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
Paul puts more time into his hair extensions than giving the Kiss Army what they want for one night. He knows it would be “how come the big 4 don’t do that on a tour, Thayer and Singer suck compared to Ace & Peter, that was amazing”.
You’re delusional. Stop living in the past.
With KISS it is about living in the past. You have obviously been to their shows. The set list, seems like to me, is 75 to 80 percent pre-lick it up. It is the same reason Tommy, and Eric impersonate their characters. If it weren’t for old goats like myself wanting to relive the past, the arenas would be half as full.
Right it is G & P who are living in the past, making us belivee we could relive memories by buying tickets.
Thayer and singer suck?????? You may not like the band or those two personally, but I haven’t seen either one of them have a bad night yet….I started going to kiss concerts in 78 at the buffalo memorial auditorium, and have been going to see them ever since….the only tour I did not see was lick it up….this is the tightest I’ve ever seen the band….Paul’s voice is not what it was, but I just hope to be alive at 60….I grew up loving ace….unfortunately he did not take his career as seriously as gene and Paul…..It amazes me how hard it is for the haters to be objective….
Well said Patrick
I agree Patrick.
Totally agree Patrick….it is very cool to see some of you real KISS fans realizing Kiss has never been tighter sounding. I too have been a fan since the 70s and I love Ace and Peter no doubt. But I dug Bruce Kulick and Eric Carr as well and I am totally into the current lineup of 11 years. Seen every one of their tours starting with rock the nation and you are 100% correct about how great they sound. Eric Singer is actually my personal favorite KISS drummer. I totally realize Paul has some voice issues and some nights it is worse than others but it’s live and I accept it. For those lookin to hear current lineup play deep cuts and band and Paul sounding great YouTube KISS cruise 3. Incredible! “ANYTHING FOR MY BABY”, The Oath,”Ladies in Waiting”, “Almost Human”, “Mainline”, “Hide Your Heart”, just to name a few. Judge for yourself but it’s amazing in my opinion.
“Some! voice issues?” have you really listened and watched closely? Paul is no longer singing songs half of the time, Singer is (hence the name!) covering up not just with harmony vocals in the chorusses, but actuelly replacing Paul’s high lines in the chorus. Tommy helping out too but cannot sing as high as Paul (used to) and Eric. His voice is shot, there is no denying that. For sad proof watch (not just listen to) the HQ recording of the Zurich show 2013 on YT. Other than that, I also acknowledge that the band might be as tight as it was with Kulick and Carr, but this is not the point, the point is that most people want the original mojo and vibes that only the original musicians can create even though they might be inferior from a strictly technical point of view. if I want to see technically perfect music, I might go to a Steve Vai concert.
Have a real point dumbass…insulting Thayer and Singer, who are better musicians by far is not a point…The originals were great….hence the word WERE but they are no longer and haven’t been for a long time…
well paula and gene are both wrong , the fact that he doesn’t perform with ace n peter is clearly the reason they know the current lineup would fall.. they are just being selfish in the sense that if they can have it there way its no way wrong and i hope they see that in time….EVERYTHING I MEAN EVERYTHING that band does today is all based on whatr the four of those guys created at the beginning and after the farewell tour it was both paul and gene that tried there best to sell this crappy ass tribute band with two guys who dont even play that good in the first place , i mean come on eric singer playing all those drum fills on classic kiss song and tommy just plain pathetic we all know he has wanting to be ace since he was a baby …that guy sucks in my book , i mean really who has he influenced … really people who …n paul thinks he should be in the rnrhof
Grow up dude.
Well, cry baby, perhaps you should do your homework on Tommy before you throw another anonymous tantrum. Tommy has been with kiss in one way or another for nearly 20 years. He nearly created Kisstory, all of the Kissology packages, tourbooks, shirts, playing with them behind the scenes and as their guitarist for 13 years. Dont forget he re-taught Ace his own solos. And Eric is a very well seasoned and professional drummer. I guess this is how you behave when you dont get your way. Good luck in any relationship you may stumble into. Shame on you.
That Tommy re-taught Ace the solos, do you really buy that line? Do you really think Tommy “created ” these things like “Kisstory” items, do you not think for one second of the possibilitiy that he was just carrying out ideas and orders of other people just like he is impersonating someone on Gene’s and Pauls’s orders in the band now? Of course both employees are professsionals, but that does not make them originals! Do you not realize that this is all part of the propaganda that G & P have been putting to the fans for more than a decade now trying to make fans forget that the current lineup is just mimicking the reunion tours? what is the music busines,, is it about music? I’d say half of the success of such a band consists of and depends on the way you are selling it, in other words: propaganda, hype, glorification. If you are praising Tommy for being original when in fact he is rather a yes man, you have already fallen into this little (money) trap.
I see where Paul is coming from. KISS has Been disrespected by a ton of people, including their peers in the music business, now he’s supposed to just act like all is well and the RRHF finally gets KISS along with Rolling Stone and all the other people who dished them for years. I understand his anger. I would rather the 4 of them show up, accept the induction, give thanks, and tell the RRHF to go fuck themselves! If they play fine, but why give them what they want they ignored KISS for years. Read Aces book he gives Paul a lot of credit where credits due. The idiot that says Paul needed help with songs, etc. is just that, a idiot. Paul kept KISS going when nobody gave two shits about them, including a lot of “so called” fans. He’s angry about the whole deal and I for one don’t blame him. Why I contend I love the classic KISS much better, it’s over. If you don’t like what you see or hear don’t watch or listen. I’ve met them all(except E. Carr). I carried on a reg. conversation with. Paul, very genuine person. I get it. Can we stop already and get onto who is inducting them and just celebrate what they did to the music scene to change rock n roll in the 70s. That’s what this is really about anyway.
Great post. It would be nice if more people knew how to be civil and mature.
Great post…
Paul is 100% right on thr RRHOF.
Paul is 100% wrong on Kiss not performing.
(The original 4 could have played without makeup).
Paul’s book will be a decent read….but like his stage raps will be torturous to get through.
Personally, I have a suspicion that this whole thing is an “out” for Paul to not have to perform in front of the HOF with his completely shot voice. Knowing that the HOF wants only the original line-up gives them the opportunity to say no and use that as an excuse not to play. As a fan since ’76 when i was 7, I’ve seen it and been through it all with this band. I don’t support what they do these days, and was hoping the real KISS would at least do a couple of songs, but honestly, with Paul’s voice as bad as it is now, it might be an embarrassment. I hope they at least hug and seem sincere if they accept it together.
True – the question would then be, what would be more of an embarressment to both fans and band, Paul’s voice or Ace’s and Peter’s alledgedly lost chops??