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
I don’t care who you are, what color you are, ect. Everyone of us has skeleton’s in our closet! I grew up in the 70’s and 80’s faithfully listening to Kiss. We the fans have loved and enjoyed Kiss’ music for decades. We are the one’s who bought their records, cassette tapes, cd’s, merchandise and concert tickets! Gene and Paul need to get over themselves for one night! Tommy and Eric need to do the right thing and step aside, and we the fans should be honored watching the “Original Kiss, Founding Members” Gene, Paul, Ace and Peter in full make-up play a few songs, on this very special night for the band! I am off my soap box now! BTW, Eddie, thank you for creating “That Metal Show!” I am a faithful, loyal viewer!
Lets not diss Ace and Peter’s songwriting abilities. I remember when Desmond Child was hired to write songs for the band, which were horrible, but Gene and Paul wanted to sound like Bon Jovi and liked the songs. Gene and Paul also contributed to this Kiss trainwreck as well, by wearing pink, and neon clothes and performing songs like “Bang Bang You”. Can you imagine Ace doing that too? Ace has had issues like anyone can, but he came out on top, by never being associated with kind of shit. Ace is respected today for his part in the classic Kiss era and can be proud. Personally being a liitle drunk playing “Detroit Rock City” is way cooler that performing “Lets put the x in Sex” completely sober. Everyone needs to give Ace some respect, as well as Peter, as other Kiss members lost it a long time ago.
Kiss Sucks
Never heard that one before…some people just hate it when millions of other people have a passion for a band. I guess saying “Fleetwood Mac sucks” wouldn’t mean anything, so…
Today on “CBS This Morning” Paul cited as a main reason of not wanting to play with Ace & Peter in make-up on the night of induction is Ace & Peter wouldn’t represent Kiss well, as in being out of shape.
Geez, has he looked at Gene’s body lately? LOL
SO, SO PETTY……..in the end it really is NOT about the fans, it’s about THEM.
LOL, really??? I did read that Paul mentioned he didn’t think Ace or Peter would look good in the outfits- somewhere on a Reddit Q&A or something I’ve read.
I don’t think Peter would look bad- though he might need to lose ten pounds, at the time Ace said he’d need to lose some weight. Lets’ face it, they’re all 60 something- even Gene doesn’t look that good anymore- Paul is the only one who can still wear the face paint, but he the youngest at 62.
Last time I saw Peter he looked pretty thin, but other recent shots, it’s hard to tell if he’s put on a few or not.
Paul saying the others wouldn’t look good it a little like the pot calling the kettle black.
Poor Ace and Pete, just victims in this entire soap opera.