Forty years after the release of their debut album, KISS have finally made the cover of Rolling Stone. Marking the band’s upcoming induction into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, the cover image is a classic 1975 photo of the band’s original lineup: Paul Stanley and Gene Simmons, plus Ace Frehley and Peter Criss.
The cover story, by Rolling Stone senior writer Brian Hiatt, tells the sad, hilarious and triumphant story of one of the biggest rock bands ever, taking an in-depth look at the founding members’ lives and careers. Hiatt hung out with all four original members in their homes (in San Diego, Beverly Hills and Monmouth County, New Jersey) where they shared fond memories and, inevitably, some intense backbiting. “I keep thinking about Ace and Peter,” Simmons admits. “”What are they doing now? Where are they?’ It’s gotta be close to the end. How do you make any money? How do you pay your bills?”
Even Stanley and Simmons have had their differences. “We’ve always seen each other as brothers,” says Stanley. “What we seem to be at odds at is how you treat your brother. Gene’s priority, by far, has always been himself. And he’s not one to let anyone else’s feelings or contributions get in the way.”
They also explain precisely why they won’t be reuniting for a performance at the Hall of Fame induction ceremony. Stanley and Simmons offered to allow the former members to jam with KISS’ current lineup, featuring guitarist Tommy Thayer and drummer Eric Singer, but Ace and Peter found that proposition deeply insulting. “I won’t be disrespected,” Criss says. “How can you put me in the Hall of Fame and then tell me to go sit over there in the corner while another guy puts on my makeup and plays? That’s an injustice. To the fans, too.”
Simmons counters that Frehley and Criss “no longer deserve to wear the paint.” “The makeup is earned,” he adds.”Just being there at the beginning is not enough… And if you blow it for yourself, it’s your fault. You can’t blame your band members. ‘Oh, look what happened to me. Oh, poor me.’ Look at my little violin. I have no sympathy.”
Frehley suggests another reason for the current members’ reluctance: “The reason they don’t want to perform with me and Peter is because the last time they did, they had to do a reunion tour. We play three songs, the fans go crazy. They don’t want to open up a can of worms.” Frehley, meanwhile, says he licensed – rather than sold – the rights to his Spaceman makeup to the band, and suggests that he’s due to get the rights back sometime soon.
Also in the story, Simmons says his touring days are almost done. “I’m 64 now,” he says. “Three more tours. Two, if I have a life change of some kind.”
KISS’ Rolling Stone cover story goes on sale Friday, March 28th and online tomorrow, March 26th.
source: rollingstone.com
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158 Responses
Bet that ass hoss
Ace is correct, 3 songs with the ’77 line-up would blow the roof off and Gene would be on the mic: get yer Thayer & Singer tickers to the hottest show in ’14. Gene knows what a number of people will say: how do they pay their bills? I often wonder this myself. I doubt Ace owns his Kiss face, he & Peter sold out decades ago. Hey Gene, publish yer poloroids, make us see what Peter said: “you wouldn’t want to see them, its ugly”.
What a dick !!
I had a lot of great years with Kiss dating back all the way to 1975. Pretty much like all versions barring the now.. Obviously the original was special and nothing will top that but Kiss survived because of Gene and Paul. Much respect for never quitting. That I won’t ever forget. In fact anybody that was lucky enough to have seen them on the Creatures Tour was IMO…the best version of “live” Kiss that ever took the stage. And yeah, I was there for Destroyer, Love Gun tours etc… Vincent and Carr elevated the talent levels far beyond Ace and Pete…not to mention the band played with a fury on that tour I had not seen before or since with them. Sadly there’s probably not a proper (better than current SA footage) video of it…at least that hasn’t filtered out yet. I love Pete and Ace but they chose their path and I don’t feel sorry for them. As a musician, one that would have loved to have been given the chances they’ve been given…no, I don’t feel sorry for them in the least. The fact…they blew it. And now…Gene and Paul are blowing. And people…let’s forget this high road crap…both camps have thrown rocks and each other’s houses for years…before and after the reunion tour. Further…the Farewell Tour was just that for me…a Farewell to the band. I’ve not been back since, not bought the new music, not bought into the new lineup for simply because they said Farewell. That should have been the end of it. I do support their right to continue on…afterall, they’ve earned it and as long as people still buy it…well that’s up to those consumers.
HOWEVER…after all I’ve said…my main point is… I find it rather humorous and sadly ironic that for a band of musicians i.e the original 4…that Jann Wenner, Rolling Stone Magazine, Dave Marsh, the RRHOF and all those corporate rock journalists, so called musicians, the clique so to speak are finally have the last laugh as the band…Pete, Ace, Gene and Paul…the guys that so gloriously gave the middle finger to the rock establishment and succeeded in spite of them is being dismantled by the very establishment they’ve tried to avoid for 40 years as they implode from the inside. In the end…the quest for “acceptance” by the RRHOF may be the very undoing of a band most of us have followed in for 40 years. Trust me, and Eddie Trunk will verify this…the so called establishment (see above) is having a big ass laugh about all of this. After 40 years, they’ve finally gotten the best of KISS.
Sorry for the typo’s…it’s late.
The credibility of the band has long been being dismatled just because of P and G putting big money first. Not by the business establishment, do not forget: P and G are part of this establishment, they have adapted to it, their attitudes are right-wing, conservative, they are not avoiding it, they have used it (merchandise!!) ever since. They are using it today to start new businesses like LA Kiss. They use its rules, bend them for their own good and they milk the cow. The Fall of Shame is not as powerful as they would like to see themselves, they cannot destroy what the current lineup themselves has been starting to destroy (legacy, credibility, you name it).
As Paul and Gene reach advanced age, they could decend into a bitterness that destroys there brand. Kind of like Charlton heston as a mental vegetable for the NRA. If they loose it, we just have to hang onto our Positive memories of when they were for real. They dont own the Army. Kiss will die and the Army lives on. They dont own our lives.