KISS frontman Paul Stanley was recently a guest on “The Joe Rogan Experience,” where he discussed his former bandmates drummer Peter Criss and guitarist Ace Frehley implying that they carried “a lot of resentment” over the fact that some of the other members of the band were more “focused” and “driven” to succeed than they were, which ultimately led them to sabotage their careers.
“It’s very difficult to move forward when two of the people are, at times, like flat tires,” Stanley explained [as transcribed by Blabbermouth]. “It becomes more of a problem when their reason for being is to foil and to throw off track what you’re trying to do. So, at some point, it really became more about trying to disrupt what we were trying to do with no regard to whether or not what they wanted to do was right or wrong; they just wanted, ‘Let’s screw Gene [Simmons] and Paul. So we’ll say no, and they’ll say yes.’ So it really became very, very, very difficult.”
Stanley claimed that he was in favor of splitting the band’s finances evenly in the early years, but that things changed once Ace and Peter started putting less effort into the group, leaving Paul and Gene to take over. This, in turn, caused a rift between the bandmembers, necessitating a change in the group’s lineup.
When asked why he thinks Ace and Peter were seemingly so intent on working against their bandmates, Stanley said, “I think self-sabotaging comes into it, because, I think, that’s been something that’s run through parts of their lives. But I also think that there was a lot of resentment. And, honestly, I don’t believe in resenting people for what they can do that you can’t. if you’re lucky enough to have people around you who can do what you can’t, make them your best friend. Everybody can’t be the best at what they do, but you can benefit from being around those people. So, look, I never wanted or expected anybody in the band to do necessarily the same amount of work that I did, but I expected them to give a hundred percent. I was all for splitting things evenly in the original lineup of the band up until those guys departed the first time, but you have to give your best.”
He continued, “I think [our] focus and drive and determination and seeing the whole picture and wanting this to be as good as it could be, as opposed to falling back on, ‘It’s rock and roll.’ Well, rock and roll is no excuse for mediocrity, and rock and roll is no excuse for not doing your job. If somebody says, ‘Oh, my playing is rock and roll.’ No, that’s just bad. You know, there’s bad and then there’s rock and roll…Look, it’s a long time ago, and it’s kind of like talking about a girlfriend or wife you had a long time ago and trying to disseminate what went wrong. At some point it really doesn’t matter.”
Stanley says that ego clashes and disagreements over songwriting credits contributed to creating an unhealthy environment and he makes no apologies for taking charge of the group.
“I don’t know the mentality that wants to sabotage what ultimately benefits you,” Stanley said. “Look, if you’re in a band that’s doing great and you’re not the primary songwriter and the primary singer, well, you should revel in what you have. You know, the idea of equality… Some have to be more equal than others. Everybody can be in car together, but somebody’s gotta drive. We’re all going in the same direction. But when people reach the point of saying, ‘Well, I want an equal amount of songs.’ Well, do we leave off ‘Strutter’ so we can put your song on, or do we leave off ‘Detroit Rock City’? It doesn’t work like that. I don’t believe that there’s any birthright or that we should expect a quota in anything. We get what we deserve, and somebody has to decide that.”
He continued: “The key to a great band or any great situation is doing what’s best for the situation, not what’s best for you. I don’t have to be right, I just wanna see the right thing happen. So if you’re more tied up in the ego gratification or in the control factor… I honestly don’t mean to control anything, but I do have a point of view, and I guess I’ve earned my place at this juncture. But everybody gets a chance to state their views, and hopefully they are always with the best intentions, and I think that’s the way the band works now. We have a drummer [Eric Singer] who doesn’t like to take a solo, and this guy could play a better solo with one hand than most drummers could play with every limb of their body. So it’s all for one and one for all.”
In other KISS news, The Pulse Of Radio reports that “Love Gun: Deluxe Edition” will be made available on October 27th. The two-disc CD features the original 1977 album, along with a bonus disc featuring assorted demos and live tracks.
Vintage Vinyl describes the release as “the first disc includes a remastered version of the original album while disc two has demos, three live performances from a 1977 Lakeland, Florida concert and an interview with Gene Simmons. A rarity for any expanded edition of an album, the deluxe edition includes a glimpse into Paul Stanley’s creative process on Love Gun (Teaching Demo) with Stanley talking through the various chords of the song.”
Love Gun: Deluxe Edition track list:
Disc 1 (Original Album):
I Stole Your Love
Christine Sixteen
Got Love For Sale
Shock Me
Tomorrow And Tonight
Love Gun
Hooligan
Almost Human
Plaster Caster
Then She Kissed Me
Disc 2 (Demos, Interviews & Live)
Much Too Soon (Demo)
Plaster Caster (Demo)
Reputation (Demo)
Love Gun (Teaching Demo)
Love Gun (Demo)
Gene Simmons Interview (1977)
Tomorrow And Tonight (Demo)
I Know Who You Are (Demo)
Love Gun (Live 1977)
Christine Sixteen (Live 1977)
Shock Me (Live 1977)
148 Responses
paul should try the joe rogaine experience.
Paul must think fans are as dumb as this photo of his looks. He can continue to belittle Ace and Peter all he wants, but the irony of the situation is everything he and the current lineup does is directly based on the success of the original four. We always hear how great Tommy and Eric are, yet they didn’t play anything off of Sonic Boom or Monster on their co-headline tour with Def Leppard. They don’t even have enough faith in these guys to give them their own character or to even create a different variation of the Spaceman and Catman characters for the 21st century. And here it is even in this news post, the item of business is the deluxe version of Love Gun featuring material from ’77!
What Paul also forgets is while he wrote songs like Strutter and Detroit Rock City, he also gave us such gems as Let’s Put the X in Sex and Read My Body. In fact, if one looks at the ratio of Paul’s good songs relevant to the number of songs he’s cumulatively put out on Kiss albums, his batting average is actually rather poor. Sure Peter and Ace only had a handful of songs on Kiss albums. Though among just those few songs, Peter had the biggest hit and Ace has classics like Parasite, Cold Gin, Shock Me, and Rocket Ride in just his handful of songs to show his talent. Yes, Ace and Peter had their issues back in the day, but Paul isn’t the Jimmy Page of Kiss and this awesome talent that should be primarily writing the songs either. If Ace’s ’78 solo album didn’t reveal this then just fast forward to the 21st century and try to compare Paul’s Live to Win album to Ace’s Space Invader. So go ahead Paul and talk all you want about how great this lineup of Kiss is with you as their leader, while everything is based in the past.
All I know is I can’t wait to see Ace on his Space Invader tour next month! He could play nothing, but the new Space Invader album in its entirety, and I’d be happier than hearing Paul attempt to sing Love Gun for the millionth time in this cover band of his.
Nic…I have to say, well said and excellent points I never thought of in terms of ratio of bad to good songs for each member…although Gene and Paul have remained on every album, so they have a lot more chance at crappy songs. I hate the negative banter from any of the originals, and they all do it. Ironically, Peter seems to have the most hate of anyone and has fought with all of the other three publicly, but Ace hasn’t been too negative until around the RRHOF debacle and since. Gene not saying as much as Paul is strange too, but Paul is clearly trying to make sure that even thru some of those crappy songs and albums, he was the only original member keeping the band alive. I do give him somewhat of a pass because a lot of what he says is true, just old news, but remember he has always been quiet about Peter and Ace until recently, so I guess he’s making up for lost time. Good points on not playing any new songs on tour and true in that I don’t see Kiss giving us demos of anything except old albums…the no makeup era is still alive and well by the few songs they play still, but I agree that by not playing any of those songs, it basically says it doesn’t stand up to the older stuff. I still see them and support all the members, or ex members but as we could say about a lot of bands, what could’ve been had they stayed together…
George said “but remember he (Paul) has always been quiet about Peter and Ace until recently,”
George with all due respect, that comment is the farthest thing from the truth. Paul has been doing this for decades, long before Ace and Peter ever went down that road.
Case in point the Kiss Exposed video. I remember the scene with the Ace puppet hanging in the vault.
Bingo Grim, excellent point!
Not to forget that all of the singles in the last phase of the band’s career have been Paul’s songs, looks to me like Paul would say, OK Gene, you might have almost as many songs as me on the album, but the single is definitely going to be one of mine … Paul has taken control of Kiss a long time ago (e.g. “there will only be a new Kiss album if I produce it” before they made SB) , it only becomes more apparent these days. Sometimes I think there are actually four guys with an addiction in this band, not just two, with Paul being addicted to exercising power and control because he cannot stay away from it and does not realize when it’s enough and the fans are sick and tired of his bragging. Sad.
Seems to me that it bothers Paul and Gene more than we know not having all 4 original members in the band. They would if made even more money if all 4 stayed together even having an even split. God the great albums they would of made. No it’s like to me that G&P really wish that had Ace and Peter back but as yes people.
That exactly is often the problem in bands, be they superstars or people like us on the club or garage level, at some point one or two in the band try to rise above the others and try to take over creative and/or financial control, then it depends, sometimes the others are yes men, sometimes they aren’t, like A & maybe P, and then the band most certainly will split sooner or later.
And this is why I really didn’t and never will believe Paul’s book as being the most honest and most accurate out of the 4. This interview just validated it. The most interesting part of the interview was when the topic of “control” was brought up. Paul said “I had no interest in controlling anything” or something close to that quote. Well that was just a lie. I love Paul Stanley, the guy (imo) is in the top 5 all time entertainers of rock and roll. But like I have said many times, Paul Stanley is trying to destroy (literally) the nostalgic era of “KISS” by trying to sell the KISS of today/yesterday as Gene, Paul, Tommy & Eric in full “KISS” nostalgic makeup. Well sorry Paul but at the end of the day I take the emotion away and have this perspective view. And that is YES, I clearly understand the “characters” that were created within “KISS” were a big part of the bands persona…but unfortuantly these names/people Ace, Gene, Paul & Peter that played those “characters” are the REAL LIFE History and “characters” of “KISS” that created this whole story. Tommy “Spaceman” Thayer & Eric “The Catman” Singer aren’t anything more than 2 great muscians trying to recapture what Peter Criss (The Catman) and Ace Frehley (The Spaceman) did. Even my 13 year old son knows the real deal and he does know because it is me that showed and taught him what “KISS” was and stood for. You know youtube must really piss off Paul. But THANK GOD for youtube because Paul and Gene cant b.s. about the REAL…… KISSTORY
Whether it’s Paul being asked about Ace and Peter, or Ace being asked about Gene and Paul, the media asks these questions, including Eddie Trunk…so anyone complaining about Paul talking about the past should just get a life…what’s he supposed to do, not answer? Does anyone really think if Paul or Gene were to ever go on TMS that Eddie won’t bring up the past 40 years and discuss the dynamic of the original four?? Of course he would, so people do care about these questions or the media wouldn’t ask and people wouldn’t comment on sites like this…go listen to Eddie’s Ace podcast, at least 1/2 is about the current Kiss lineup, thoughts on what the band has become and why it imploded several times with the originals…how can any of these guys be interviewed and not have that come up?? And if you don’t like it, don’t comment and find other sites to troll around on…