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
two words for paul Stanley, LIGHTEN UP!! if ace & peter were such horrible people as you’re making them out to be, why the hell did you reunite with them in 1996? if you really thought/believed they were racist and everything else you say about them now, from all the way back to the beginning of the band, again, why reunite in ’96? maybe some, SOME of what you say now is true, but I don’t believe ace & peter are racist at all or as bad as you say they were/are, I think you & gene just take things/comments way to seriously, you 2 need a sense of humor, maybe then you’ll LIGHTEN UP!!
Paul’s trying to sell a book. He knows a 4 song reunion would have people goin “so I’m supposed to see the two fake guys over this? F that”. He knows no Def Leppard they’d be in the 5,000 seaters in most markets.
Very true!
You know how sometimes old folks just lose their filters, and language just flows out freely ? … that’s Paul, he’s now grandma. Geez grannie put a sock in it … enough. How is that guy going to be able to stand beside those guys in a few days at the podium? Seriously … how does that happen, unless it’s all a scam.
Anybody else wondering why Ace was “too busy with the record” to make it on TMS? Or maybe he’s been crash dieting to fit the jumpsuit. We already know that Pete’s good to go. Sure would SHOCK ME!
I’m pretty sure they’re not going to be playing together. Ace had contractual obligations to finish his album by a certain time is why he didn’t appear on TMS.
I don’t think there is any surprise in the works. The only thing at this point that would surprise me is if they all show up at the RRHOF ceremonies.
They won’t be on the podium together I don’t think. I believe they will accept their award individually- thus they don’t have to sit with or socialize with each other which is really a crying shame.
I think the reason this whole debacle has ended up way out in left field is Genie and Paul are SO AFRAID that any camaraderie or any ‘closeness’ with Ace and Peter will fan the flames of a reunion.
They will all arrive (hopefully they’ll all show) accept their awards individually and return home.
That’s why Paul is pulling out all stops to make sure Ace and Peter and apparently Genie too, feel as uncomfortable as possible.
What a train wreck it has become… and we all can’t help but watch it as it veers over the mountainside.
I wish these guys would hug it out. And they will. Love these guys!
I hope so too.
I wouldn’t count on that.
KISS……IS…………DONE……….Pauls voice is finished………..The last money grab is on.
I can almost guarantee you that if Paul’s voice doesn’t improve that he will start performing with pre-recorded vocals on stage. I honestly don’t think him not being able to sing anymore will stop him from wanting to stand in the spotlight, he’s addicted to it.