ORIGINAL KISS GUITARIST ACE FREHLEY ON THE ROCK N’ ROLL HALL OF FAME: “PAUL AND GENE HAVE BEEN INSINUATING THAT PETER AND MYSELF DON’T HAVE IT ANYMORE, WHICH IS A LOAD OF CRAP”
Jon Wiederhorn of Revolver spoke with original KISS guitarist Ace Frehley about the Rock N’ Roll Hall of Fame. The interview appears in its entirety below.
Revolver: What happened, from your perspective, in regards to a possible KISS reunion performance at the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame induction?
Ace Frehley: Originally, the Hall of Fame asked all four of us to do a reunion and that was presented to each original member who is being inducted. Then some time went by, and I heard a couple weeks back that Paul and Gene decided to perform with Tommy [Thayer] and Eric [Singer]. And I had gone on the Eddie Trunk show earlier, about a month prior to the last time I went on, and I was saying, “Yeah, it would be great if we did a reunion.” It was shot down, but I think I led the fans to believe there was going to be a reunion. With tickets going on sale the following Monday, I decided to go on Ed Trunk’s show a couple weeks back when I was in Las Vegas recording. I just wanted to let the fans know that last I heard, Paul and Gene decided not to perform with me and Peter [Criss] and opted to perform with Tommy and Eric. It got a lot of people pissed off, but I had to lay it out because I didn’t want fans buying tickets for an event they weren’t going to see. Last I heard, there’s going to be no performance. There has been a lot of negotiating behind closed doors and I’m sworn to secrecy. But last I heard, there’s just going to be no performance. I don’t know what the reason is. And at this point, I don’t care because it was renting so much space in my head, it was affecting my creativity and finishing up my record.
Revolver: You got onstage with Peter at Eddie Trunk’s birthday party. That was the first time you had played with him in 13 years. Did you see that as a litmus test for future performances together?
Ace Frehley: Since me and Peter have gone our own ways, we haven’t made any plans to tour together in the future. But it was just a special event for Ed, and both myself and Peter are good friends with Eddie Trunk. He has always supported our careers with KISS and without KISS. So it was something I wanted to do for Ed and it was a lot of fun. I’ve been reading stuff on the Internet and Paul and Gene have been insinuating that maybe Peter and myself don’t have it anymore, which is a load of crap. We proved otherwise at Eddie’s party, but aside from that, it’s very misleading. I think somehow they wanted to validate the current lineup. I don’t have a problem with the current lineup. It is what it is–it’s half a KISS cover band.
But the event at the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame is about the four original members. Nobody else is being inducted except the four. If Tommy and Eric were being inducted as well, along with Bruce [Kulick] and Eric Carr and Vinnie Vincent–yeah, why not.
Revolver: Why didn’t the Hall of Fame nominate everyone who has been in the band? Paul had some complaints about that earlier, saying everyone who has ever played on a Red Hot Chili Peppers record has been nominated, why not everyone who has ever played with KISS?
Ace Frehley: I don’t want to take any potshots at the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. It’s a cool organization. But it is what it is. Obviously, Paul brought out the inconsistencies. They bend their own rules. I don’t want to get political though because I hate politics. I’ve always said to keep politics and music separate.
source: revolvermag.com
Rock on Ace!
The irony is that he’s more coherent NOW, than he’s ever been
I have a beautiful solution Ace, get with Peter and go to the RnR Hall of Fame ceremony,You and Peter dress up in the suits from the “Dressed To Kill” album cover minus the makeup naturally.
Legally the SS (Stanley,Simmons) camp can’t sue you for wearing a suit right.
Then you and Peter bring out 2 actors..guys that look,act,talk.. tongue flickering etc. the works impersonating the other two guys.I mean why not they do it to you and Peter! at their poor attempted concerts!
Looking forward to your new CD ACE,always will be a Fan of yours !!
I hope aces new album destroys monster. Hopefully this hall of fame sham fuels him to make some kick ass songs.
I’ve always been a fan of KISS, but consider myself more of a KISS KOAST GUARD RESERVE member than KISS ARMY member. As much as I respect Paul Stanley & Gene Simmons for (pardon the pun) keeping KISS alive for 40 years, I disagree with Mr. Stanley’s position of not having the original four play together at the R&R Hall of Fame, and to further insult Peter Criss & Ace Frehley by saying he’s afraid their performance wouldn’t be up to standard. Over half of KISS’ concert set-lists are from the original era, and the majority of KISS fans would want to see the original four play together one last time, a true farewell – not like the 2000 Farewell.
Paul might as well be afraid that his own vocal performance would painfully show that he himself is not up to standards anymore! To distract people from their own flaws and seem big G & P throw crap at others to make them look small. That is pathetic. Ace on the other hand keeps cool, as always.
Just curious….is there a uniform for the “KISS Koast Guard Reserve” and would you take $5 to post one? 🙂
The goggles have Gene’s demon make up design and the scuba tanks somehow breath fire underwater. The scuba suit itself is designed to look like Paul’s unitard circa Destroyer era complete with chest hair. When the boat arrives at the scene where assistance is required, the cap’t hits the horn and it yells ‘you wanted the best and you got it, the hottest coast guard in the world……….’
Too funny….well played sir.
As always Scott, right back atchya.
Awesome. 🙂