The bitterness between the current and former members who founded Kiss will not be quelled anytime soon. It’s been a little over a week since the group announced that it would not perform “in any lineup” at the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame induction ceremony, following Ace Frehley’s comment that he would not perform with current guitarist Tommy Thayer wearing Frehley’s sometime makeup. Now, in a new interview with Guitar World, vocalist-guitarist Paul Stanley has questioned Frehley’s talent.
“What we had at the beginning was magical. . . Ace and I played great together,” Stanley said. “But in my mind it’s a crime what Ace did: He threw away incredible potential and talent. The Ace I played with when the band first started out was a comet – and not [Frehley’s late-Eighties band] ‘Frehley’s Comet!’ But he was burning bright and really had the ability – and this would rub him the wrong way – to be a real contender. But he stopped practicing. He got involved with a whole lot of things that really diluted and diminished his craft. I saw that comet grow dim.”
Stanley added that after KISS fired drummer Peter Criss in 1980, he decided the band needed to reinvent itself, and that’s why they removed their makeup in 1983. It’s a decision he now feels hurt the band. “Rather than saying, ‘We’ve built these iconic figures together and we’re going to continue on with what we built,’ we bought into the idea of, ‘We have to have a new character,'” he said. “That watered it down. Some people may argue with me, but I feel that Batman is Batman whether he’s played by George Clooney, Christian Bale, Val Kilmer and on and on.”
additional source: Rolling Stone
238 Responses
Best thing. 40 fans show up fir 40th anniversary tour. Hit them in the wallet which is all they care about anyway. Their fans are meaningless to them unless they are shelling out the cssh.
I don’t think the idea of using Tommy and Eric with the Spaceman and Cat makeup was purposely done.
I was at a concert back when the lineup was supposed to be the original four members and Ace had just left. Peter was there, but Tommy was wearing Ace’s costume and at first you could hardly tell, but eventually we all realized that it was not Ace Frehley. As shocking as it was, this was to be a way to continue the tour for Kiss and not have to stop things because of Ace. It happened later with Peter and since then, the band has been what it has been. If anything, do not blame Gene and/or Paul for the way things ended up. It’s everyone’s fault and this is just the way it stayed in order to appease the majority of the fans who at the time did not complain and kept showing up to the shows anyway. We all wish the original four members would have stayed clean and sober, together and better than ever, but that’s just not the reality of life. People are different and it was obvious from the start that Paul and Gene were two peas in a pod, while Ace and Peter were a different breed. Let’s face it, Tommy and Eric are puppets, but they play well and hard and do what they’re told and why not? Wouldn’t you do the same if you had the opportunity to be in the Kiss lineup? I would say we would all kiss Paul and Gene’s ass – no pun intended…
Sorry Paul. Youre just trying to continue pushing this crap of it doesnt matter who’s in the band. MOST of us arent buying it. I guess using your analogy it doesnt matter who plays Rambo or The Terminator. What you seem to not understand is that you guys have created iconic figures and it DOES matter who is in the band! I dont even know why I’m posting this, not like Paul is actually gonna read it. At this point I’d be more likely to go see a version of Kiss without Gene or Paul. I”M DONE!!! Thanks again Eddie for giving us a place to gripe!
Really? so that’s Bob on the first three studio records, and Alive! Bob played on Rock and Roll Over, and Love Gun too right? that would mean Bob wrote that very lyrical solo for the title track right? Of course there’s”Shock Me,” “Rocket Ride,” Bob covered for Ace on those too as well as on Ace’s songs on both Dynasty and Unmasked right? (the other leads on those two albums, as well as the Elder is Mr. Stanley himself). Bob did a great Ace impersonation on 3 songs, they actually have very different playing styles. Dick Wagner played some acoustic guitar and one solo as well as an outro lead (“Flaming Youth,” that main body of that song is Ace) on Destroyer. Hardly anything to cause such a skewed perception as yours. Of course, it’s human nature to equate a negative to ten times a positive. It’s funny: all these shredders Kiss has had and none of ’em could write a solo that you could hum to like Ace, not a one.
“all these shredders Kiss has had and none of ‘em could write a solo that you could hum to like Ace, not a one” Great way to sum up Ace.
Yes those first three studio records sold a ton back then didn’t they, which is ironic considering Ace played on those ones. Ace couldn’t even play the rhythm parts on half of Destroyer/RnR Over/Love Gun. Who are you kidding with this? Listen, if you love the guy, more power to ya. Ace was my fave growing up. Wore him for halloween a bunch of times. Picked up a guitar in part because of him. But accept reality, Ace started as a good player and never progressed. He couldn’t handle a lick that had more than 2 16th notes on them. In his prime, he was a cool performer and had a way about him that was very different than other players. But Ace helped KISS become famous and KISS was the only reason Ace became famous. He’s done essentially nothing outside of that, which is fine by me. Your ‘all these shredders’ comment is priceless. Comparing Ace to Vincent, Kulick, St. John is mind blowing. Based on that logic, New Kids on the Block were better than Iron Maiden based on that criteria. But hey, thanks for contributing to the ‘post count’. I said we’d take anything no matter how ridiculous the post was, and this is getting us nearer to our goal. Maybe you can tell us again how Paul’s solo album was the best one more time.
Your an idiot my friend!!
Your argument makes absolutely
0 no sense! Ace frehley is the best
Musician out of all the original members!
His solo album has sold more than all
The other solo albums and is hands down
The best of the 4 albums period!!
Even Ace’s last 2 most recent solo albums
Sold way more than the new kiss albums!
So next time before you run your mouth
Please know what you are talking about!
In 30+ years as a solo artist outside Kiss Ace has produced 2 mediocre discs (Frehley’s Comet, Second Sighting) 2 “Good but not Great” discs (Anomaly and Trouble Walkin’)
I’d say Paul’s assessment is harsh but accurate.