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 agree with him. It was stated here and on other sites I’m sure the RRHF was hoping to hype that show with a KISS reunion. Guess what that didn’t happen. I will admit I was pissed at the time I get it now. Why bow down to them, like Paul said they wanted nothing to do with KISS for years and that goes for a lot other people and now were “letting” you in our club please play so we can profit off of it and then you can just go away? I agree with Paul here.
It is working, Paul and Gene make these remarks to keep the KISS name in the news! They are business men and great PR men. I love the original band and saw them live many times with the first being the Destroyer tour . I have also seen many of the incarnations of KISS over the years as well each have positives and negatives. But I truly question how good the original band would have sounded if they did perform at the Hall ceremonies. Ace, based on the sound of his new LP might have been fine but Peter I seriously question his capabilities. Just put on KISS Alive The Millennium Concert and listen to his drumming! It SUCKED, in fact the recording is almost unlistenable because of his drumming! That was in 2000, 14 years ago and I do not think it would have improved over the past 14 years. We all romanticize about the original band and their past but the truth is we will most likely never see them perform again!
He’s been practicing
One other thing…. Jason L.A. Check the facts before stating “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? “. Seriously Robert Plant, his recent comments about a Zep reunion and not being a juke box as well as how he f–ked up a reunion tour following the December 10, 2007 concert because he was to busy, how “childish” is that crap and yes, he lowered himself to “childish acts”. So did Black Sabbath with the Bill Ward saga with their last LP and tour, they could not agree on a contract, that is “childish” and crap as well!! They might be “serious rock icons” but they are also all self serving a-sh-les as well!
Still, with regard to Plant, maybe he was “wise” enough to know that he would not be able to perform like he sure did at the O2 Arena if it meant a whole worldwide tour of maybe two years and a show every second or third day. A tour is something completely different. If it had happened, may today we would say that he wasn’t able to do his legacy justice, so as much as I wanted this tour I feel like it is better to leave it that way, if the gig at O2 was their last one, they surely went out on a high note, showing the world one last time how great they were. They got the right timing there. Which is something I would have wished for my favourite band too, but obvioulsy we are way past that point now.
“I wished they had done”…bit selfish isn’t it.
Hey, I’d liked to have seen the original guys hang it up on top after the Farewell Tour as well…afterall, it was a Farewell Tour…but they didn’t. And in the process gave a crap ton of people enjoyment over the last 14 years. How dare they! Have I seen the band since the Farewell Tour? No…and I won’t, nor have I bought any of the new albums or frankly much of anything from any of them barring the books. But that’s cool, it’s their right to do whatever they want with Kiss, they built it, they earned it and if fans are still coming (which they are) more power to them.
As far as I’m concerned Kiss is guilty of fraud for announcing a “Farewell Tour” and then continuing on after the tour was over AND for calling the current band Kiss when they are in essence a tribute band. They should be called “Strutter,” “Colder Gin” or better yet “Kiss my ass!”
Please…Ozzy, Elton, Priest etc… all have announced Farewell tours and reconsidered. Shame on them for giving people a good time.
LMAO, uhh ok Dan That was just a dumb thing to say. Robert Plant wasn’t anything “childish” as you proclaim and the interview wasn’t even disrespectful to Led Zeppelin. You’re just trying to defend a pattern that we see on a weekly basis……..Paul and Gene have been on a period for DECADES with the same crap over and over. Jason LA hit the mark, he really doesn’t have to check ANY facts because the FACTS speak for themselves. Those guys ARE rock royalty, and if they have a issue you see it once or twice…not EVERY WEEK like you see with Gene and Paul.
Dan I don’t need to check my facts because I know exactly what I’m talking about. And your rebuttal to my post signifies how ignorant and off base you are. You are basically taking one or two instances from a certain period of time and comparing it to a Paul Stanley’s continuous assembly line of childish antics. This is why people like yourself should examine what you print before you hit send. Real foolish to say the least Dan.
People are just not going to let this go. It’s a thorn in Paul’s side, at least I hope it is. No offense to Tommy and Eric, but they were not the reason Kiss was recognized and inducted, even if was “begrudgingly” done. But, we’ve all gotten over that event and them not playing together, at least I have. It sucked that they couldn’t let all the BS go for one small span in time but life goes on. This whole talk about the RRHOF wanting the original four guys to play in make up has run its course to. The finger pointing has gotten old. It’s just another excuse for Paul to hide behind. His comments make it appear he feels Kiss is the Paul Stanley group. He didn’t even throw Gene a scrap of credit in the above interview. It’s just gotten to the point of being sad, but I try not to think about this kind of stuff too much and that’s because I love the original Kiss lineup and always will. They were the very first rock band I got into, Ace was my very first guitar hero/influence and I wouldn’t be the life long fan of Heavy Metal and Hard Rock that I am and be a guitarist if it wasn’t for Ace Frehley, Peter Criss, Gene Simmons and Paul Stanley. That’s the truth and no matter what the future holds: if Kiss replaces the band with new members, if Gene keeps saying ridiculous (albeit sometimes amusing) statements in the press, if Paul keeps shooting his mouth off, none of that will diminish my love for classic Kiss music. I’ll just go listen to one of the old albums and relive some very good times.
Absolutely. And the strange thing is, the fact that there are many people thinking the same way you do, who will forever cherish the memories this band gave them, should make him so proud, because this is the actual recognition and validation he is craving for in these interviews, but maybe he does not realize it. If so, what a sad life he must have despite the money and all.
Dana, you have my sincere respect for all the hard work you do, but this is the last time I will comment on a post related to this because it’s nothing more than a rehash on a topic that has been over and done for months. It may serve as effective comment bait and increase site traffic, but I’d prefer investing my time spent here to read fresh information and news. Scott Ian and Neil Peart have had books available since mid-October. Both have gone without mention. Granted, Ian’s did receive a slot on this site a while ago (pre-distribution), but there’s been nothing about Peart’s release. Led Zep 4 and HOTH reissues were available for purchase in late October. Surely, there must be some rss feeds out there that are offering headlines a little more unique. Again, I’m not meaning to back bite, but as a long-time visitor here, it would be great to get past this particular Kiss topic and other similar Kiss stories where member x is bashing member y. Respectfully, B
Brandon,
Here are a few Led Zeppelin stories that were recently featured on the site:
https://eddietrunk.com/led-zeppelin-loses-first-round-in-stairway-to-heaven-plagiarism-suit/
https://eddietrunk.com/led-zeppelins-jimmy-page-says-band-reunion-is-not-possible-but-plans-to-start-his-own-band/
https://eddietrunk.com/led-zeppelin-release-trailer-for-second-set-of-reissues/
Scott Ian news:
https://eddietrunk.com/guitarist-scott-ian-discusses-his-new-autobiography-and-dvd-new-anthrax-music-and-being-told-he-looks-like-henry-winkler/
Cheers,
D š