Larry Getlen of New York Post reports:
When Paul Stanley, frontman and rhythm guitarist for the band KISS, married in November 2005, he shared his joy with friends and family, including bandmates Eric Singer and Tommy Thayer.
Notably absent from the ceremony: Stanley’s longtime musical partner, KISS bassist Gene Simmons. He wasn’t invited.
“Your views on marriage are your own,” Stanley told Simmons, who publicly denounced the concept of marriage until his own nups in 2011. “But when you insult and demean people who get married and ridicule or dismiss the idea of marriage, you have no place at a wedding.”
The incident is replayed in Stanley’s memoir, Face the Music: A Life Exposed, written with journalist Tim Mohr and out Tuesday.
As success came [to the band], Stanley noticed in interviews that Simmons “sure used the word ‘I’ a lot.” Stanley accuses him of abandoning the band in the early ’80s, distracted by attempts to become an actor, but then taking credit for Stanley’s work; and also of using the KISS logo and persona for personal projects without contractual permission.
During this time, Stanley writes, Simmons’ duplicity left him feeling there was “a traitor in the midst.”
As harsh as Stanley is with Simmons, he saves his real venom for former band mates Frehley and Criss. After it was announced back in December that KISS will be inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame at Barclays Center on Thursday, a public war erupted over which band members would play at the upcoming ceremony.
Frehley, Criss and the Hall wanted a reunion of the original lineup in full makeup; Simmons and Stanley refused, since KISS now has two other long-standing members in drummer, singer and guitarist Thayer. As of now, all four original members will attend the ceremony, but there will be no performance of the band’s music.
Stanley’s book sheds greater light on why he wouldn’t want a full-on reunion, recalling countless past times that Frehley and Criss, who have both had substance-abuse issues, were belligerent and even unable to play.
Stanley also accuses Frehley of stashing drugs “in the bags or pockets of crew members — without their knowledge — so he wasn’t on the hook if they were found.”
Even more shocking are his accusations of anti-Semitism against the pair. Noting that Frehley owned a collection of Nazi memorabilia, and that some of his earliest experiences with Criss involved the drummer racially mocking waiters at Chinese restaurants, Stanley writes that Frehley and Criss resented him and Simmons for controlling the band’s creative output — which Stanley says occurred because Frehley and Criss’ songwriting contributions “just didn’t amount to much.”
Stanley reiterated to The Post that yes, he does believe that Frehley and Criss are anti-Semitic.
“Yes, I do,” he says. “It’s based on years and years of interactions. It’s not pulled out of thin air.” Frehley and Criss did not respond to requests for comment.
Read more at the New York.
source: nypost.com
246 Responses
I never bought anything from KISS after ACE and Peter never went to a live show without the originals either.. they were no more to me..Bought ACE’s solos and have all of Peters Music as well!!
Hey Paul and Gene I’m buying ACE’s NEW CD and will skip your upcoming tour of “CRAP” AGAIN!!
GO F** yourself’s you A-Holes
Well too bad for you…COTN is arguably the best album they ever released and the following tour was amazing. LIU, Animalize, Revenge…all fantastic albums and tours. The fact is Ace couldn’t touch the playing on those albums and Peter…not even in the same ballpark as Carr or Singer. I love the original band…grew up with it. They’ll always be special. Been with it since ’75 but hey, your loss on not buying the above albums. Neither Ace nor…and especially nor Peter have ever remotely released anything on the level of those albums I just listed. Hey…you wanna bury yourself in some of the crap Peter has released have at it…you’ll be one of the few that have.
Wow Paul…..ok you didn’t (supposably) read Ace’s & Peter’s book…..(hmmm) but almost basically quote many instances/circumstances from their books into his book…..and then seems to conviently forgets about his own nazi photos of HIMSELF????? Seems to forget about promoting “ALLLLCOHOLLL” & drugs?? Paul in all honesty you can bang on Ace & Peter till your last hour of life but if Bullshit was Electricity you could power up New York STATE on your own. Lmao….still TRYING to convince us that he & Gene are guilty free and superior than Ace, Peter, Donald Trump, GOD……..yeah Paul it’s funny considering your encounters with alcohol, drugs, sleeping with the other gender NEVER comes to the surface…..Joe in The Cuse. Lols, seriously the bullshit these two clowns have been doing has tarnished the exciting legacy it had with people. Pathetic behavior.
My GOD, please do not think “supposedly” is pronounced “supposably”…holy shit that irks the hell out of me…
You know what?………..no one else will say it but I will! Tired of holding my tongue! Paul only fuels anti semitic stereotypes with the way he acts.
And what stereotype is that? That he’s a successful business person who’s kept a brand alive for 40 years when everyone kept telling him what a joke it was?
El duce might be referring to the prejudice jews have had to endure since the Middle Ages, e.g. in works of art like “The Merchant of Venice ” by one not so unknown writer called Shakespeare, and in all of this the jew was stereotypically portrayed as money-greedy, which in fact was because jews weren’t allowed to any kind of trade in past centuries so they took up the business of money lending. You see it is a very old clichee and stereotype that is always referred to and in case of Paul and Gene seems to apply, even if one is not prejudieced against jews at all.
Exactly. You are the only one here not blinded by pre conceived notions.
What does money lending have to do with Paul Stanley? Jews didn’t invent Capitalism. Those stereotypes are what’s known as scapegoating. Such uneducated nonsense.
I fear you are the one not so educated here as you obviously did not comprehend what I was saying but which can be looked up in history books. DR was asking about what stereotype was referred to and this is it. So it is not a stereotype I am using and that you are complaining about, it is historical knowledge, am afraid. Did I say capitalism? No. Making money by lending money to others is not the (complete) definition of capitalism. So again, go to wikipedia first before you start insulting others.
You said that the stereotype of the money lending Jew seems to apply to Paul and Gene! Wikipedia??? So Kiss are money brokers now? Wikipedia?? Your “history lesson” conveys one thing: Jewish people have been scapegoated, in literature and in both hard and soft power circuits. Wikipedia??? They’ve been through more than any other group of people, that’s not playing the sympathy card, that’s the truth. Wikipedia??? El Duce, where do you think that Mentors guy got his name from??? Just unbelievable, why do I even bother? Wikipedia???
You’re talking about anti-semitism and your name EL DUCE is a reference to Hitler’s ally and hero Benito Mussolini. Think before you blog dumb dumb.
No it’s not! Wrong el Duce! It’s el Duce from an awful band the mentors. I use it as a joke because I think el Duce and the mentors are pervs and a$$holes.
The Mentors acted like pervs to get a rise out of people, that’s all. It was a joke. Jeez…
Also paul like many people will use the racial or religious sympathy card to get people on his side. This whole Jewish sympathy card is getting old with gene & paul who have sunk so low that they have brung up the holocaust. I understand genes mom was in a nazi concentration camp but what he and paul did is equally as bad as whatever nazi jokes ace & peter said. Many rockers collect nazi memrobilia. It is nothing new……………
Sorry Mr. El Duce,
Regardless of what you think of Stanley and Simmons, it doesn’t make it right. It was one of the worlds worst atrocities, and what was even more shocking was that it occurred in the 1930’s and 40’s, not the stone age. Trying to minimize and trivialize the situation by claiming people use it as a sympathy card is pathetic, and just shows what type of person you are.
Dana
Lemmy and quite a few others own NAZI stuff because it is Dark and evil not so much anti Sematic, Much like the Satanic stuff and bands like Sabbath and Slayer. If I had to guess they were doing what ever to piss Gene and Paul off at times they knew how to get to them. It obviously worked.
As I stated before, to each their own, but I think owning that stuff is gross. It’s like possessing memorabilia from 9/11 or any other morbid atrocity where people were scapegoated, murdered and tortured for a sick and twisted reason.
Dana
Concentration camps weren’t “dark” Jim. They were torture chambers designed for one thing and one thing only. To kill, butcher, massacre and destroy Jews and those harboring and sympathizing with them. It’s a shame that there are so few survivors of the concentration camps. You could use a little educating on the subject. Smarten up!
I guess the problem is that Gene and Paul seem to be using this to further diminish Ace and Peter for reasons quite obvious by now. They also might know that this topic is so sensitive that no one in their right minds will dare to say something against it just BECAUSE it was one of the if not the worst atrocity in the history of mankind, and I know what I am talking about because my ancestors were involved which leaves a mark on you forever.
Exactly the point I was trying to make!
Yes, I think Paul just came out with this nonsense now just to hurt Ace & Peter and ruin their night at the hall of fame…I don’t know how much lower he can stoop than this but I’m sure he’ll think of something.
Bravo Dana. I think some people in this room should take a trip to the Holocaust Museum in DC.
Truth,
As sad as it, I am afraid you might be right. Personally, I could never bring myself to enter the hallowed halls of that museum or visit any of the death camps in Poland. I don’t know how people do it, I think I would end up crying hysterically and having nightmares.
Mans inhumanity to man, sadly, at times, never ceases to amaze me.
D
You are without a doubt the stupidest person to post on this site. Love this version of KISS or not, maybe learn about Gene’s arrival into America, couldn’t speak english, didn’t know his father, mother who fought against tremendous odds to get here and give her son a chance. The man came from nothing, absolutely nothing and built an empire. How many kids in Africa do you or your favorite rock star sponsor? Has your favorite rock star opened a woman’s shelter yet? Hate him for whatever inside of KISS you want, it s a free country. But the shit you’re spewing is beyond ignorant.
What? First I’m talking about paul! Second I simply said paul is using the race card to destroy ace & peter. I also said paul is not helping the problem of anti semitism when he uses the atrocities his people went through to destroy others. I have no problem with gene or paul being jews. My favorite van halen member is a Jew! You are missing the whole point.
I also want to make clear that I am in no way condoning ace & peters actions 100% and I also dissaprove of anti semitism. But you must be careful when people use the race card to destroy others.
I agree with you a hundred percent, one should have absolute proof before accusing someone of being anti Semitic. However, I still think that your comment about Paul’s behavior fitting the “stereotype,” quite inflammatory.
Dana
Yes, never speak the truth…it might hurt someone’s feelings.
Not when it’s hate mongering. You sound like a real treat. Please do not respond to me again.
Have a great day,
Dana
Fitting the “stereotype”! Never did I say the stereotype was true. When paul goes around using his Jewish heritage to defame and humiliate others, it will cause haters and bigots to use it as a straw man for their racist arguments. All I’m saying is paul is dangerously using his Jewish heritage in a way that can actually negatively affect the Jewish community. Paul was photographed also wearing a nazi uniform in Lydia criss book. What does that say about how paul feels about the atrocities his people went through. As far as what kind of person I am………..I’m a mutt mixed with ALOT of stuff. I would not be alive without racial diversity. So please don’t insinuate that I’m a racist or anti Semite. I believe race is used to divide and destroy communities. Only one race exists………the human race. And paul doesn’t seem to believe that.
Then maybe you should have expressed your views that way the first time. You certainly didn’t sound very tolerant to me.
Now, if Paul was pictured wearing that costume, that clearly questions the validity of his statements and makes him look hypocritical.
Dana
“Fitting the stereotype…” the only way he could ‘fit the stereotype’ the way you used it, is if you believed the stereotype to be true. Paul is basing alot of his feelings on more than just memorabilia, there was alot of shit that was said that was uncool, it was hurtful, not saying Ace meant any of it, but he used to make these crazy videos with his friend when they were high. Like I said, I think he was not aware of how hurtful it really was. I like how you bring up Paul wearing that jacket, and I don’t get it either, but THAT is a Straw Man argument you are using against Paul, because he tried on a jacket you conclude..what exactly? You say that what Paul says about Ace and Peter could be used as a Straw Man by bigoted people against Jews, but that is exactly the argument you make against Paul! You say he ‘fits the stereotype,’ if that isn’t Straw Man, I don’t know what is, you use Straw Man on Paul twice in your post.
Using heritage for personal gain like paul has, shows he has no respect for his Jewish heritage. It is disrespectful to jews throughout the world.
I really don’t see this as using the race card. I think he was trying to justify his reasons for why he has negative feelings for both Ace and Peter. Although, as I stated before, if he was pictured wearing the costume himself, then his comments/opinions are moot.
Dana
Dana, you haven’t seen the photos yet? Since Paul’s comments they’ve been all over the ‘net.
Thanks for EVERYTHING you do , Dana.
Hi E,
Thank you for your lovely words.
No, I haven’t seen the pictures, but, I have enough faith in the posters that where there is smoke, there is most likely a fire.
D 🙂
Comment update: I was just sent the pictures. I have no words, well, actually I do, but I am trying to be a lady, so they are not fit for print 😉
“Fits the stereotype..” If the stereotype type is false, as you tried to backpedal and say that is what you really ‘meant.,’ then this statement is a paradox, it is nonsensical. There is no way someone could fit a falsity. It would have to be true for this statement to make any sense. Therefore, you must believe it. Your reasoning that Paul fits this stereotype is pure Straw Man, even if the conclusion were true, which it isn’t. The whole argument is complete garbage. And again, that jacket premise is so Straw Man it’s not even a close call.
You make no sense. It actually is possible for someone to fit a false stereotype. Stereotypes assume everyone or a majority acts or does something a certain way. If one Jew acts out on a stereotype that doesn’t automatically make it true for a whole community. Therefore paul stanley acted out on false stereotypes. You seem confused……………………
So what you are saying is that the stereotype is false, except for in Paul’s case, because he ‘fits the stereotype,’ therefore making the stereotype true…so then you believe it to be true. We live in different worlds, “stereotype’ is an antiquated notion in mine.
Thank you Dana for what you said and by the way I write in A LOT so you deserve a major thank you for helping Eddie with this site and these threads we all free to express our views on. It isn’t easy and you do an admirable job. I will say this site is presenting both sides and a few weeks I wrongly accused it for being pro Ace/Peter and I apologized to Eddie. I would have loved a news report that was very cool about Kiss and that was the big sold out unmasked, unplugged show they did April 3. THE setlist was deep and Paul’s voice much stronger again. Segments are on YouTube so judge for yourself how good it was. Anyways I Wil say this the Paul and Gene hate is not so dominant on other forums and sites. Most fan comments do not take so hateful to Gene and Paul. They see it as the Hall being the true culprit here because had they been cool with it Gene and Paul wanted to do another moment like MTV unplugged and name with ALL members. Would have been fun. And that’s EXACTLY what Paul and Gene said on phone when they called to congratulate ace and Peter. That’s what both admit was said to them. They feel gene and Paul lied to them about having fun playing. No they meant it ALL playing together and I think that would have been fun. I love all the 4 members and Carr,Vinnie,Bruce,Eric,Tommy.
Well stated Chad and thank you for all your kind words.
I agree. This whole drama seems to have brought out not only the worst in the musicians, but in some of their fans as well. It’s sad. Thank God, my favorite band is Judas Priest-LOL!
Have a great day,
D 🙂
LOL! Love Judas Priest! How refreshing in the midst of all this drama!
Thanks Mike. 🙂 Sometimes levity is the greatest equalizer.
Glad you’re a fellow Priest fan.
D 🙂
Wow Dana, Priest is my favorite too. Once you factor in that unmatched run from 1976-1986 of great albums, they just beat out Kiss. Plus Priest blows Kiss off the stage. I love how Priest takes another bands’s game, like say Kiss’s with “Living After Midnight” and then beats them at it. All the crazy stuff I say about Kiss on here, I could go on about Priest..their Darwinian fight for survival, the mutations,
🙂 It’s hard to beat the perfection of Screaming for Vengeance and the unique, powerful voice of the Metal God.
D 🙂
Amen sister, that record is a work of art, it’s ground breaking and commercial..simultaneously! Halford used completely different contours for those songs than previous, the up ratchet of those guitar breaks…I could go on and on..:)
My favorite Priest album of all time. I could go on and on too-LOL! That record “sets my soul on fire.”
D 🙂
You know Dana, I don’t know if you’ve thought about how deep Priest went in their commentary on society with that Screaming record. It’s a very astute look at the danger of God being replaced by science and science becoming the new religion. This leads to a dismantling of values. Rob addresses that in his lyrics, and also in the presentation where there is this sort of a seething, a desperation. The music also takes on this almost scary precision, that is in a way impersonal, a sort of reaction to how this new science minimizes our essence, our Being, by making us it’s subjects….it’s actually really heady stuff on there, there’s alot more to that record than first meets the senses. It’s funny that Priest would get labeled Devil worshipers when they are the complete opposite. They are holding up a very clear picture of the danger of secularism. Also very ahead of its time, I actually don’t think anyone has ever caught up to Priest yet.
S.I.C,
Thank you for education on Screaming for Vengeance, I never considered it in that way.
I interpreted the song Electric Eye as being Orwellian in concept and message. Songs such as Take These Chains, Pain and Pleasure and Devil’s Child flirt with the ideas of submission and domination. No matter how one perceives the album, the essence of the songs stand on their own. Bloodstone is one of my all time favorite Priest songs. To me, the whole record is amazing and stands up to this day.
I am also a die hard John Sykes fan as well. That is one musician who doesn’t get enough credit as far as I am concerned.
Cheers,
D 🙂
I agree Dana, that thing flows and every song on there is a showstopper. I always picture Elvis singing “Riding on the Wind!” I also love that they are so professional, they don’t let their egos dictate that they have write every song, the song comes first, so a great song like “Chains” makes the cut. I tell ya, though, I started reading Nietzsche and that guy really influenced Priest. It gave me a whole new appreciation for how astute that band was.That is a very intelligent record, there is this whole other layer you can access and appreciate if you want.
Thanks for keeping this music alive,
S.I.C.
PS. I need to re-visit some Blue Murder 🙂
Well said Chad, Dana definitely deserves our thanks and respect for helping to keep things respectable around here (as much as possible in here). She’s right, look at how this kind of drama brings out the worst in people, resorting to name-calling and behaving the same way we’re all calling out Paul and Gene for.
I’m not 100% in agreement over how much the HOF has played into this whole scenario, besides their reputation for being horribly inconsistent regarding their selection of inducted members. Regarding the mentioned imbalance of people hating on Gene and Paul here vs. other sites, could be perhaps after seeing Peter on TMS?
I think this guy is just trying to say that Paul is being a hypocrite- 40 years ago he dressed up in that regalia- I wonder if he’s forgotten that? At this point the anti semitism remark shouldn’t have been brought up by Paul. Poor Peter and Ace have been probably stressed out by this whole mess and now Paul keeps pushing things making it worse.
Cali,
If he stated it that way, I would have agreed with him wholeheartedly. I commend you on delivering your point in a very mature way and I cannot argue with it.
D 🙂
I like to see everyone get their opinion out in a fair and decent way. Some just can’t though- they jump and say exactly what they feel without thinking it through.
😉
‘Poor Peter and Ace’……….Cali – its getting real old real fast.
You don’t have to read it 🙂
At this point, I do feel bad for them both, being drug through the mud once again. That’s my prerogative.
But when you take sides, expecially based on heresay, that is exactly what you are doing.
Change your stupid blog name dopey.