KISS FRONTMAN PAUL STANLEY ON ORIGINAL GUITARIST ACE FREHLEY, “WE MISS HIM, AND I HOPE HE LIVED THE KIND OF LIFE HE WANTED TO”

After the completion of his Cooking With Paul Stanley seminar at KISS Kruise: Landlocked In Vegas, Stanley took part in an impromptu question-and-answer session with audience members, some select responses appear below (as transcribed by blabbermouth.net).

On late KISS guitarist Ace Frehley:

Stanley: “It’s no secret — we had lots of differences with Ace, lots of differences with [original KISS drummer] Peter [Criss]. But that’s family. This whole KISS monument was built with a foundation of those guys. We couldn’t have started it without them, and we couldn’t continue it with them, but it doesn’t change [their contributions]. [Ace] was so thrilled with the idea of going to the Kennedy Center… We miss him, and I hope he lived the kind of life he wanted to. He was one of a kind and he was wild, and he did say if his life ended tomorrow, he’d have no regrets because he lived the kind of life he wanted to. That’s all we can expect from any of us — when it’s over, hopefully we’ve had the kinds of lives that we wanted. That’s what I wish for all of you — just don’t go too soon.”

On why KISS shies away from performing “deep cuts…”:

Stanley: “Let’s talk about deep cuts for a minute. Deep cuts appeal to two people… I once went to see a very, very big band, and what they were advertising for this particular show was [that] they were going to play all deep cuts. It was the most boring f–king thing I’d ever seen in my life. Honestly, the reason cuts are deep is because they’re not popular, and they’re not as good. Do we take out Detroit Rock City? Do we take out Love Gun? Do we take out God Of Thunder to play some [lesser-known] song? I don’t think you’ll be disappointed…but if you’re expecting deep cuts, I’ll see you next time.”

On whether fans can expect additional KISS “kruises” in the future:

Stanley: “We’re doing our best to get a ship for next year.”

KISS Kruise: Landlocked In Vegas is taking place November 14th-16th at Virgin Hotels Las Vegas.

Watch fan filmed footage, of the cooking seminar, below:

36 Responses

  1. Paul and Gene say that Kiss in the ’80s became like all other bands because they took the makeup off, but that’s not the only thing that set them apart. They also had four guys who all sang and did their own songs. So, if they had let Vinnie and Eric sing on records, and what they (Paul and Gene) don’t seem to understand is that would’ve worked because of their (Paul’s and Gene’s) stamp of approval. It’s like the Gold Star from BBB.

  2. so, in other words, Paul and Gene actually hindered their own success, theirs (Paul’s and Gene’s) because of their own decisions to not let them sing on their records, to not give them more of an equal balance, it least conceptually for public perception, because the public would have liked that uniqueness about Kiss again.

  3. me as a fan, and others for sure, would then go to a Kiss concert, and see Vinnie or Eric doing on of their songs, and then I would get into their song and then before I got too into it, I, and others, would look at Paul and/or Gene for permission, “is it ok if I get into this new band member’s song?” then we would get the nod of approval from them.

  4. their first three records, for rock and roll, are total genius…then Destroyer is the icing on the cake…so the first four records…they actually started to jump the shark on Rock and Roll Over…then kind of a correction on Love Gun and side 4/Alive II, the solo records, and this mature record Dynasty where Ace and Peter are wiser, songs about real relationships, Gene’s love song to himself, Charisma is an ’80s proto Sunset Strip metal song, it’s great. Then the Kiss K Tel record, which is where they really did jump the shark…..the Kiss concept had actually reached its conclusion after Destroyer…I know, that did surprise me too…but then they had enough momentum to get three more years ..and this great conclusion with Dynasty where they were wealthy, disco dancing…fade out….

    1. Jump the shark on Rock and Roll Over and course correct on Love Gun?
      I think RARO goes back to Kiss roots after their successful experimentation with Destroyer then slip a little with Love Gun.
      If they mixed some of the songs of Alive2 side 4 into Love Gun- that was be an amazing album:
      Love Gun / All American Man / Larger than Life / Rocket Ride / Shock Me / I Stole Your Love / Plaster Caster / Almost Human / Hooligan / Tomorrow and Tonight

    2. Rock and Roll Over is the first time I hear them straining to keep the Kiss concept going…they did a good job, but it’s not the same.

    3. and Paul and Gene can try to blame Ace and Peter for the band’s problems, but I am saying the whole concept of Kiss is a short lived one: how many ideas can you make into songs in that universe that will fit? this is true for most bands, but even moreso for a band as larger than life as Kiss was.

    4. that fine line between clever and stupid starts to get crossed on Rock and Roll Over….lyrically, for sure.

  5. …so I have been listening to these “rehearsals” from “1975” from their Alive box set, or one of their box sets…and that sounds like Kiss going over their old songs for that oldies CD they included with Sonic Boom. ..that would’ve been 2008 or ’09

    1. Dana – did you hear the track where Ace goes off on some Zep inspired Blues?
      Heard it from YT and was pleasantly surprised

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