KISS drummer Eric Singer spoke with The Cassius Morris Show about the fact that some fans continue to criticize him for wearing original KISS drummer Peter Criss’ “Catman” makeup. Here is what Singer had to say (as transcribed by blabbermouth.net):
“It’s always been a non-issue for me, emotionally or otherwise. And I don’t mean that disrespectfully to anybody that it is important to them; that’s fine and that’s cool. The only thing I don’t understand… I shouldn’t say ‘don’t understand’… What I don’t get is for those fans either fans or former fans that continually complain not just about that issue, but anything to do with KISS, and continue to say how they’re done with the band, and ‘I’m over it,’ and ‘I hate it,’ but yet they continue to talk about it non-stop. I just don’t understand that point of view or that thought process, because me, myself, when I’m done with something, whether it’s a former friend, ex-girlfriend… anything… a band… or product. If I don’t like the way a product… If they change the way the product tastes or the way it looks, if I don’t like it anymore, guess what?! I go, ‘Oh, okay. I don’t really care for it anymore.’ I stop buying it, I stop supporting it, or I don’t listen to it, I don’t eat it… Whatever it is, I move on from it. And I go, ‘Okay, I move on. I don’t like it anymore.’ It’s like having your favorite restaurant and all of a suddent they change the menu. Or they change the cook and you go, ‘Hey, the food doesn’t taste the same anymore. I’m not really digging it.’ What do you do? Instead of keep going there and going, ‘Hey, you know, I don’t like that you changed the cook,’ and ‘I think that you need to get that old cook back,’ and ‘You need do this.’ I don’t do that. I just go, ‘All right. Something is not right,’ or, ‘I don’t care for it anymore.’ And I don’t go. And I don’t buy it and I don’t support it. It’s just simple.”
He continued: “Now, maybe I’m looking at it too ‘black and white,’ but, for me, I just don’t really fully understand fans, or former fans, that have that point of view. I get the passion part, I get that a band like KISS means a lot to them, or it had a real impact on their life — I get it — but it had a real impact on me too, ’cause guess what?! I play in the band, you know, so of course I care; it means something to me. But I don’t understand the people that can’t just move on and go do… If you don’t like it, or you have a problem with something, respectfully just move on and, great. For those who like it or wanna enjoy it, cool.”
Singer added: “I’m not saying that you should just blindly go, ‘Oh, I agree with anything the band does and I don’t care.’ No, I’m not saying that. What I’m saying is, if you really, really have a distaste for it, if you’re gonna be mad just because the band is not doing what you want, then go, ‘Okay, I’m not into it anymore.’ That’s what I did my whole life when it came to bands. When a band kind of changed the musical sound or direction and I kind of lost interest in them, I stopped buying the records and I didn’t go to the concerts, and like I said, I didn’t hate them; I just, ‘Okay, well, I’m not really into it anymore.'”
Speaking to Rolling Stone magazine earlier in the year, Eric accused Criss and original KISS guitarist Ace Frehley of being hypocritical in their criticisms of other people wearing their makeup. “This is something that I notice that nobody seems to point out. When I came in to play with the makeup, Ace was in the band, and had no problem with me playing with Peter’s makeup while he went onstage and made that KISS money. In fact, he loved it, and he didn’t want Peter back in the band. And then go forward the next year, when Ace decided to leave. When we fast forward, all of a sudden they bring Peter back, and you got Tommy Thayer playing guitar wearing the Ace makeup, and all of a sudden, no one minded it was Ace’s makeup design. Peter had no problem, did he?”
Pressed about the fact that some people see what he and guitarist Tommy Thayer do in KISS now as almost an impersonation, Singer said: “Here’s the thing that’s ridiculous. I love when people say that, because the reality is, I’m not impersonating. Because I wear the makeup that he wore? Did they come up with their designs? Yes. Of course. But it’s not an extension of their personality. Peter wasn’t a cat. Peter Criss was a cat? They had to create a character. You know something? I don’t know if he even had a pet cat. Come on, it’s ridiculous.”
Asked if he tries to play like Peter onstage, Singer replied: “I’ve always played the way I play. I play like Eric Singer. I don’t play like Peter Criss. I don’t try to play like Peter Criss. I don’t mimic him on stage. Bottom line is, though, am I playing KISS songs? Yes. Am I playing songs that were originally played by Peter, and learning parts that Peter played or originally wrote? Yes, of course. But guess what? I did the same thing when I played in BLACK SABBATH or played with Brian May or played with Alice Cooper.”
Listen to Singer’s interview with The Cassius Morris Show below.
additional source: blabbermouth.net
19 Responses
If Kiss is so “sacred”, then why not more disgust for the way Ace and Peter pissed on the reputation and hard work that was put into it? Kiss was the be all and end all for me, and that died a little bit not when Tommy put on makeup, not when Eric put on makeup, but when I found out that Peter was too wasted to play on not one but TWO albums, but had so much “integrity” that he let his name and face be presented as if he did. And when I found out that Ace was too into playing cards and doing coke to play on not one but TWO albums, and also had enough “integrity” to let his name and face be presented as if he did. And it died a little more when I saw Ace phoning it in on one of the later reunion tours, wobbling around on stage, clearly drunk, and yet a little more when I saw the Aerosmith tour and Peter was barely playing (it is one of the very few times – if only time – that I was ever convinced that there was a live drummer under the stage or behind the curtain).
And yet, I went this past summer (with my 13-year-old daughter, her first Kiss show) to the so-called “BS” show co-headlining with Def Leppard, and even with Paul’s vocals not being what they once were (but not as bad as some would have you believe) it was STILL a monster show, and the next day, she posted a pic of the finale on her Instagram with the caption “Greatest night of my life!” THAT’S what Kiss is all about, not pandering to those that will hold you down and hold you back.
I’d be a lot more sympathetic to Ace and Pete if they didn’t actually make the bed they are laying in. And slag on the two recent albums all you want, it is, by all accounts REALLY Eric and Tommy playing.
AMEN!
We’ll put, sir. I took my teenage daughters as well. It was an awesome experience sharing my favorite band with them, singing along to “Shout It Out,” “Rock and Roll All Nite,” and “Hide Your Heart.” Of course we wish Ace and Peter were still in the band, but I don’t think it was really that important to them to really want to be in KISS. I think they enjoyed playing “rock stars” instead. I respect the commitment Tommy and Eric give to this new generation of fans and the professionalism of delivering a great show.
Like it or not, Eric makes some valid points here. I don’t remember Ace or Peter griping about Gene and Paul when they had to play with Eric or Tommy. “Oh, Ace and Peter weren’t close then, but they are now.” What does “closeness” have to do with anything? So since they supposedly weren’t close at the time, they felt it was ok for them to play with an “imposter,” but now that they’re close, it’s not ok for KISS to have “imposters?” Sounds to me – as Eddie has often said about other bands – this all comes down to money. Regardless of how KISS sell their tickets, they’re still playing to large audiences in amphitheaters in America and stadiums abroad, while Ace is playing clubs and Peter’s playing his basement. As for the mass merchandising money that leaves out Ace and Peter from the revenue stream, I’m sure Ace would have no problem with KISS Beanie Babies if he were in the band and collecting a share of profits. Ace and Peter either quit or were fired repeatedly from a money-making juggernaut. The fact that the juggernaut continues as Paul and Gene see fit is not their fault. If some people can’t accept the current lineup in the original faces, just listen to the classic albums and watch the old video clips. Quit feeling like Paul and Gene owe you Ace and Peter in the band, or that they have to run their band and business the way you want them to!
I can’t understand why eric gets a measly 25% employee discount at rock ‘n brews. ringer has a much better gum chewing technique than peter criss.