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
Paul is a whiny sensitive bitch that only pretends to care about you if you take his side on things 100% & Gene is a greedy, adulterer, self centered egotistical mother fuckin’ tit suckin son of a bitch. Kisstory has been nothing but lies, trends & finger pointing mainly by Paul & Gene. I don’t understand the re-hashing of Ace/Peter’s past and why they aren’t in the band anymore. I don’t understand the continuous insults directed at Ace/Peter by Paul/Gene! Extremely childish & immature. And where are Tommy & Eric at??? I wanna hear why they feel it’s ok to wear Ace/Peters makeup while Ace/Peter jam without makeup & then watch. Get the fuck out of here. I regret every cent I ever spent on Kiss that went into Paul/Gene’s pocket.
Lmao….”tit suckin son of a bitch”…….that’s some funny ass shit. …. There is ZERO way I’m going to see anymore of these tours by kiss….now if “KISS” decides to regroup and push their ridiculous differences aside then I’m buying tickets, merchandise etc…..until then NOTHING….Joe in The Cuse
All this crap being thrown ace and peters way has had me thinking for awhile….which side of the original band are the clowns and which side are the genuine guys who care about the fans? To determine this one must look no further than twitter. Of the 4 originals Gene Paul and Ace have twitter accounts (Ace is rarely on his which is probably a good idea). Peter does no have twitter (Good move pete!). So here are some general questions paul and gene get asked alot and here are some examples which i have seen of interactions with fans
Fan: Gene is it true that you created the air? (you see this one alot on his feed, and of course he answers…
Gene: Yes I created everything YOU KNOW THAT (he likes to say this alot because he expects us all to view his autobiography as the gospel)
Fan: Gene why isn’t Eric Singer on twitter? (good question)
Gene: Twitter is full of lies and garbage, he is mostly right (ok gene then why the hell are you on here? Oh that’s right, another one of your marketing tools to promote your wife and daughters reality show and your football team no one cares about)
Fan: Gene what do you think of peter and ace’s books?
Gene: They are good fantasy stories (Every fan has their point of view on things, but gene just keeps beating the dead horse with this question)
Now here are some typical exchanges with Paul
Fan: I’m sorry but the original lineup was my favorite lineup, it’s a shame that you guys can’t give the fans ten final minutes of the original lineup
Paul: You are a magget loser. Go back into your mother’s basement, GO AWAY (Ok? So fans of the original lineup are told they are losers simply for stating their opinion. Does Paul forget the fans are the ones who kept him on stage for 40 years?)
And here’s the best one I’ve seen yet
Nikki Sixx: Damn peter and ace really screwed up….with a Retweet from Paul Stanley
(Ok so Paul Stanley, a man who has been strictly against the idea of someone abusing themselves with drugs or alcohol AGREES and SIDES WITH a former heroin addict who came up with his bands most well known song about him almost dying from overdose? Sure Nikki cleaned his act up, yet ace and peter who have also come clean and blamed themselves are still considered losers?)
The tweets speak for themselves…Thanks eddie for always having Ace and Peter on your shows, I know which originals REALLY care about the fans!
I couldn’t help but read Paul and Gene’s tweets as they’ve been getting negative comments as of late from fans who wanted to see the original lineup reunite and perform at the HoF. Their refusal to reunite with Ace and Peter to perform does bring out negative reaction and with every action, there is a reaction positive or negative.
Yeah, Paul’s hypocrisy on this one should be even beyond the most ardent Paul supporter. Nikki Sixx piling on Ace is like Bill Clinton calling someone a serial adulterer. I’m a Motley fan, too, but I don’t think Ace ever (supposedly) legally died of a heroin OD, then went back home and (paraphrasing Nikki’s own words) cooked up the biggest shot of heroin he ever did only to pass out and wake up with the needle still in his arm and a pool of dried blood in his hand. Glass houses, Nikki, glass houses. Paul’s retweet just proves how insecure he is. I’m not understanding Nikki’s sucking up to Paul. Didn’t Kiss kick them off the Creatures tour for bad behavior? Why all of a sudden are they BFF?
As I’ve said before, I’m a fan of all Kiss lineups through the “Farewell” tour, but tuned out Kiss, Inc. after that. And G and P’s sniping ever since have made me like those two members less by the day and side more and more with A & P, despite their obvious faults. Everyone is human. Piling on someone’s past long after they have overcome any given life challenge is fruitless and makes Paul especially look petty and insecure. If anyone should be taking the high road, it should be Gene and Paul…they’ve supposedly come out on top (in their minds and by various measures of success), why not be more humble, modest and magnanimous? It’s such a effing train wreck. I just hope, if they all show up an share the podium at the RRHOF, they can act like gracious adults. I also really hope Ace or Peter thanks Eddie Trunk at the mike for his support in front of Paul!!
Hypocrisy was the word i was looking for. Thank you for reminding me. I also thought it was strange when nikki tweeted out congrats to ONLY gene and paul and eddie had to tweet him and remind him ace and peter were going in the hall as well. It’s obvious whose friends with who here. All that bs aside it will certaintly be an interesting oredeal come induction night. Gene and Ace i don’t see taking digs, but seeing as peter is one who calls it the way he sees it, never afraid to speak his mind, and paul with his insecurity issues, i can only begin to imagine how the night will proceed. Let’s hope all goes well
has anyone ever ask’s for eric’s and tommy’s opinion on the subject?
can they ask? can they answer any questions on this matter?
Employees, they don’t want to get fired. they work on contracts. I’m sure there is a gag order clause.
Sure, they could speak their true minds if they wanted to go back to playing clubs again (Tommy at least) and face a lawsuit …
I thought they did a Farewell tour, then Ace moved on, Peter just wanted to be paid what he thought was fair….Gene keeps bringing up the past….. I am getting off this carousel, I am at the point where I don’t really give a shit anymore too. This has exhausted my rock and roll heart. I’ve seen Kiss on the Creatures, Lick It Up, Asylum (W.A.S.P. blew ’em off the stage), Crazy Nights, then Reunion (twice), Farewell, and Sonic Boom tour. The Reunion was the one that was, by far, the most special, an authentic Kiss experience. Gene was great on the Creatures tour though, he was acting really weird and he spit blood over the first 10 rows, plus the Plasmatics were the openers.
You know through this whole debate I find it interesting how we have not heard a peep from Tommy and Eric about this situation. Gene and Paul must have them on lockdown when it comes to interviews.
If I were Tommy and Eric, I would as someone who grew up watching KISS would wanna stand back and let the originals have the spotlight for the evening. I understand they are employees of KISS and not in reality members of the band and have no say in what happens in the band. They probably don’t have the choice to stand back.
The choice would be between keeping your mouth shut, be the employee and earn quite a lot of money you probably could not earn being the drummer of Alice, or to object to your boss’s wishes and find yourself a new job. Their true opinion we will never know .