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
One crucial point a lot of people are overlooking: Paul is being ASKED about Ace and Peter. He is not picking up the phone to journalists and bashing Ace and Peter, non-stop. To those who advise Paul to move on, I would say that Paul HAS moved on…with two other guys in the Spaceman and Catman makeup that he and Gene purchased from willing sellers, Ace and Peter, and are now doing whatever they want with those characters as their current and rightful owners. It’s not Paul’s fault that two former members (and many of their fans) are left with a truckload of regret over bad business decisions.
Agreed. However Ace claims he did not sell his make up like Peter did, but rather licensed it to Gene and Paul. ‘If’ that is true, it was a shrewd move by Ace.
Does anybody ever think, what “if” Ace & Peter never “willingly” sold their rights to their costumes & characters, What Eric & Tommy would be doing right now? Paul & Gene too for that matter. Not only did Ace & Peter save all their asses, but they’re the ones who have kept the “BRAND” going, while not even being in the band! Paul, Gene, Eric & Tommy should all be thanking Ace & Peter, instead of relentlessly bashing them. Who, what would Eric & tommy be if not for Ace & Peter’s “willing” decision to “sell out”, It’s like I said before, If Ace & Peter knew then, what they know now, no way they would make the same decision.
doug, I think you’re giving Ace and Peter way too much credit for ‘willingly’ selling out. They wanted out and they wanted money. Paul and Gene paid them at a time when money wasn’t freely flowing into the KISS machine anymore. They paid them at a very inconvenient time. Ace licensed his make up where Peter sold it apparently. Lets not forget Gene and Paul kept this band alive throughout the 80’s and half the 90’s. Then they guaranteed Ace and Peter reunion money and A+P didn’t take any risks (not that it was too risky a venture). I think they would’ve made the same decision based on chemical dependencies and, lets be honest, not being as savvy as Paul and Gene. I get everyone’s hatred for Gene and Paul, or at the very least the favoritism towards and Ace and Peter. But I simply don’t believe its as black and white as two guys in the band versus the other two guys in the band. IMO the band started as the four of them and all four were very important to KISS having any legs and staying power. But I also believe Paul and Gene always have driven the bus and made the decisions (good and bad). Peter was a fucking dick on the Dynasty tour and didn’t give a shit about the fans when he started fucking around during performances. He’s always been a whiner and should consider himself lucky he was apart of something as large as KISS. Ace I give more credit and levity to as an artist and a performer. He had demons that impacted him and his relationship with Gene and Paul. But he usually takes the high road where the other guys can’t to save their lives.
DR, I agree, but I often wonder when Ace & Peter “sold out” or whatever happened, if Paul & Gene were completely honest with them, or did they take advantage of their situations at that time. Not only now in 2014, but according to Paul, eventually Kiss will go on forever with 4 completely different people in the makeup. Now, as hard as that is to believe, especially that Gene is ok with that, back when Ace & Peter made that “choice”, were they informed about that as well? I don’t know, whatever the case may be, as crazy as it may sound, I would have just preferred if they used their creativity and come up with different personas for Tommy & Eric, they did it before for Eric Carr (RIP) and Vinnie Vincent. And if Ace & Peter really desperately needed money at that time, I’m sure they would have come up with something, and some way to survive, after all, I’m sure Peter still has a few lives left, and maybe Ace could have borrowed one! 😉
They will own the Kiss experience in Vegas with four guys not named Ace, Peter, Paul or Gene…that would be ok, but if they do albums and tour I won’t be on board for that…
Doug….SPOT ON……fantastic point!! Joe in The Cuse
Good summation. Does the defense rest?
We never rest. We’re open 24/7 Baby.
I have thought about that and it is simple…There would be no more makeup because Gene and Paul would not be able to use it but they were unmasked longer than they were masked so Kiss was still going on while Ace and Peter were just going…
lol hilarious point of view. Delusional at best. Yes, everyone should thank Ace and Peter. If Paul and Gene didn’t baby Peter, he would have quit after the 1st album. and how many times after that?
You missed the “point” of view.
Wow doug, no b.s., you nailed that one.
There’s no right or wrong here only opinions. We the rock fans can ether fight to the death over subjects like this were know one wins looking to only get attention just like Paul is doing right now. The price of personal opinions is a high bounty that only the hang man benefits from so instead of shadow boxing with our words we should be judging the music. Kiss the name is a brand and Paul is just branding our minds with his book by getting the public to disagree which for some reason none of us are seeing the bigger issue because we are to busy throwing insults which allows Paul to laugh all the way to the bank
brian that is a great post, it really doesn’t make any sense, I mean, I kind of get what you’re saying, but it does have that “sage” thing happening.
Can’t wait to hear aces new album! I hope it crushes monster! In my opinion anomaly destroyed sonic boom! Kiss needs to retire already!
Sadly, I agree..all good things come to an end…
Yes, and I hope one of the autobiographical songs on Ace’s album will be, “I sucked off my drummer in a drunken stupor.”
I’m sure there is no sexual deviance at all with the other guys from back in the day right…
So you condone sucking off your drummer? hmmmm interesting.
I condone honesty which is what Peter and Ace gave in their books for better or worse. You enjoy the half truths and revisionist history you are shoveled daily? And you REALLY want to talk about who did what to who when it comes to Gene?!? Amazing…
PUT A SOCK IN IT STANLEY.
Man, when Eddie posts anything regarding KISS, it blows up! Paul should recognize that being a true leader is about letting others (i.e. team, organization, company….band) shine.