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
Mark my words, Gene/Paul/Peter/Ace will reunite for the 40th anniversary of “Psycho Circus” in 2038. I have no doubt.
Then they can only reunite for Ace’s song “Into the void” because as we all know this is the only reunion on tape that happened.
The only reason KISS is in the hall is because ACE, PETER and EDDIE TRUNK? And Paula knows it!!!
Why are you reading it!
I wish they could’ve just played together without make-up, and then have other KISS members join them onstage for a few songs, too. The RRHOF could have been more reasonable. They ignore KISS then demand they play in make-up with only the original 4. I am glad Paul took a principled stance against the Hall. I also disagree with those fans who believe they should have played together “just one more time for the fans.” KISS has given us fans everything we could ever dream of in the last 40 years. They don’t owe us anything anymore.
Kinda amusing watching Paul Stanley just implode on himself. I don’t care how much money he has, how much fame he has, this guy is just looking like a complete moron. What was once a great icon to look up to has now become just a mere child with a sever case of insecurities, embarrassing to say the least. Could you imagine seeing serious rock icons like Robert Plant, Paul McCartney, Bono, Mick Jagger etc at this age lowering themselves to the childish acts as Paul Stanley still does? It is no wonder why the RRHOF thinks they are a joke.
Paul’s character isn’t called the “StarCHILD” for nothing.
Great point Me. Because this is how he has been acting for quite awhile now.
… and even with that he had a little help from … Ace!
Every person you just named is a caricature of themselves now…plus each have said stupid things about past band members, etc so your points are absurd. He is being asked questions, and this is how he sees it…if you don’t like it, who cares. I don’t like what Kiss is doing now, but I have to agree with Paul in understanding his bitterness towards the other three, not just Ace and Peter but Gene too. And let’s be serious people, Pause voice may sound bad today, but if anyone thinks Ace and Peter would enhance Kiss at this stage they are nuts. If the originals got up in makeup to play, it would’ve been a debacle on so many levels…Peter can’t play, Ace looks terrible and live makes tons of mistakes on guitar, Paul looks great but can’t sing…ironically the only one who still resembles his past is Gene. Ace and Peter have bitterness and so does Paul, so what?? The biggest mouth being Gene seems to be the only one still bringing the goods and he has been mute compared to the other three in regard to discussing the past. Every band has ups and downs, and sometimes they can’t get around it, so move on everyone, including the media…stop asking these questions and you won’t get these answers