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
Paul is such a moron. He & Gene shipwrecked the band in the 80s. They had incredible talent with Eric Carr in the band yet ignored him. Theres a reason all those shows were half empty. It had nothing to do with new characters in the band.
Does the Unmasked & Elder albums come to mind, Paul??,
Not true at all. They did the best they could when their two partners got involved with drugs, alcohol and feelings of entitlement. I guess they shouldve just abandoned their dreams and business (and fans) because Peter and Ace flaked out. Also, Eric was treated like a prince, they loved him and really enjoyed working with him. They gave him wonderfull opportunities. I spoke with him on the HITS tour and he wad so excited about his new kit and solo, he was sooooooo happy. If things were secretly different, I dont know about that. Please be more mature in your posts.
So Gold and Platinum albums in the 80’s was shipwrecking the band? Where are Ace and Pete’s albums in that decade? As for the 80’s, you probably need to understand what it was about…Motley, Ratt, Quiet Riot, Leppard etc….that was the 80’s. Newer, younger bands took the throne. By that time Kiss had been around a near decade, they were old hat. The fact they managed to tour successfully and still sell Gold and Platinum albums is a testament to the fans and Gene and Paul. Of all those “big” 80’s bands, how many remain an arena level act? Leppard, Crue…that’s it. Hey, I side with Gene and Paul…and even I wish they’d shut up about Ace and Pete. And I completely disagreed with them on the HOF thing but lasting 40 years ain’t shipwrecked.
Great post JB!!!!!
Actually, Gene left Paul holding the bag in the 80s as the Demon tried to go “Hollywood”.
Kiss could have easily been over at that time if it was not for Paul.
Ahhhh yes, Paul Stanley, the “moron”. With a net worth of 100 million, give or take. You may not agree with his decisions, but he’s hardly a “moron”.
Does Paul actually think having Eric Carr in Peters makeup & I assume Vinnie Vincent in Aces, would have saved the Creatures tour???
Instead of playing to half empty arenas it would have been to half empty clubs.
That’s an interesting press photo.
What do ya call it after the dead bloated horse has been beaten to a rotting carcass?
After reading this, I’m reminded of the early demo “Stanley The Parrot” because all he’s doing is parroting the same insults from years ago.
While Paul was always my favorite character back then, he’s regressed a lot too. There is no comparison between his first (excellent) solo album & the mediocre, overproduced follow up.
What is so damn hard about setting aside differences & rehearsing a little bit to do a 20m set as the original & only KISS? Close the book with class & be done. I really wish they’d have truly called it quits after the Farewell Tour. 12+ years of pseudo-tribute band players & now this bickering has done nothing but damage the legacy of the band I love.
While I think Paul is usually a giant douche, he’s 100% right here. Frankly, I don’t think Ace has done ANYTHING worth a dime since he left KISS. I ask anyone who defends him to go on Youtube and look at his live videos. His playing is ATROCIOUS. If he wasn’t Ace, he’d be thrown off the stage on a regular basis and tossed into the alley for impersonating a bad guitarist.
Very true.