Brian Hiatt of Rolling Stone reports:
Paul Stanley joined the latest episode of the Rolling Stone Music Now podcast to talk in depth about Kiss’ just-announced End of the Road world tour (which they’ve said will mark the end of their touring career) and much more. Highlights from the interview appear below.
On the End of the Road really being their farewell tour, as opposed to their 2000 tour being dubbed a “farewell tour.”:
“Let’s put it into perspective and try to at least get a sense of what’s different. The farewell tour took place 19 years ago. The farewell tour was at the end of the time that we had brought back the two original members [guitarist Ace Frehley and drummer Peter Criss] and it was such drudgery and so difficult and so unhappy that it just seemed like ‘let’s put the horse down.’ And after the tour was over, it didn’t take me very long to realize I didn’t want to say goodbye to the band; I wanted to say goodbye to two members. So that was the differences. We’ve had 19 years of the band. The band has never been better, happier… But with all that in mind, it’s time to think about an end.”
Discussing the possibility of guest appearances by former members:
“I really can’t say. This will be a celebration of KISS and not any individual lineup or any individual members. I wouldn’t rule anything out but it’s not the crux of what we’re doing… and I’m not being coy either. I don’t want to mislead anybody, really that’s not something that’s been given a lot of thought at this point, the majority of our time has gone into what is the stage going to be, what is the show going to be, and we’re actually in the midst of toying with setlists now.”
Stanley responded to the odd swipe Simmons took at him, regarding his singing voice, onstage in Australia:
“Look, Gene and I have been together, I think, 47 years or something around that. He’s out having a great time. He’s doing these – most of them are free concerts, and when he charges tickets they don’t sell a lot of tickets –and I’m sure he’s trying to keep it light for the couple hundred people or whatever, and that’s great. I was just with Gene, obviously, day before yesterday and we have a bond that is enviable…You do come to terms over time with your own mortality, and every singer that I know, probably the first thing we all say to each other is, you know, ‘is this becoming tougher for you?’.. I’ve been doing a lot recently to make sure that my voice is in great form. [But] if you want to hear me sound like I did on KISS Alive!, then put on KISS Alive! “
To listen to the entire podcast with Paul Stanley, please click here.
source: rollingstone.com
56 Responses
What about those hideous Paul Stanley Pumas? Looks like you threw the Animalize cover on those Clydes
To those here who continue to complain, about Tommy and Eric, assuming the spaceman and catman characters, give it up. Your fake outrage is boring. A true KISS fan accepts the band for what is was and what it is now. Time eventually gets to all of us. You are not the same as you were 30 – 40 years ago either. I will support KISS with my loyalty, passion, and dollars. The rest you with all your complaints -no one cares what you think with your negativity. KISS is about celebrating life. Maybe y’all should give it a try.
Dcisnc, “Fake outrage?”. The original KI$$ lineup was my favorite band. They were actually more than a band. They were my heroes. No other band ever kept my passion the way as the original KI$$. Ace and Peter created iconic characters that were extensions of themselves. They are the real Spaceman and Catman. Tommy and Eric, both with better playing ability than Ace and Peter, are fine musicians. But they are impersonating what was created by Ace and Peter rather than having their own originalities. Maybe my opinion would be different if I didn’t have the passion for the original KI$$, but today’s tribute version of KI$$ is not my KI$$. And a “true fan” doesn’t have to accept everything a band does…that’s ridiculous. I’m a fan of the band, not the KI$$ brand.
My bro Doug R. previously beautifully commented something to the effect that, if anybody but Vincent Furnier is performing as the Alice Cooper character, then it isn’t Alice Cooper. I feel the exact same way, and that is exactly how I feel about the current KI$$ situation. And my feelings about the current KI$$ situation are not negative, rather that is my passion being expressed and should be an indication of how revered I feel about the original KI$$.
dcinsc7, see my response below.
Oh give me a break! Read Rattlehead’s response, he nails it. Kiss, to me, a fan for 42 years, is not just a band. They never have been just a band. You can replace members in countless other acts and nobody would care that much. Gene and Paul replaced icons. LEGENDS. I am sorry, but Paul’s comparison of Kiss being like a baseball team is f–king insulting. “When Mickey Mantle retired, they replaced him.” That’s stupid. A baseball team is a franchise first, they pick the players second. KISS developed personas that were an extension of who they were inside. Totally different. PLUS, a band is put together, THEN you choose a band name. I am sick to death of people saying “It’s a band, bands change members”. Pete Best was the original Beatles drummer. But guess what? NOBODY CARES because THEY WERE NOBODY AT THE TIME and did not build what was to become an iconic lineup yet. The Beatles and Kiss are the only two f–king bands that have that status of being legendary icons. You do not toy with that, I am dreadfully sorry. If YOU want to treat Kiss like they’re Fleetwood Mac or Steppenwolf, be my guest, but you are sorely mistaken if you think longtime Army members like myself are going to put up with Paul’s shi–y voice and 2 imposters. No thanks.
I have read and re-read this article, and I can’t understand the hate I’m reading in some of these comments. It’s no secret that both Gene and Paul were not happy by the end of the Farewell tour having to work with Ace and Peter. I didn’t read any slamming of those guys in this article, just a statement that he wanted to move on with different folks in the band. And he admitted that his voice isn’t what it used to be. No secret there!! He says he’s working on it, in order to make it as strong as possible for this tour. But, it ain’t gonna sound like it does on ALIVE I! This get’s so tiresome! Nobody is forcing anyone to go see KISS on this final tour. If you don’t want to see KISS without Ace and Peter, don’t go! For those of us who will go, we know that Gene and Paul (along with Eric, Tommy, or whoever else is involved) will give us everything they have to make sure we have a great time, just as they have for the last 40+ years.
dcinsc7, or whatever, FYI, nobody celebrates life more than I do, and nobody celebrates KISS more than I do! You have no idea, since ’74, how loyal, dedicated and supportive I’ve been of KISS from the beginning. 45 years, (almost) 1 issue, that’s pretty damn good! Millions of REAL TRUE lifelong KISS fans have the same issue, Tommy & Eric! Bottom line, they should’ve been allowed to be themselves, that’s the only issue, big issue, I’ve had with KISS! As I’ve said before, pointed out by my brother from another mother, Rattlehead, would you be ok with somebody else being Alice Cooper other than Vincent Furnier? No, of course not! No different with Tommy & Eric being Ace & Peter as The Spaceman & The Catman! Get it yet? If not, you never will.
Right on, Brother Doug!
On one hand, I dont want to hear Paul croaking out what he at one time used to sing powerfully. But, I’m kind of drawing a similarity between Paul and Elvis. Hear me out on this:
Elvis, in his prime, was untouchable. Girls fainted as the sight of him and at the sound of his voice and guys wanted to be just like him. Fast forward to his final performing days, he was not the same cool Elvis he once was. But it was “Elvis” anyway. Just getting to see him again was important to his fans, never mind that he looked like a pregnant gorilla by that time. Paul to was once untouchable, both in stage performance and vocal excellence. Girls wanted to be with him and guys wanted to be him. So, just like Elvis’ fans, there’ll be people who will go see Paul one final time because it’ll be important to them no matter if he can sing or not. I get that now.
My God, I just had a terrible thought: What if fat Elvis had sang like old Paul? Oh, the humanity! Lol!
But even KISS Alive wasn’t a real performance Paul.
Snap