The OC Weekly spoke with KISS frontman Paul Stanley about his new autobiography, Face The Music: A Life Exposed.
In it the singer recounts many stories including one that claimed drummer Peter Criss went on a racist rant at a Chinese restaurant and quitting the band for a few days and crawling back. “[Peter] didn’t crawl back,” Stanley says. “He swallowed his pride and pseudo machismo and came back. But part of the dynamic of the band was to have to pragmatically deal with the fact that two of the guys were often times more interested in sabotaging the band, sabotaging [bassist/vocalist] Gene [Simmons] and I, than doing the right thing. And they (Criss and guitarist Ace Frehley) also wanted equal say when they didn’t do equal work.”
He continued: “Part of what we gave the public was the myth that the four of us did everything together and contributed equally. That was something we wanted to maintain in the spirit of the bands that we loved and pictured doing that. The problem was that the guys in the band began to believe it themselves!”
When asked what it is about he and Simmons that they have managed to stay together over 40 years, Stanley said: “It’s hard to define and distinguish between friendship and brotherhood. I certainly see him as a brother, although we don’t always agree on how to treat your brother. At the end of the day, I know he will be there for me and me for him. My issues have always been more rooted in participating evenly and equally and still ending up with a equal share of money. I didn’t want it with Peter and Ace, why would I want it with Gene? He wasn’t doing his job and he was off doing other things and being paid for those things. I felt like if he wasn’t going to do his job and gonna go elsewhere. It was like he took less here or he gave me some of what he was doing elsewhere. That was an ongoing problem. But look, at this point we made the life for each other that each of us could only have dreamed of, and those lives have very little in common. I’m sure Gene would no more want to live my life than I live his. But there’s a bond there because we made it possible for each of us.”
source: ocweekly.com
192 Responses
Oh how I just love thus topic….it certantly brings out all of the love we ALLLLLL have for this band we cal “KISS”. Joe in The Cuse
Still the most talked about band on this site. No post gets more comments than something with KISS in it. Amazing. They might want to sell extra ad space or charge more in any post even remotely about KISS. Maybe then the fans not able to pay extra to read or watch certain things on this site can then see them.
Ever been to a family reunion when all of the sudden the whole crowd was held captive while the 6 year old niece breaks into the song “Tomorrow” from “Annie?” And then after everyone politely clapped and starting talking about something else, the little diva returns to do her best Ethel Merman imitation by singing “God Bless America” while tap dancing? Awkward! Or who remembers that 23 year old drawing attention to himself at the first 5 year high school reunion by reminding everyone how he caught the winning touch down pass at the big game even though the quarterback threw a bad one, and proceeds to pat himself on the back with the same story at every reunion for the next 35 ears? Most folks will indulge someone for awhile before they start getting embarrassed FOR that person. Paul, we get that you were the constant for KISS during its ups and downs. You done good. Thank you. But by constantly reminding everyone of this by talking badly about the other members, folks are now becoming embarrassed FOR you. Even Michael Jordan and Babe Ruth needed a team to accomplish great things. Paul, stop being that little diva or that self-loving narcissistic moron. Have some dignity man…
Good comparison.
Can’t we all just get along?
I just read this article and do we really need to hear anymore about this. Ace and Peter seem to have moved on. Why cant you Paul? I am just sick of hearing it. At least they are both alive. I think Kiss should take off the makeup and go back to playing smaller venues and then call it a day. Everyone knows that Peter and Ace had there problems. Honestly it sounds like Paul kept the band going especially in the 80s. Give Ace credit for being sober and just stop commenting about it. EVERYONE KNOWS THAT ACE AND PETER DID DRUGS ETC. I DONT WANT TO HEAR ANYMORE ABOUT IT