Gary Graff of Billboard spoke with KISS frontman Paul Stanley about his forthcoming autobiography and the Rock N’ Roll Hall of Fame induction. Excerpts of the interview appear below.
Billboard: You’re the last of the original Kiss members with a book of your own. Just a slacker?
Paul Stanley: It really had nothing to do with the band as far as being first, last, middle. It wasn’t with any of that in mind. The truth of the matter is I had sworn for, literally, decades not to write an autobiography. I always go back to George Orwell, who said the autobiography is the most outrageous form of fiction. And I would say 90-plus, 95 percent of the autobiographies by any of my contemporaries would be better suited on a roll of soft paper, so at least you could use it for something, ’cause they’re nothing more than self-serving fantasies or delusions or love letters to themselves. They serve no purpose. What I finally came to grips with was the idea that my life could be inspiring to other people… and almost more importantly I wanted something that my children could read when they got older to understand what it took for me to succeed and a better understanding of who I am and perhaps what they need in their lives to move forward. So there was a real purpose to this as opposed to just some sort of bragging rights.
Billboard: There is a lot more struggle in your book, especially in your youth, than many would expect — family dysfunction and especially the misshapen right ear and being deaf on that side. That’s something you kept quite for decades. Why?
Paul Stanley: It was too painful. You can only reveal things and you can only deal with things when you’re ready to. My experiences as a child were so debilitating and destructive that the best way for me to deal with my ear was to cover it and to, at least on the surface, ignore what was going on — although that really wasn’t an answer. Luckily, as an adult I found different ways to resolve some of those issues and also to find some surgical relief and modifications.
Billboard: So what actually went down with the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and your decision not to play at the ceremony?
Paul Stanley: Oh, it starts decades go. That it’s 14 years on (of eligibility) and we’re getting into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame is a clear indication that the people who hide behind that moniker don’t like us, but it reached a point where it was so absurd and ludicrous (to exclude KISS) that they caved. But they’re only going to induct the original four (members), and bringing up the idea of inducting members other than the original four…was shut down as a non-starter. It’s a very valid argument considering that there are people who played on multi-platinum albums and played for millions of people and were very important for the continuation of the band. And clearly when you’ve got a busload of Grateful Dead (members) who have been inducted and guys in the Chili Peppers who nobody knows who they are because they played on the very earliest albums are inducted, and when the original drummer of Rush, John Rutsey, who played on a classic album, isn’t inducted. The list goes on and on of the inconsistencies. Now, I’m not pointing fingers at any of those people, but I’m certainly pointing a finger at the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. The only consistencies are inconsistencies and the rules clearly are there are no rules because the criteria for how and who gets in is purely based upon a personal like or dislike. And when I feel we’re being treated unfairly, I have issues with that.
Billboard: You could just play with the original four of you, of course.
Paul Stanley: They wanted the original four guys to play, in makeup. But, honestly, I don’t want to roll the dice and possibly negatively impact on what I personally have been involved in building for 40 years. I have too much invested at this point. It really is a can of worms that I feel is better off left closed. So there’s been a lot of issues, and perhaps the best way to deal with them is to celebrate the four original guys and go there and get our award and to look past the differences that will always be there. It doesn’t change the big picture; we have differences and we will continue to have differences. It doesn’t change who I want to play with and who represents KISS. There are a lot of people who are great inspirations to me, and still are, who are in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, and for that reason and the fact that fans want us in there, I graciously and vigorously will be there to accept the award. We should salute and enjoy an evening that celebrates what the four of us started. But there’s always a lot of cloak and dagger stuff and a lot of stuff going on behind the scenes.
Read more at Billboard.
In related news, the singer also discussed his autobiography and six-date book tour here.
83 Responses
It’s kind of hard to argue with Paul’s point of view here. He doesn’t have the perspective of a guy who traded KISS bubblegum cards in home room in elementary school. He has the perspective of a guy who has kept the brand going for forty years, mostly without the other two. I think that we have all watched enough Behind the Music episodes to know that the bands we love rarely conform to our romantic notion of all-for-one-one-for-all-blood-brothers doing it for the love of music. I hope all four guys are there. I think that they will say the right things and honor their common heritage. That is enough for me.
I agree with Dalevis.
Still milking this story? Old news.
Hey “Scrape,”
How about reading the entire story before you make your comment? I only put that RNRHOF quote in the headline, because let’s face it, and despite what you think, it drives traffic.
Just curious, what university did you get your business and journalism degree from? LOL!!
Dana from EddieTrunk.com 🙂
Alright Dana! Stick it to the man!
LOL!!
D 😀
Damn….H R Puffinstuff beat me to it. Scrape….does the term “say hello to my little friend” mean anything to you??
🙂
You Know when Gene & paul are lying there mouths are moving ! Paul’s book is going to be a joke just like him you can just tell by his comments in interviews about it , like it the real things that where going on with kiss and him , like he came up with the logo he wrote all the songs and cut the money with Ace & Peter and Gene when he didn’t have to which means Ace & Peter & Gene Help his Dum ass Finnish songs that he couldn’t . but he’s going to act like he was helping them out …I honesty think his book will be fill with more bullshit then truth and that because he’s been lying so long he’s starting to believe it …Thats how i feel about him after 35 years a hypocrite ! Ps Paul did drugs in the 70′s and still pop’s pills now so “”””” “True Not surprised at all. Gene & Paul are always screwing someone over””””
Shut up already….anyone with an actual brain knows that much of what he has said has merit. And they are having success now without Peter and Ace and he doesnt want to screw that up…As a fan I am disappointed things are turning out this way, but frankly Paul is sticking to his guns and not allowing the RRHOF to dictate what this band is about now…if they werent gong in we wouldn’t even be entertaining the idea of the original four ever playing again, so why should we now?? And I love how you already know what’s in his book before its out…fuckin moron..
Your post is silly. Based on nothing.
Obviously youre not a real fan. Just because you dont get your way you think that gives you the right to say the nasty, hateful things you do? You dont know a darn thing about Pauls medicine or medical issues. Pathetic and immature.
Let the shit storm begins.
I will give you haters a hand; please use one of the following to build your comments.
PAUL IS A MONEY HUNGRY WHORE
PAUL AND GENE DESTROYED KISS LEGACY
PAUL RIPPED OFF ACE AND PETER
PAUL IS GAY
PAUL CAN NO LONGER SING
PAUL IS OLD
ACE IS GOD
PETER CAN WALK ON WATER
YOUR MAMA WANTS HER BASEMENT BACK
Losers
OMG!! That is Funny!!! Thanks for the laugh. After reading the crap post you replied to it brought my boiling blood down to a simmer!!! PPL just don’t get it. KISS Fans have been listening to the same tired crap from everyone else forever and I guess it will never change. Actually, they have become a source of entertainment.
GENE, AS WELL AS PAUL, HAVE MADE A CAREER TELLING ALL OF US, THAT ARE TRUE FANS, THAT THEY HAVE ALWAYS GIVEN WHAT THE FAN WANTS….”YOU WANTED THE BEST…YOU GOT THE BEST”….PAUL’S POINT IS THAT THEY DONT WANT TO TAKE AWAY FROM THE CURRENT LINE UP FOR FUTURE PROJECTS….THEY DONT WANT ANY CLAMARING FOR ANOTHER REUNION TOUR…THEY DONT WANT THE CASH TO STOP FLOWING….GUESS WHAT?….I HAVE BEEN TO SEVERAL SHOWS…SOME WITH ORIGINAL 4….SOME WITHOUT THE MAKEUP….AND SOME WITH ADDITIONAL MEMBERS THAT KEEP THE CORPORATION PERFORMING….I THINK BY NOT HONORING ACE, OR PETER BY NOT PERFORMING WITH THEM IS THE REASON I WONT CROSS THE STREET OR SPEND ANOTHER DIME ON THE CURRENT LINEUP….ITS NOT ABOUT WHAT WE WANT….ITS ABOUT GENE AND PAUL’S GRAND SCHEME TO KEEP SOMETHING GOING THAT WAS ONLY REALLY GOOD WITH GENE, PAUL, ACE AND PETER. THEY HAVE MILKED THIS THING FOR ALL ITS WORTH AND EVEN THO THEY STILL MAKE GREAT MUSIC….NONE OF WHAT THEY HAVE ACCOMPLISHED WOULD HAVE TAKEN PLACE WITHOUT SPACE ACE AND THE CATMAN….GENE AND PAUL….SWALLOW YOUR PRIDE AND DO WHAT YOU HAVE ALWAYS SAID YOU DO….GIVE THE FANS WHAT THEY WANT. PERFORM WITH ACE AND PETER AND MOVE ON….PERSONALLY I WOULD RATHER HAVE YOU DECLINE THE INDUCTION THAN ACCEPT AND NOT PERFORM.
I really don’t think Paul and Gene care if you stop liking them. Now take your ball and go home.
I am pretty sure I said nothing about not liking them….I am really disappointed in probability the original 4 will not be performing at the induction due to so many reasons. Almost all of them have a common denominator of money. Im a big fan. Always will be. But, if they give the majority of there success to giving the fans what they want? They blew it by refusing to play together one last time.
I guess I am out in left field all by myself. As long as it has taken the Hall of Shame to come around I would prefer that KISS tells them to stick up the back side and not show up at all. Since they are showing up (because it appears the the majority of fans want them to) I am at least happy that they aren’t letting the Hall of Shame play puppet master.
Is your caps lock broken?