Greg Prato of Guitar World spoke with KISS guitarist Tommy Thayer, excerpts from the interview appear below.
Guitar World: Have you made any changes to your rig for the recent KISS tours?
Tommy Thayer: I’ve been tried and true for over 15 years. I probably have four of those Duotones with me and I run three cabinets on stage – one is underneath the drum riser and then two are offstage running in stereo. It’s a traditional guitar-into-the-amp kind of sound.
Guitar World: How would you compare your signature Les Pauls to a regular Les Paul?
Tommy Thayer: The Les Pauls I play on stage are made by the Gibson Custom Shop – they’re not my signature models. I’ve done four different signature guitars with Epiphone through the years…
…They’re all guitars like I said, modeled after a ’58 or a ’59 Les Paul Standard. But they’re enhanced aesthetically with the finishes that look cool and look very ‘KISS.’ Mirror pickguards and stuff like that.
Guitar World: How has your guitar playing changed since you started playing with KISS?
Tommy Thayer: I like to think that I continually get better. [Laughs] I still work on it – I still practice. I’m more comfortable now than when I first got in the band 20 years ago. But that’s to be expected…”
Guitar World: Which KISS songs are your favorite to perform live?
Tommy Thayer: My favorite KISS song when I heard the first KISS album [1974’s Kiss] was Black Diamond. I still love playing that one live.
[Original KISS guitarist] Ace [Frehley] had some fantastic, very signature solos back in the day, and I love playing those solos. Every kid grew up on that stuff, and I’m the one that gets to play it night after night, so I’m very fortunate in that regard.
Detroit Rock City. Another fun one is God Gave Rock n’ Roll to You II – with a great Bob Ezrin-esque melodic guitar section in the middle of it.
Guitar World: Is this really the end of the band?
Tommy Thayer: You’d have to ask Gene [Simmons] and Paul [Stanley] that question. That’s the plan, and legitimately what we’re doing.
None of us are getting any younger, particularly Gene and Paul – they’re edging into their 70s now. To do a KISS performance, it takes a lot more than your average band to do this. KISS is in a different category in terms of the physicality and what it takes to actually do a show. ..
Guitar World: What are your plans for after KISS?
Tommy Thayer: I don’t have any. I’m not a ‘What are you going to be doing in five years?’ kind of guy. I’m just looking at today and focusing on that…
Guitar World: What do you think your legacy will be with KISS?
Tommy Thayer: I don’t know if many people realize this, but I’ve been the lead guitarist in KISS longer than any other KISS guitar player. But I will always be known as ‘the new guy’ though – no matter what happens. I’m ‘the Ronnie Wood’ of KISS
My legacy will be a guy who came in, worked hard, and was the glue that kept the band together for a long period of time. I think the kind of character and personality that I have is that of a team player and somebody who can bring people together and bind things together.
And I think the reason that we’ve done so well and so consistently in the last 20 years is because of the personalities, the give and take, and the ability to keep everybody happy… and keep working together on a professional level.
It works well. I’ll probably be that guy that has been in the band longer than anybody else besides Gene and Paul, that kept things together, and was the glue that made it work.
Read more at Guitar World.
Tommy Thayer is also featured on drummer Carmine Appice’s soaring track Mystified, which appears on the legendary drummer’s Zeus 25th Anniversary Box Set.
Image credit: Ross Halfin
39 Responses
The same dinosaurs here always spewing vitriol about the same things all the time. Your arguments are boring and not persuasive at all. Just pathetic hate. Tommy has dedicated himself to give KISS a proper KISS show. It is Gene and Paul who tell him how to play, look, and perform. It’s a job and he performs it respectfully. He is the Spaceman to a whole new generation of KISS fans. While he will be remembered fondly by KISS fans, you dinosaurs with your hate will be forgotten.
Tommy, what you will be remembered as is a loser incapable of originality, it’s not hate, it’s just the truth. There is no argument here, you have made a career and a life out of copying everything Ace ever did, that’s not hate, it’s just a fact, plain and simple. Dinosaurs? Been called alot of things in my life, but never a dinosaur! LOL!!! Maybe some younger fans like D7 don’t care, but people like me who grew up with KI⚡⚡ in the ’70s and supported them, supported everything they did, and supported EVERYBODY that was in the band from 1973 to 2001, believe me, we care alot! If Tommy and Eric were allowed to be themselves, or a different character, we wouldn’t be having this conversation, for the millionth time.
“Dinasours”? Really, D7? Let’s keep the name calling out of these postings, okay? We have a huge difference of opinion on the Spaceman and Catman imposter issue, but that difference of opinion does not mean you should resort to name calling of those who think differently than you. Express your opinions, be respectful of contrary opinions, and don’t attack or resort to name calling of those who think differently than you.
And BTW, I’m a huge KI$$ fan, particularly of the original KI$$, and there is no way in hell I will ever fondly remember Tommy Thayer dressing up as the Spaceman in KI$$. I will never attend another KI$$ concert that has others dressed up as original characters. And that is how I let Gene and Paul know I’m not happy with their business decision to dress up others as the Spaceman and Catman.
Yes, I agree, the comment could have been made without the snark.
Signed a fellow dinosaur. 🙂
At the same time that I complimented Tommy, we all know that the history of Kiss many years from now will be focused on the original lineup. The music that lineup made will be remembered, not Sonic Boom. Think about it, the vintage merch and music sells way more. Kissology sets went many times platinum, and it wasn’t because of the Crazy Nights era footage. The fact is that Gene, Ace, Peter and Paul were the John, Paul, George and Ringo of the 70s. That enormous impact will reverberate forever.
Roooaaarrr! You guys have proved my point. I have to snark, Dana, it is my only weapon to defend Tommy and Eric against this onslaught of negativity.
What ever happened to “we can agree to disagree?” 😉
It is not “negativity,” it is called honesty! And it is what it is. Tommy and Eric brought it upon themselves when they decided to call along with this charade. I have mentioned Alice Cooper (Vincent Furnier) many times in the past as an example/comparison, and I’m going to do it again, would anybody, ANYBODY, especially lifelong fans, go see Alice Cooper if it was someone else OTHER than Vincent Furnier? No, of course not, case closed.
As much as I hate Eric Singer portraying the Catman, at least he was able to be himself on the Revenge album….i think that’s a great album, and Eric helped KI$$ return as a hard rock band again after the 80’s KI$$ era…..
Merry KI$$MAS to my fellow Rivet Heads…Dana, Doug R., Robert, RTunes, D7, and the rest of the fellow posters on this site. We may all have varying opinions on things and not agree, but we are all passionate about our favorite genre of music.
That’s true, bro, Singer has been a member of KI⚡⚡ since 1991, except of course for the reunion years from ’96 to 2000, Thayer since 2001, so for Tommy to say he’s been in the band longer than anybody else besides Gene and Paul is wrong. Merry Christmas and Happy New Year from all of us here at Jurassic Snark! 😉
To Dana and everyone who post here Happy Holidays or Merry metal Christmas and a Head-banging New Year
Merry Christmas, Charles! Thank God 2021 is almost done, let’s hope and pray 2022 is a great year for the Red, White & Blue! 🙂