As the controversy rages among KISS fans over whether Tommy Thayer and Eric Singer should wear the makeup made famous by Ace Frehley and Peter Criss, Paul Stanley defended his band by saying that the answer is simple. In a new interview, he said KISS own the rights to their “Spaceman” and “Catman” characters, which they bought from the former members for a song.
Speaking to Australia’s 4KQ, Stanley said, “The guys basically sold it off for, you know, not a whole lot, because they didn’t think it was worth anything. Quite honestly, I’ve always thought our image and what we represent is priceless. It didn’t matter to some people — it truly matters to me.”
Stanley added that being in a band is no different from being an athlete on a team, where lineup changes are natural with the passage of time. “If somebody is out, somebody else comes along,” he said. “I don’t think that when you go to see your favorite team, you’re yelling that you want to see somebody who was in the team 20 years ago. Time moves on, but the team lives on. … I didn’t invent the wheel. Somebody is out there who can come in and take my place. … I don’t see a reason for the band to fold, any more than I can see a reason for a team to fold.”
additional source: ultimateclassicrock.com
24 Responses
so the guys sold their likeness for not a lot. so what? they have theirs, you have yours and that’s just fine. thanks, stan eisen and gene klein.
Sports teams have the name first, like a franchise, then players come and go. Same old soundbite from Eisen. John, Paul, George, Ringo. Gene, Paul, Ace, Peter. This isn’t The Eagles or Fleetwood Mac. He knows this, yet doesn’t care. Well, we can hit you in the place you care about: Stop buying your tribute band crap.
Kiss was the first rock band I ever liked, circa 1978 or so. I was kid and saw the album covers, heard the tunes on the radio, saw the campy movie. Those early Kiss albums are still great.
I can understand where Paul and Gene are coming from. They are keeping the corporation alive, but to me they were a band, not a corporation. I’m sure that they have all legal authority to use the makeup and characters to do with as they please, and Peter and Ace had their issues, no doubt, but it’s clearly a marketing sham today. Eric Singer goes on stage and sings Beth while playing the drums, of course they are copying what Peter Criss did. Tommy Thayer copies Ace’s moves on stage. It’s all so obvious, but people don’t seem to care. That’s fine.
There’s a reason why they aren’t reliving the 80’s non-makeup era, it wasn’t nearly as good.
What!?! Is Paul crazy?! I have been screaming for the Cowboys to bring back Roger Staubach or Troy Aikman. I don’t like these new Cowboy impersonators. Right Eddie? Bet you want David Megget back, too, huh?
Heck,
I would even take Michael Strahan!!
D 🙂
well,its just so funny,i have been watching and reading old interviews with the band from the 70s,just for s–ts and giggles,and they were selling the whole make up thing as an extension of who they really are,it was supposed to be there alter egos right,now its well we own the make up and it will go on,with other folks in the make up ,its not important,well paul which is it,when were you bullsh—ng,then or now??i wish a reporter would confront him with this,lets see how he dances out of that .i loved kiss too from 74 on,i was proud to be a fan,i would get into fights over them at school back in the day,i would defend them at any corner,because they were the best around in my humble opinion,but now they are a bunch of old rich guys,that like everyone else who comes into money(real money)lose there perception of reality,and are surrounded by yes people,they really start to believe there own hype,and the women there with wont tell them straight,they dont want to lose there gravey train,so they become a joke,and now they cant even back up anything with there live show,pauls voice left him 8 years ago,and has just become unlistenable,and gene is not the far behind,i see a few trib kiss bands,that sound really good,and i pay about 40.00 a seat ,they look and sound like the old kiss,maybe the show is not that huge,but its like watching kiss from 1975,im ok with that,i know going in its a bunch of guys just playing kiss,not the real kiss trying to sell me a fake kiss ,at real kiss prices…