GUITARIST ACE FREHLEY ON HIS FORMER KISS BANDMATES, “IT’S A SHAME THAT THE PRESS [IMPLIES] THAT WE ALL HATE EACH OTHER”
On September 21st, original KISS guitarist Ace Frehley was guest on Eddie’s Sirius/XM show Trunk Nation.
When asked if he still stays in touch with any of his former New York City bandmates, Frehley replied (via blabbermouth.net), “I exchange messages with those guys from time to time. Gene [Simmons] gave me a phone call a couple of weeks ago, actually, and I still haven’t gotten back to him. I’ve been so preoccupied with moving and unpacking and designing… I’m the architect for this new studio [I am building at my new house in New Jersey], so I’ve been pretty jammed up. But I will get back to Gene. I speak to Paul [Stanley] from time to time. I speak to [Peter Criss’s wife] Gigi and Peter. So we’re all friends.”
“It’s a shame that the press makes it out that we all hate each other,” he continued. “After what we created and what we accomplished over the last 40 years — me and Peter, Paul and Gene being the founding members of KISS — there’s no reason why we shouldn’t be friends and let bygones be bygones.”
Addressing whether Frehley would like to play with his former bandmates one more time, before the band is retired, the guitarist replied, “I think it’s a possibility, but they’d have to reach deep into their pockets. I’m not getting up on stage for free, I can tell you that right now. I’m doing it because I love it, but I also love the money and I also love my Jaguar and my new Escalade and my new house, and I have all those things because of the music business and my fans, I give my fans 110 percent, and they give me 110 percent, so it works both ways. But Paul and Gene absolutely have admitted numerous times, they’re in it for the money — sometimes more so than the music. I’m not gonna get up there for free, and I don’t think any of my fans would expect me to. But I think my fans would love to see me up there.”
Frehley recently released his Origins Vol. 2, covers album, on September 18th. Additionally, in a current interview, which can be read here, he listed his favorite KISS solos.
It’s not the press that makes it out like they hate each other, it’s certain members of the band itself that make it out like they hate certain other members. The press is only reporting the comments made by certain band members. Maybe Ace thinks that they should be friends and let bygones should be bygones, but others clearly do not agree.
As for Ace ever joining KISS onstage, it’s never going to happen. Ace said it himself. Paul/Gene would have to “dig deep in their pockets.” Well, that’s a non-starter because they have no incentive to do that. Regardless of whether Ace (or Peter) is there, KISS’ final show will be a sold out. So why should Paul/Gene take on an unnecessary expense? “For the fans?” (LAUGHS!)
As the editor here, and simply as an observer, I agree with you, RTunes,
KISS put their trash out for all to see. Frehley can blame the press all he wants, but the members of KISS all suffer from diarrhea of the mouth. If you are going to allow yourself be an open book, so to speak, then you have to except the consequences, and not kill the messenger.
It is completely at the bandmember’s discretion what information they choose to share with the public, and what they don’t, so, at the end of the day, it is mainly on them.
D 🙂
Gotta Love Ace…..
Paul gets his digs on everyone….Peter/Ace for former indiscretions and Gene for not pulling his weight in the band. Paul has been the most dedicated member of the group, but his holier than thou approach is older than most of the cheesy lines they spew out. Of the 4, I believe it Peter and Paul who get along the least (based on what their autobiographies mentioned). They are all a bunch of knuckleheads.
Of course most fans would want to see the original four on stage one last time. It would take a miracle for that to happen…if Ace thinks he will get paid, Rob Halford said it best…”You Got Another Thing Coming”
DANA,
I completely agree with your take on kiss, to take it a little further, Paul Stanley is responsible for keeping the animosity in the headlines , I have no idea why he clings to this after so many years, Ace and Pete are clean and sober for what 15 yrs or so , Paul just sounds like a bitter dick when he spews that idiotic nonsense , Paul cant accept that if he and Gene do something with Ace And Pete , the fans all kiss fans will go nuts for it, he stubbornly cant accept that his new version of kiss would be immediately overshadowed by the four original guys , that’s why if it happens it will only happen on the last show they ever do as a band ~