The manager of KISS has confirmed the group are in talks to launch a TV talent show to find replacements for frontman Paul Stanley and guitarist Gene Simmons – when the duo eventually retire.
It has long been rumored that founding members Stanley and Simmons hope to keep the band running when they decide to quit – but both men have been evasive when asked about whether any new members have been signed up and if the takeover will happen after their current world tour.
The rock veterans are the only original members left in the band, which was marred by the departure of Ace Frehely and Peter Criss and the death of Eric Carr in 1991 – the group now includes replacements Eric Singer and Tommy Thayer.
However their longtime manager Doc McGhee insists that there are indeed plans to replace all four band members and keep KISS alive for a new generation – they are close to signing a deal to find their replacements through an American Idol-style TV show.
McGhee says in a new TV documentary about the band, “I believe that KISS can go on forever. I believe that there is a way – and we are talking to people and we’re pretty close to getting it done – about finding the four new members of KISS.”
As our own Eddie Trunk reports in his Trunk Report, despite the fact that this article is dated 2008, Eddie writes, “the plan and closer than ever to happening…maybe two years away from launching.”
source: starpulse.com
192 Responses
I respect the fact that paul n gene want to retire in time cause they have been the front man of kiss for a long time. but replaceing them n keeping the name kiss going ? im sorry but i disagree with this , i mean kiss has always been known for paul , gene, ace and peter until several years ago granted some members do leave a band cause of money dispute and other things n it was a loss when peter n ace left the group and it willl be even a bigger loss when gene n paul leave. but as for keeping the name kiss goin with out all four orginal members let alone two ? I say bad idea doc u cant replace all 4 orginal members n still call the group kiss ! very bad idea , cause paul, gene , peter and ace made kiss what it is today. i say once paul and gene decide to call it quits ? Retire the groups name also.
well said. I totally agree. without even one original member, they cease to be kiss.
I say replace ’em all! It hasn’t been real for some time now, so they might as well make a reality TV show out of it (hell, it would be more entertaining than what’s out there now)! It could actually be kinda cool; Find the best Paul, Gene, Ace & Peter impersonators out there and assemble the MVP of KISS tribute bands!
G&P: Why not just use holograms of the band and send that on tour? Think of the money you’d SAVE by not having to pay musicians, etc.
I tell ya, I think this is cool as shit. Big time. I wouldn’t have even cared about Tommy and Eric except the way it was handled. When you pass the torch you honor the one you are replacing, what they did was mind blowing, it was so disrespectful. But I hope they do this so that the identities are hidden, start the mystique all over again. Guys, we were really, really lucky. We grew up with the greatest rock and roll bands in history, there will never, ever be a state of just a plethora of really talented artists coming up, with the genre still so fresh, like it did for us…..stop complaining, and just sit back….maybe inhale something that’s not too bad for you….and laugh.
Being a huge kiss fan ( even today ) there is no way i could support what they are talking about doing. Ive seen various line ups and its still been kiss. This to me will be when kiss is no more