Robin Leach of the Las Vegas Sun spoke with KISS frontman Paul Stanley. Excerpts from the interview appear below.
Las Vegas Sun:….it’s the first time you’re playing a residency at the Hard Rock, but why is it the icing on the cake?
Stanley: Well because it’s new territory for us, and what KISS has always been about is going against the grain and really doing things in our time and when it feels right for us. There was a time where quite honestly everyone thought of Las Vegas as an elephant burial ground.
It was the more glittery branch in Missouri for some people, but it’s so unique. There was also a time where the best food you could get was a $1.99 prime rib. Now if I want a great meal, I go to Las Vegas. You can’t get a comparable meal in Los Angeles to what you can get in Las Vegas.
Everything has changed so much, and it’s always seemed like a perfect fit for us to be in Las Vegas, but for a lot of reasons, it just wasn’t meant to be. Now the planets have lined up, and everything is as it should be, and we will come in and do what we do.
We are doing a KISS show in Las Vegas, we are not doing a Las Vegas show with KISS. We are a rock and roll band, and we will do what we do — better than any band at this point.
Las Vegas Sun: Are you changing the tour show?
Stanley: Completely different stage. At this point, our influence is so widespread that virtually any rock band you go see live is doing the KISS show. The only thing they can never be is KISS. Anybody with money can buy pyro, can buy lasers, but you can never be us. So for us to come into Las Vegas, we’ll set a different level honestly.
It’s an amazing thing for us to be able to go into a smaller venue and not downsize. Usually going into a smaller venue means doing a smaller show, but because this show isn’t portable and because this show is a permanent installation, we can do things that we couldn’t when you have to break the show down every night.
Las Vegas Sun: In terms of rock and roll, Motley Crue is calling it quits on its current world tour. Are you saying KISS will not call it quits and go on maybe with other musicians?
Stanley: Oh, totally; absolutely. We are unlike any other band. We are closer to an army. We are closer to a sports team. I’m not foolish enough to think that I’m the only person to do what I do. The Yankees continued without Babe Ruth. Time marches on, and if you’re part of a movement or part of a commitment to a cause, then when you’re time is done … look, if you fall in battle, someone picks up your gun and runs.
Somebody has to carry the flag, and that’s what KISS is about. KISS is about a lifestyle and self-empowerment and going against the odds and believing in yourself. I guess enjoying the fruits of hard work. That’s not singular to me. People who said that was not possible in terms of KISS are already 50 percent wrong. The lineup is now 40 years on, and two of the members are not the original members, but they are far better at this point than the original members.
Read more at the Las Vegas Sun.
source: lvsun.com
198 Responses
really sad to see paul and gene destroy what was once the best band in the rule. they should have gone out on top with ace and peter.
the real Elliot says,
dana,
my last comment was at 2:58pm on 10/30. since then,it seems that I have lost the rights to my name, for someone(s) have been replicating my posting style. until I figure out a way to get the rights back, I will lease my name to kiss fans.. as long as they agree with everything that paul says.
sincerely,
the real Elliot(man)
Elliot,
Yes, it seems there is another one. I think you should start calling yourself Elliot #1 or The Original Elliot 🙂
D 🙂
thank you dana for your resistance in this matter.
sincerely,
the original Elliot#1
Thank god for Gene Simmons and Paul Stanley who are able to keep KISS alive and vibrant despite the best efforts of Peter Criss and Ace Frehley to bring it down. Really feel sorry for Eddie here who continues to give these two a voice. These two that had the world handed to them and threw it away.
Exactly. I would rather have a KISS in its current form than no KISS at all. The orginal 4 made us all fans, but everyone else that’s contributed to keeping KISS going to this point deserves appreciation, too. If Ace and Peter had led the band, we’d be talking about how great their final album was – “Destroyer.”
I think the current Kiss should either be the 4 current members without makeup or in makeup with each one having their own original character. If creating new characters doesn’t work, then impersonating the original members characters and calling the it anything other than a Kiss cover band is disingenuous to say the least.
Yeah, I would prefer Tommy and Eric to be their own characters, but they treat the original personas with respect and thanks to them we can still have KISS.
fact: david c and don’s posts have never been seen In public… until now.
sinfrehley,
the original Elliot #1 (c)2014
Who the hell handed the world to them, Gene and Paul? What a ridiculous phrase. Last time I checked there were four people in the band when this band created the legacy that is now being destroyed.
It’s all about MONEY. Kiss will have a reality show to pick four new members who will become the saddest sacks on the planet when they realize Gene and Paul will contractually insist in writing every new song: “ok guys, you’re in a Kiss cover band, and you’re going to cover the songs Gene and I write”…
dana
i was just clowning around. appreciate the feedback though. and reverse what i said about everyone agreeing with what paul says. paul is a fool.