In speaking with with KNPR News, KISS guitarist/vocalist Paul Stanley was asked why he declined to perform with fellow original KISS members Peter Criss and Ace Frehley at the band’s Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame induction in April. His answer has been transcribed by blabbermouth.net and can be read below.
Stanley said, It’s a tough question to answer, but there’s so much involved in it. Firstly, the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame wanted nothing to do with us; they begrudgingly let us in. And my sense was that we were going to be a dog-and-pony show. They wanted to have the original guys play in the band, and all of us in makeup, and, quite honestly, I think it would have done the band a disservice. That lineup has not been together for 14 years, and physically, perhaps, wouldn’t have looked that great, and musically, undoubtedly, probably, would have sounded a bit suspect. So, to have people watch it on television and identify that as KISS because there’s four guys in makeup would not send a great signal to the people who are not following the band in its current permutation, or what it is today.”
He continued, “Look, we just did 42 shows and played to 600,000 people in America, and I would hate for those people to turn on a TV show where we were an unwanted guest in the first place and see us strong-armed into doing something that really does a disservice to something that I worked at for 40 years. I never quit the band twice, once, and to dilute what I’ve worked on all these years just to make a committee happy that really was not all that thrilled that we were there in the first place, it sent the wrong message and it endangered something that I hold very dear to me.”
KISS begins their three week Las Vegas residency, Kiss Rocks Vegas, at The Joint inside Hard Rock Hotel & Casino today (November 5th).
additional source: blabbermouth.net
204 Responses
I just saw kiss do creatures of the night opener for Vegas and Paul’s voice is so out of tune If you like it great you should if you do know one should tell you other wise. People knock Aces voice but Ace never had a good voice he’d admit it him self. but Paul once had great voice. Okay now it’s time for all the hater’s to blast me for having a opinion god forbid I have one just get on facebook Kiss page and hear it your self he singing like a baritone dose not even hit a single high note.
I have to agree………it is not being mean to say that their best days are behind them….they are in their mid 60’s…..it is time to quit….Paul can barely sing, Gene is phoning it in…and the other two guys are great musicians but be honest…..they are impersonating ace and peter…….nothing against the band for wanting to continue…it is well documented that ace and peter are train wrecks but please guys CALL IT A DAY………let our memories of Kiss be pleasant ones, not ones of guys approaching their wheelchairs refusing to throw in the towel
Paul should join the oak ridge boy and sing the deep parts in the song Elvira.
Kiss in Vegas 2014: like Paul said: never been better. Poor Ace, he’s thinking about night one and his voice.
You really don’t believe that, do you?
Too bad Paul wasn’t thinking about night one and his voice when Kiss opened up in Vegas. He might have sung a whole lot better.
He can’t do any better now – and if he had one clear thought in him he would know it is about time to quit before he cannot even sing the verses anymore (as I said before he is barely singing on the chorus anymore, leaving this task to Eric mostly.) On the other hand I think Gene still got his voice intact even though he is older.
Paul may want to start lip synching on stage for the rest of his career.
When it comes to certain choruses of certain songs, he already is. You see him behind the mic but in fact he is not singing and what you hear is Eric on the high notes.
To Me: Paul should have been thinking about his voice and entire tours charging full price for tickets.
KISS anno 2014 is a perfect example of a band that should call it a day.
Paul Stanley has become the same as Gordon GG Gebert. A boken record.
His excuse was they wouldnt have sounded good? They already sound HORRIBLE with pauls screeching voice! Anyone who thinks otherwise is just as delusional as paul is!
Sorry but kiss is a freaking joke these days! Only the most retarded people still go see this band of corporate businessmen dressed up in kiss regelia at 60+ years old.
They were awesome in Charlotte and Atlanta. Maybe you’re just too critical and don’t know how to have a good time. Even my teenage daughters were singing to “Hide Your Heart” and “Shout It Out Loud.” Fun had by all.
Kiss shows can still be fun when they sound awful. Doenst mean paul is rockin the house with his voice.
Fudge: I don’t know about you, but I don’t pay full price for half a loaf of bread.
So the fact that some teenager, or any person, sings along is criteria enough to say the band is still sounding good??