. or at least the only two original guys in the band . they seem to be tryin nothing more but to shame both ace and peter,.. these were the original founders of what i come to love all these years .. wanna talk about no respect , gene should be ashamed of his self and i know what he is saying but he should keep it to his self, he is really a selfish prick.. and paul has turned out to be exactly what gene has ,.a pig… i hope they dont get accepted in rnrhof…this crap they label kiss now i’m both gene n paul but this is not kiss in no way shape or form bozo the clowns more like it…you might have this scheme over the eyes of your little 7 year ole fans at your shows nowadays but us older ones know better…this sucks and i can’t wait for these clowns to retire
Eric Singer is not a younger guy. He was well established even before joining KISS about 20 years ago or so. Very good drummer. DR, yes on THE OATH, not crazy about SHOCK ME and the ALIVE BLACK DIAMOND is one of the great performances of the heavy metal genra. The vocals, the drumming, ACEs solo and the overall energy is still what metal is about. Peter says it is not dubbed but I wouldn’t care if it was. No one, not Gene or anyone can take that away from Peter. I played out my KISS catalogue over the years but I ll always listen to ALIVEs BLACK DIAMOND. Original album version lacks the energy of Peter’s live version. I like Eric Singer but that song is too big for him.
Gene Simmons fails to understand that if KISS is inducted, it would be for ONE NIGHT ONLY. Of course, Gene is totally clueless anyway
There are so many things wrong with this don’t know where to begin. First they are NOT in yet, so why discuss now? They have been nominated before FYI. Call them a cancer when Peter fought cancer? Wow! And the allegation that somehow Peter & Ace doing signing shows is any different than Kiss selling fans signed guitars after shows to fans is different is laughable. The Hall would make the call on who plays IF they get in I would think. If all about the FANS as they say, you are expecting Ace and Peter to watch as Tommy and Eric as them play at a Hall induction? Right, FANS of this band and their HISTORY, which would get them in the Hall would want to see that, right? I’d rather they NOT go in than that happen. Amazing.
Well said Eddie.
FYI – HoF would not dictate who plays the night of the show; they would only choose which band members would be inducted. The performance itself is up to those who are currently in the band and therefore can choose to do what they like (do a quick YouTube search for Blondie’s induction several years back where one former member on stage literally begs Debbie Harry to let them play that night, and she denies the request on stage for them to play in “her” band).
Im a fan of all of the incarnations, including the current one….In my opinion, if Kiss deservedly gets in, they should honor` KISS(Paul, Gene, Peter, Ace, Eric C, Vinnie, Bruce, Tommy, and Eric S)Well, I’m not totally sure about Vinnie. They all deserve to be there….Id just assume having an all star tribute to KISS to avoid all of the other nonsense, an avoid offending anyone
Eddie,
I believe that when Blondie was inducted, Her and Chris Stein had no choice having Nigel Harrison and Frank Infante during the acceptance, but refused to let them perform. I’m thinking that Gene and Paul most definitely are pulling the string or allowing them to perform and not the RRHOF.
Hi Terri,
Are you still crazy about Ace?
ACK!!!
Ace, those of us that have seen the REAL version of KISS know where the real talent in the band was and who Space Ace is (here’s a clue… NOT Tommy Thayer).
Greg Baker, do you really think Ace played all those solo’s back in their heyday? May I introduce you to Bob Kulick?
Only for a few songs on the Alive II studio sessions. And do you think Gene played bass on all the records? The answer is…no
DR, I am relatively sure that when I saw them live in 1996 it was Mr Frehley playing. I realize that there were times when Ace was MIA but if not for Ace, KISS wouldn’t have reached the heights that they did, and trying to exclude him is absolutely wrong.
Greg Baker and Matt, maybe you should read interviews with Bob Kulick and Ace himself. They’ll both tell you that during Destroyer to Love Gun, Ace was usually to far in the bag to do the studio sessions and Kulick did a large percentage of the solos. Ace even admitted that he would talk to Bob during the sessions when Bob was playing and would joke ‘how’d I do today?’ Why do you think Bob Kulick is considered in the fold with KISS? How do you think they found Bruce Kulick? And you’re right, Gene did not play bass on Detroit Rock City. The pattern was too difficult for him to learn at that time. So Gene didn’t play one one song. And Ace didn’t play on half the songs. Ace created the logo, and wrote a couple of songs. What else ya got?
DR you haven’t said anything that anyone doesn’t already know. I read Ace’s book, and most of that was documented in there. It is obvious to me that you tend to take Gene’s side of things and that is fine. I know that Bob contributed to the band (I can read album credits, too). But I still stick to my original statement about Ace (who is now 7 years sober if I remember correctly). Trying to exclude anyone who has been in KISS is wrong. And I bet if you surveyed KISS fans and asked who they’d rather see playing if/when KISS is inducted, bet you over 95% would rather see Ace playing up there than Tommy or anyone else. But if the induction actually does happen (it is obvious the board of the HOF are idiots, so know knows?) then all of the band members’ contributions need to be recognized. Vinnie, Bruce, Bob, Mark, Eric (both), Tommy, and any others I may have missed (you’ll probably shove that in my face too). Obviously you read way more about KISS than I do, and I am fine with that. Really Bruce would be the one getting hosed the worst, as he was lead guitar way longer than any of the others.
never seen Bob kulick play in kiss live….just on a couple of throw away songs on the arse end of Alive 2…..BOB WHO…?????
IF GENE SIMMONS WANTS TO PLAY THE ROCK N ROLL HALL OF FAME, HE S GONNA PLAY WITHOUT AN ACE IN HIS BAND. Original Frehley’s COMET still killer. ALEXANDERS on Fordham road still a goner. LONG LIVE THE BRONX’S GREATEST GUITARIST.
First off let me say that I think that the HOF is a big joke.
I think that this is an opportunity to make a huge spectacle both musically and press wise. Gather all living members on that stage, and then just let it rip, bombs, fireworks, confetti the whole shebang. Celebrate the legacy – let it be a night for the fans to enjoy. And end it right there, forever.
Each and every member of KISS should be there, they all contributed to the KISS legacy. If they only come as Paul, Gene, Eric and Tommy it loses all credibility and it’ll just be another band inducted. If it’s only the current lineup, it’s like being spit in the face.
I seriously doubt they’ll get in there, and quite frankly, I really don’t care that much for KISS anymore. The more Paul and Gene talk, the less I like KISS. Sad… but true.