KISS’ MANAGER SAYS HE WOULD LIKE ALL PREVIOUS MEMBERS OF THE BAND TO BE PART OF THEIR FINAL SHOW, SAYS HE HAS CONTACTED BOTH ACE FREHLEY AND PETER CRISS
According to KISS’ manger, Doc McGhee, who spoke on the ninth annual KISS Kruise, the band is open to reuniting with all former members at their final show.
McGhee said (via blabbermouth.net), “We want to include everybody that played with KISS to celebrate the 45 years of KISS,” he said. “And everybody — Vinnie Vincent and everybody else — that [has] played with KISS is part of this whole celebration of 45 years. So, we’re still looking at what we’re gonna do on the final show of KISS.”
According to McGhee, Frehley and Criss have both “been talked to” about participating in some form. But, he acknowledged, “It’s pretty difficult. When people say, ‘Oh, you should bring Ace and Peter up.’ How do you do that when you have two Catmen and two Spacemen? So you say, ‘Okay. You don’t wear makeup and you wear makeup.’ And then they [Ace and Peter] go, ‘Well, that was my makeup.’ I don’t know. So it’s real hard to do, but we’ll figure it out because they’re very much a part of the heritage of KISS. And they’re acknowledged by Gene and Paul and everybody in this room as the founding members… So. it’s important to you guys [and] it’s important to us. It’s just a matter of the balance and we can bring it where it works for everybody and everybody is having a great time.”
Last year, Frehley told VintageRock.com that “the only way” he would “seriously consider” taking part in End Of The Road is “if I took back my make-up and costume and my character — which I designed.” He added that current KISS guitarist Tommy Thayer “is not a bad guitar player, but he basically just mimics everything I wrote, and tries to imitate my persona. He’s been doing it for 15 years,” he said. “But the reality is I’m the original guy. And nobody can really copy the way I play guitar.”
KISS frontman recently stated, on the same KISS Kruise, that the band plans their final show to be played on July 17th, 2021 in New York City in a TBA location.
To be really fair, what makes this final show so problematic is not just Paul Stanley’s stubbornness of having everything on his terms. IT’S ALL OF THEM! Each one of the original members wants things his way or the highway (and don’t think for a moment that Gene’s mellowed out – he’s just letting Paul be the bad guy).
If Ace/Peter expect Gene/Paul to dish out some exorbitant amount of money for one show, it’s just not going to happen. KISS will sell out regardless (just like they did back in March). On the flipside, if Gene/Paul think Ace/Peter are going to play for free or for some ridiculously low wage, that’s not going to happen either. And the fans shouldn’t kid themselves. The problems/issues won’t be about who wears makeup and who doesn’t (despite Ace’s blustering quotes from the past). IT’S ALL ABOUT MONEY – FOR ALL OF THEM! PERIOD!
The only one who’s reasonable is Bruce Kulick because he knows he’s essentially a session player and not one of the originals – and he’s ok with that.
…and then there’s Vinnie Vincent (eyes roll)….
What does Doc mean, “..two Catmen and two Spacemen?”. There’s is, and always will be, just one true Catman and one true Spaceman! Anything else is just impersonation.
I always thought of Bruce Kulick, and Eric Carr, as members of Kiss. Vinnie, as well, since he wore makeup and toured. Should have been included in RR hall of Music, and I do feel that all four original members are the problem. Not one is gonna get what they want and the fans will suffer
The band ended in when I saw all four original members on the farewell tour. At least Pete sang Beth, when I saw em on the reunion tour in Jersey, he didn’t sing it for some reason