Alan K. Stout from The Weekender spoke with KISS frontman Paul Stanley. Excerpts appear below.
On the Rock N’ Roll Hall of Fame:
“It’s such a sham,” he said. “Year after year, you look at the inductees, and most people on the street scratch their heads about half of them. It’s really a popularity contest for a very small group of people who actually make the decisions. That Deep Purple isn’t in there is absurd. Whether or not I’m a fan of prog-rock, that Yes isn’t in is ridiculous.”
On whether there will be an officially sanctioned KISS tribute act:
“I know KISS won’t end. The question is, ‘How long will I be a part of it, or Gene be a part if it?’ I really don’t know. As long as we can. It’s hard work, but it’s incredibly rewarding and fulfilling. In 2000, I thought it was over. It’s 14 years later, and I’m much wiser now and smart enough to know that it will continue. Though the band has never been better, I’m also aware that I’m not the only person that can do what I do. I didn’t invent what I do. I was influenced by a lot of great singers and performers, and there are people out there that are just chomping at the bit to get up on stage, and I believe there is more than one person that can go up there and blow people away. At some point, I won’t be there.”
On their tour mates Def Leppard:
When I first heard ‘Photograph,’ it stopped me. It was really, really great. And over the years, they’ve proven themselves by writing just great, great songs. While I’m getting ready to play, I can hear the audience singing all of their songs. And they’re great guys. You can’t argue with the catalog they’ve created.
Read more at The Weekender.
source: theweekender.com
105 Responses
Judas Priest. The mere fact that Paul & Gene have both talked about the band continuing on after them ought to tell some of you just how out of touch these two have become.
Good grief with that logic, every band could continue on forever.
Hell how come Jimi Hendrix ain’t playin’ anywhere? LMAO
I love KISS but this is getting ridiculous.
Jimi Hendrix is still playing, I just saw him last week in Vegas, along with Jim Morrison, Jerry Garcia & Janis Joplin! LOL! Legends live forever in Las Vegas! 🙂
Oh for god’s sake! I wish these guys would just go away! Mainly Paul and Gene.
They are a tribute band. It’s been over for quite a while now.
On the subject the hof when they put heart in it really broke the mold for who could should get in for rock bands. I am a heart fan but deep purple and yes are slam dunks. But if you put heart in then the scorpions, iron maiden to name just two should be considered.
Paul can’t say anything without people jumping all over him. I agree with everything he said. If KISS can continue without Gene and Paul, trust me there will be an audience. Enough already about them being a tribute band. As if no other band has ever replaced members, who cares that other guys wear the “sacred” make-up, it’s just not that big of a deal. Read some of the concert reviews. A lot people say they are sounding great. I’m a fan since 76. Met all of them except Carr,Vinnie, and St. John. Peter and Ace are NOT coming back. Time to let it rest and move on.
And just as many people say Paul’s voice is shot, no energy, stale set lists. Just presenting all sides to this. Gene and Paul change the mandate daily it seems. Last two albums were Kiss classics but don’t play one from either in your tour? It goes on and on. But it is NOT about replacement members, it IS about keeping some sense of respect for the history and those that created it. Not constantly trying to rewrite that history. I do agree with you that Ace and Peter are not coming back. And they shouldn’t. That ship has sailed. Just a question of if you will buy a 100% Kiss tribute? Some do now at 50%, should be interesting to see what happens when the other shoes fall.
Another thing I have noticed is that many of the defenders of Gene & Paul’s treatment of Ace, Peter, and their legacy, are now up in arms over Gene & Paul replacing themselves and continuing KISS. What ? I thought it was all good that Tommy and Eric wore Ace & Peter’s makeup. All of a sudden they’re realizing how stupid Gene & Paul have been acting. UNREAL
Edward I have accepted Eric and Tommy in the band….not them wearing the makeup. But this situation has really gotten strange to say the least. So Gene & Paul will play the puppet masters and direct the Circus from their offices…..” You wanted the best & you got ….. THE BEST”???? ROFLMAO….uh no! Joe in The Cuse
Paul and Gene can do whatever they want with Kiss. They are the original members. If you don’t like it, don’t buy it. Paul’s in his 60s. Of course his voice is going and he doesn’t move around as much as he did, but people are still buying tickets. Maybe we should start complaining about how you don’t move around on TMS, don’t show much energy, and how you have the same guests over and over, Trunk. Perhaps a sit-up once in a while would help as well. ohhh just being honest….. just keeping it real….(sound familiar?)
So you are equating a free TV show to a band that charges money to see them perform? Because that really makes so much sense! A TV show that has had over 100 episodes and over 6 years on TV has had some guests on more than once? A show that has had tons of major acts? A show that maybe we see more Kiss fans in the audience than any other band? And somehow my waistline (which is way down you will be sad to know) has something to do with if people watch a TV show? Only in distorted Kissland worship world can any of this possibly make sense to someone. I don’t buy it, but you buy and watch what you want, and clearly you watch my show so thanks! I mean how else would you know about it if you didn’t see it right?
Actually, your show is not free….I have to pay direct tv to see it.
Not cool. You are comparing a TV show to a live experience–it doesn’t make sense. I agree Paul and Gene can do what they want with KISS. It began with Paul and Gene, but TMS is a talk show about Metal/Hard Rock bands and its a great show. It doesn’t require Eddie, Don, or Jim to move around like rock stars. For the record, I support the current KISS lineup, but I hope you wont make a comment like that again. You are welcome to debate (even vehemently), not insult. We can’t see what YOU look like!
Oh, so what you’re saying is that I should not tell Eddie how to do his show? How to look? Act? Dress? What guests to have? How many times to have them? Whether or not he should end his show because he’s too old to be doing it (50 is way too old to be liking heavy metal)? So HE should be the one who makes those decisions because it’s HIS show and HE came up with the concept for the show? And I shouldn’t make personal attacks against him? hmmmmm interesting concept.
@Ennui,
I understand if the comments upset you, but he has the right to speak as a fan. You are taking it too personally. Instead, I suggest telling Ed how great SB and Monster are IF you like those albums. Tell him how much you like the current lineup assuming that’s true. Personal attacks just won’t do. I give him a lot of credit for allowing most posts through and responding personally to many of them.
…..yeah, Ed! huh? you need to uhhh I don’t know, do some jumping jacks and uhhh yeah! show us your abs! I mean come on! Say what? I can’t believe that this thread actually exists….oh my, I haven’t laughed this hard in a long time…Ennui has attempted to pull a classic ad hominem move: attempting to rebut an argument on the basis of considerations that apply to the source rather than to his argument or claim, or position. Complete nonsense Ennui, pathetic, even.
Lol yes, another drastic attempt to sound cerebral. Don’t laugh TOO hard , Clown, you may spill your Mr. Pibb on your T-shirt and you know how hard it is for your mother to get those stains out.
That wasn’t drastic, it comes naturally to me to spot complete fallacies in someone’s logic. It’s my job, sorry if that upsets you. But referencing my mother is so low, I won’t be responding to any more of your comments, or George’s. So, have fun in your little fantasy world there. Assuming is a sign of very low intelligence by the way. It is, again, sorry if the truth is hard for you to handle.
Lol yes, another drastic attempt to sound cerebral. Don’t laugh TOO hard , Clown, you may spill your Mr. Pibb on your T-shirt and you know how hard it is for your mother to get those stains out……..
It’s like if he says it with enough force it will validate it, make it true…..I can’t imagine how someone who thinks this way rationalizes life.
Seriously Ennui, your argument against Eddie was based on the most ridiculous premise, you should be thanking me for pointing this out to you, and I didn’t say you were pathetic, I was referring to your argument. But, you counter with this very juvenile gibberish, with the purpose to go below the belt and offend, so I wont’ respond to you…(i.e. have at it, you aren’t worth my time after this post). Mike B got on my case for being too cerebral, and this was after I did the same thing to Rick, who said he was an “intellectual and proud of it.” (!)
For not responding anymore, you responded 3 times. Anyone that uses terms like “ad hominem” in any context, especially on a Kiss message board (lol), and then defines it, shows a desperate cry for attention. It’s not only a blatant attempt to be someone you are not, it’s very condescending. Hang in there, clown. If you continue to complete your chores, your mother will give you more attention and perhaps raise your allowance. ( cross your fingers)
Another symptom of our culture now is that people take arguments personally. I engage in a dialectic where I welcome being refuted, not personally attacked. The latter tactic is a sign of very low intelligence.
OK. Ennui, I figured I would actually give you the courtesy of addressing your post, even though, you, again, referenced my mother, which is so out of line, an affront to decency, that I am completely disgusted with you.
1) you responded 3 times….I wasn’t responding at that point, this here, is responding, and I am contradicting my previous statement, but I didn’t want to duck your concerns, so, after this post, if you still want to talk about my family, you can’t say that I didn’t take your concerns seriously. 2).Anyone that uses terms like “ad hominem” in any context, especially on a Kiss message board (lol), and then defines it, shows a desperate cry for attention. …..First, why should this being a Kiss forum dictate that I dumb down my responses? Kiss is one of the most profoundly impacting forms of art in the last 40 years, the fact that my responses have the content that they do, is very much indicative of Kiss’s impact on me. I got the disclosure from Kiss fully, and that is very much reflected in how I think, and take action. I defined it, because I deduced from your posts that you would not know what it meant, so I took the extra step to assist you. And you committed a flagrant logical fallacy addressing Ed, which was so funny, I had to intervene and provide concrete evidence of your mistake. Here’s the one that gets me, if I really needed attention, I would not be on a msg board where no one can even see me, I would be doing something else. Where is this ‘attention’ I am getting? 3) It’s not only a blatant attempt to be someone you are not, it’s very condescending….This is also a case of attempting to produce a fact by way of emphasis, and it only condescending because you can’t come up with a cogent response. O.K. take care you guys, I’ll be back in a couple of weeks.
A couple of weeks? I was just going to say welcome back clown! It’s nice to see a familiar name around here. Geez you go away for a couple of days, come back and “ALL HELL’S BREAKIN’ LOOSE! I think Gene put more than his foot in is mouth this time! Anyway, O.K., I guess we’ll chat when you get back, take care clown, Cheers! 🙂
I haven’t bought anything since the Farewell tour. After all, it was a Farewell tour. However there’s a certain segment that sure seem hurt the band (or any band really) has continued on.
Seriously, what does it matter? Either you buy into it or you don’t. Regardless, I support Gene and Pauls right do whatever they want to do…I don’t particularly dig it but plenty of people do. Queen…with Lambert and only two original members…would I pay? No. But again, they’ve earned the right to play those tunes “if” people still want to see it. Why the hell is this a bad thing? Protecting the history? Of what…it’s rock and roll, it’s about good times, loud guitars, cool tunes and blowing stuff up. Hell, when did that become a bad thing. I’m glad those people are experiencing a little bit of what I experienced. Besides if it was so darn important to those other original members why didn’t they hold up their end. Classic stance by many in our society…let’s feel sorry for those that screwed the pooch to begin with…oh, and not just once but how many times.
People/so called fans need to understand this and Ed you should be hammering this point home…once Kiss is done, and it will be soon enough…no replacement band will succeed, once Queen is done, once Lizzy is done, Aerosmith, VH, Sabbath etc… Once all these bands with one, two, three or all original member are finished, a crap ton of great music will never be heard again live. 4 decades of music…over. We’ve already lost so many greats, we’ve been lucky that more aren’t gone so freaking enjoy it while you can because once it’s gone…it’s gone.
Good post JB…
By replacing themselves, they are not thinking of our generation of fans, or even the generation after us. They’re thinking of our kids, and our kid’s kids. Clearly there is one fan base that has accepted and like this version, and one that has not and is upset about it. Clearly they’ve made the statement time and time again that they don’t care about the latter fan base. These guys have been told ‘no’ all their lives. They’re not going to listen to it now after all these years no matter how many people they piss off.
This is how it should be:
Either have Tommy and Eric in their own makeup design
-or-
Retire the makeup and “classic Kiss” and perform off the non-makeup recordings.
There is a lot of decent music there…I mean how many times can you hear DRC and RNRAN??
Once all 4 Originals are out – it is no longer Kiss
PS- I love when Dana puts this picture of Paul out there….he looks more like Cher than Starchild 🙂