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
Hardcore, longtime Kiss fans will never let any of this go. Ever. We paid for Stanley The Parrots life. He can bite me if he thinks I’m not his boss.
So much for coming on Wayne’s World. Ace could fart and tell polish jokes and get rave reviews on this site.
Funny because kiss can get 2 imposters of ace & peter, sell coffins, buy arena football teams, have reality shows, sound horrible live, and fans will still worship them. Funny how this can go both ways………………..kiss is a washed up vegas act.
Ace could fart in the general direction of Las Vegas and produce a sweeter sound than anything Paul has sung these past few years.
We live here in Las Vegas. We paid I believe $85 or right round $85 a ticket. The worst Vegas show we have seen. The paper gave the review basically a thumbs up, but that is always the standard review in Las Vegas but local radio stations KXPT and KOMP had many dis pleased fans that called in expressing a much different tone. My opinion on the show was ok at best. Paul Stanley’s vocal chords are simple horrific. He can’t sing anymore. He was a great singer but father time has flown by him years ago. Gene Simmons messed up the lyrics on Let Me Go RAR and God of Thunder. Tommy trying to do his best imitation of Ace was really off and not good at all. Yes he can look like Ace but sure as hell doesn’t play like him. Eric was the real bright spot. A real disappointment to say the least.
So was the stage, nothing really spectacular to make these shows something special, as far as footage on YT makes me believe, what was your impression of the stage?
I guess the stage was ok, nothing special. But wow was Paul aweful. I haven’t seen any you tube video’s from The Joint ( those you tube reviews from the summer tour are also bad ) but if you seen the video from The Joint notice Paul having a very difficult time just getting the lyrics out. The best way I can compare watching Kiss today is like watching Muhammad Ali’s last fight against Larry Holmes. You knew he had heart but you also knew that it was over 10 years ago. But of course the reviews, which by the way are always going to be favorable because that is the norm, say it was good. The reality is nothing of the sort. My opinion is if they are going to continue Kiss then Simmons and Stanley should exclude themselves from the band and throw in the other 2 newbies and have a official Kiss Tribute Band. Legalize it and move on because right now it is really sad to see them try to re catch the lightening which they had with Peter and Ace.
I should clarify, the stage was nice, the show was ok. But a stage show in Vegas is never the golden ticket. It is the acts themselves that make up the show which in turns make your stage show even more glamorous.
Isn’t it a good thing that in the end it is the band ‘s or solo performer’s quality and songs that prevail, and the show, whatever it is like, is only the icing on the cake?!
I just saw some stuff online and I agree 100%. It’s been like this for a while now. Sad to see what they have let this become. But if there is still money to be made they won’t stop yet. Not sure how Paul can be critical of others ability to perform and not be able to sing for years now..
There is no way we will go see them again. I like to remember Muhammad Ali in his prime, and I want and will remember Kiss in their prime, Ace Peter Gene and Paul during those awesome years when they ruled the world. They can do what they want, but it is over. Kiss just isn’t a huge, let alone big attraction anymore and they haven’t been for quite sometime. The Rolling Stones are a huge attraction. They still matter.
Which is ineveitable, his voice has become worse over the last few years, but the toruing schedule might even have become tighter, there are almost no gaps in between, like finishing the American tour, then off to the big festival, then off to the Kiss Kruise, then off to Vegas – his voice in his best years would have suffered like any other’s, but now that is really like he is trying to finally kill it this year.
the thumbs up review was from tommy Thayer.
Not a bad comment from Paul – it is ashame the original four could not get together a sing a few hits.
The other commenters are correct, Paul’s voice is unfortunately shot.
I will make it simple ..
Ace was never vocally inclined ( which he has stated himself ) his work on S.I. is the best he has played & sang in years. Give the guy some credit !
Paul, although his voice hasn’t been top notch, I see him simply enjoying the life style he earned as one of rock n roll best frontmen … so he isn’t good anymore, let him enjoy his few years he has left. As he states, ” It’s my party and it aint over yet ! ”
You the suppose fans, if you don’t like it don’t pay for it !!!!
I do not see “a few years more” looking at the decline of his voice over the last “few years”, if that continues his voice is down to a chainsaw’s noise in no more than a year or so. And as they have already announced they are co-headlining three of the biggest European festivals next summer I think they will go on touring all the way … possible be on tour in Europe and other continents from early 2015 on.
What I find astounding is that promoters of these festivals maybe do not listen to recent live footage to find out the current quality in the performance, or maybe Kiss has internally announced they will call it quits after concerts on different continents next year so promoters take the chance to book them one last time. If so, I wonder if Kiss will do regular shows in indoor arenas in Europe as a wrap up before it is over for thiose who do not like standing in the middle of 80,000 people, or if they would say sort of goodbye over here doing only certain big festivals in the countries where people are still able to afford the ticket prices.
Hi Eddie, do you see them continue longer than by the end of 2015, maybe touring different parts of the world and then the US again by then as some kind of farewell tour, then do the casting show and turn over to new guys?
I have no idea what Kiss will do. It ended for me 10 years ago or so as far as going to the shows
paul’s quote was “it’s my party and i’ll cry if I want to”.