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
Sad Sad Sad no Ace and Peter ,no Michael Anthony in VH, no Slash in GnR,no Blackmore in DP and the list goes on.I can’t wait to hear the Scorpions without Klause
It’s Klaus, and I would like to see The Scorpions with a real rock singer, not that all too clear thin voice of his.
“Foolish fans”, tell that to the Kiss Army who saw Kiss in ’14. Paul’s voice was spot on and Thayer can play better than Ace….and Singer compared to Peter, please. No Klause? Imagine that train wreck. Does “Eddie Trunk Presents” mean he is the promoter who books Ace?
I wish for once one of the interviewers would have the balls to call Paul on these comments of his suggesting Ace and Peter don’t have it anymore. What about you Paul? You don’t have it anymore, certainly not live at least, when you struggle to sing your songs. He talks about replacing members and the band being bigger than any member, so why hasn’t he replaced himself by now? He holds everyone to such high standards, but himself. Peter is no worse at playing drums at this point than Paul is singing.
If it were just based on who has it at this point and who doesn’t, Kiss would be Ace and Gene as the only original members left in the band. The irony with Ace is he’s playing as good, if not better than ever, as evident on Space Invader. Gene can be annoying with all of his branding and opinions, but the guy can still sing and deliver on stage. I would’ve rather the original band stayed together and/or called it quits after the reunion tour. Though if they are going to go with the replacing members route based on who still has it and who doesn’t, then Gene and Ace should be carrying the Kiss flag, and Paul should just retire and stick to something like wig consulting.
Sorry, but Space Invader is a terrible album. Ace can play guitar no doubt, but the songs and his voice are embarrassingly bad. I bought the album as soon as it came out…have listened to it numerous times trying so hard to hear something in it that might make me believe but it is just absolutely a horrible and almost embarrassingly needy type of release. The worst part? How he botched the remake of Steve Miller’s “The Joker” , and unfortunately that’s his best effort on the album.
I know that isn’t what Eddie and this crowd like to hear, but anyone without bias will admit it. And, accordingly, the sales of the record have sunk faster than a 500 lb. boulder rolled into the Hudson.
You’re entitled to your own opinion that Space Invader is a bad album, but no one, biased or not, has to “admit” to anything. And did you even read Eddie’s review? He certainly did not kiss Ace’s ass.
I think Space Invader is Ace’s best work since his first solo album. His voice sounds fine, his guitar playing is great, the songs have drive and energy. “The Joker” is far from his “best effort” on the album. “Past the Milky Way,” “Reckless,” “I wanna hold you,” “Change,” “Gimme a feeling,” “Space Invader,” “Toys,” etc. are all better songs in my opinion. “The Joker,” though a great Steve Miller song, was a completely unnecessary cover by Ace. His version is ok, but I wish he didn’t even do it. The person at his record company who told him to was wrong on that one.
Furthermore, Ace’s record sales are irrelevant to me, because it’s about the quality of the music that he puts out, not the number of units that he sells. Space Invader by far blows away anything Paul and Gene have done in recent years. Paul and Gene’s latest solo albums sound like modern day pop music and Sonic Boom and Monster weren’t that good.
Now with all that said, those are my OPINIONS and you MUST ADMIT to them…now!!! And I mean right now!!!! What are you waiting for? Do it!!!!
Just once without band member bashing,Puh-Leez!!!!!!!!!!! Rehash rehash…
Ya know I hope to all the things that come my way as I get older I don’t get like this fool..paul has gotten pretty silly and stupid as he has gotten older.I hope this does not happen to me. This guy has either lied or contradicted everything he has ever once said and gene too. There great bull shitters at best .I wull give them that. As a 42 yr ole and a fan since I was 5 I must say I have heard it all. This d bag actually thinks the imposters are better then the original ace and peter… come on but yet he has them dressed and mimicking them every nite. I am so over this band in its current state and do not support kiss at all.. I am going to support ace and peter always have. Ace new record kills anything they all have done before and after he left… he was what made kiss period…truth hurts for those who cant acknowledge this. Paul and gene gonna let this tribute band continue . Heck they cant even tour as a single band on a bill they have to bill another act or two just to fill halls. What the hell he thinks any other imposters are going to bring that two of the founding members cant even do…now thats reality
Maybe if Paul and Gene replace themselves at the end of their Las Vegas shows they could leave their clone band in Vegas to play for years to come.
I’m sure you can enjoy Ace at one of his free shows in the lobby of a casino bar near you soon!
This argument again … the casino will pay Ace the usual amount so it can promote itself by giving you people free admission, got it now?
…like this point for example.