KISS main men Paul Stanley and Gene Simmons refused to regroup the original KISS line-up for a performance at the band’s Rock & Roll Hall of Fame induction because they were afraid fans would demand a reunion tour, according to guitarist Ace Frehley.
Stanley and Simmons pulled the plug on a performance at induction in April after the Hall of Fame bosses refused to honor their current bandmates alongside original members Frehley and drummer Peter Criss, so the live spectacular fans had hoped for was nixed – and now the group’s original guitarist tells WENN the KISS army will never forgive his old bandmates.
He explains, “After 40 years, you think they could have given the fans 15 minutes that night. Peter and I wanted to perform, the Hall of Fame wanted us to do it, but Paul and Gene shot it down. It was a moment in history that was lost and some of the fans will never forgive them for that.
But I’ll tell you why Paul and Gene didn’t wanna perform with me and Peter – they were afraid of history repeating itself. When me and Peter performed with them on the MTV Unplugged sessions in 1995, the place went completely crazy and they had to scrap their album that they had just recorded with Bruce Kulick and Eric Singer and they had to do a reunion tour.
They’re on tour right now with Tommy (Thayer) and Eric (Singer) and they didn’t want anything to overshadow that. They were afraid that everyone was gonna demand a reunion again if we played.”
And Frehley has used his new WENN interview to respond to fresh criticism from Stanley, who recently stated his former lead guitarist was not fit “to wear the uniform,” explaining, “If you no longer can uphold your end or live up to the stature that we set for ourselves in the beginning, if you are compromised by drugs or alcohol, if you’ve lost sight of how lucky we are to be in this position, then you no longer deserve to wear the uniform.”
Frehley insists he was never as bad as his former bandmates paint him – and he hopes his new album Space Invader, due August 19th and his first solo album in five years, will prove he’s still got what it takes.
He adds, “It’s a joke. In concert, I always delivered, and 95 per cent of the time I delivered on record. It’s there, it’s history. All they’re trying to do is discredit me, so it validates the new line-up. They’ll look foolish when my new album comes out.
“I think they’re just cranky that every time they go on the Internet they have to read fans saying, ‘Get Ace back’.”
source: express.co.uk
187 Responses
*sigh* Methinks Ace is a wee bit delusional here. Nothing he’s put out on his solo records has been worth buying, IMO. I hope this new album is different.
I could say the same about the last couple of Kiss records. I never bought them.
Did you LISTEN to them? Or did you just take sides? I am glad both bands are still putting out music. When Sonic Boom came out, I liked it very much. I thought it was a step in the right direction but still like SOL (Motley Crue), Chinese Democracy (GnR) and some other albums of that period more than Sonic Boom. I mention those albums because I bought them around the same time.
Monster is a whole different story. It KILLs those albums I just mentioned (in my opinion). Say what you want about the last two albums. I have heard everyone talk about the last two albums and when someone says it sucks, I sit here and laugh because I know why they say that–because of other reasons that have nothing to do with the music.
Even though there are certain bands I hate, I still have enough honesty to admit if something is good. I can understand why people like them. Can you?
Very true…
I don’t have a problem with Ace or Kiss, but Monster SUCKED in my opinion, maybe one good song.
SB was pretty solid, yet I’d take PC over both SB & Monster in a second.
KISS died musically a long time ago, still love em’ but going to a show these days is so routine, I mean really can we play some different tunes already. In my opinion if Gene was half as bright as he thinks he is, they’d do a complete album tour. You know play Destroyer or HTH all the way through. Now that would KILL!
Mike, Monster was just that…a slammin’, relentless beast of an old school rock record. Thanks for taking a stand on that. For everybody else that flushes it b/c Ace & Peter aren’t on it, how many guys want to go on vacation with a girl that blew all their money, banged all their friends & maybe their brother?? That’s how Gene & Paul feel about touring w/ Ace & Peter. They were always business first & if they could stand them, they would do it for the money. The blood is that bad-mostly for the reasons they have repeatedly detailed. Ofcourse it sucks, but are you supposed to get back w/ the girl that betrayed you repeatedly just b/c your loved ones won’t stop saying “how cute you looked together” way back when? We’re just lucky we have a KISS that can crank out a record like Monster; most bands of that era don’t or can’t. I’ll always pull for Ace & Peter, but it’s the Gene & Paul show. (I think the HOF was a nut up; 3-4 songs should have been doable-maybe Ace is right about the instant tidal wave demanding a reunion?). They faded all the heat & kept it alive. No matter how arrogant that might seem, they earned the right. I did the KISS cruise & can assure you they busted their balls to give the fans an ass whipping experience playing long shows, holding long q & a’s and standing for 6+ hrs 2 days straight so EVERY cabin got a picture w/ them in full make-up. I was one of the last guys to get the pik, Gene looked catatonic, but they were very cool & were talking funny trash making it a super few seconds. I wish it were different, but right or wrong, Gene & Paul think Ace & Peter are losers. Nobody should be forced to do business, a tour or a vacation w/ a loser.
James Perkins
Houston, Texas
“That’s how Gene & Paul feel about touring w/ Ace & Peter. ” – yet another one who, without any changes, not one letter, passes on as ‘fact’ what G and P have been repeating for years to validate their own business decisions, so you are passing on what has been deliberately put outin public to create a certain halo around some members and a certain impression of unrealibility and annoyance of others – now do you not for one second realize that you are repeating things you have been fed, that you are part of the plan? How can anyone!! of us really know what it was like back then? All we have got is four different perspectives on the same matter, some sounding more true than others. Alway ask the one question: who will benefit from something one does or say? So, who will benefit from saying that A and P were (and still are, like P and G still like to insinuate in interviews) are drug addicts?
I hope he tours behind this album…I seen his last tour, it was good..as far as the last 2 kiss albums go, they werent very good..
I agree–I was not impressed with Anomaly or Trouble Walkin from 89. I do think this new one will be good, even great. I loved the Frehley’s Comet albums. I think this one will be great too.
Gene and Paul could care less about whatever Ace is doing. It’s amazing it has taken him over 30 years to release 5 solo albums (not counting the 78 album).
Maybe business is not that important to him?
Ace is right. Paul and Gene can’t leave him alone. They are the ones saying Ace this Ace that. And to all the Kiss fans saying they are still packing em in at concerts. It’s only because they are CO -HEADLINING WITH DEF LEPPARD! When Ace and Peter were still with them they never would have to share the stage with anyone but their shadows! Have a nice day!
I have watched a lot of YT recordings/posts of Kiss on their current tour, and I found that while the attendance is still ok (around 15,000 on average) the stages are a lot smaller and less wide than in the past. These are the fixed stages you find in these amphitheaters (a kind of venue you very rarely find over here in Europe, btw, with this mix of actual seats under a roof and lawn capacity and open on all sides), they are not that big, so if you look closely you can see that the stage show kind of looks “compressed/confinded” to some extent compared to the extensive space they could cover while still on one of their three reunion tours, and even on their few 2013 European gigs using the Spider (cf. YT, gig at Zurich) . Stages of that greater size could only be had because it was the original band even though musically it was sometimes flawed, but with the current lineup and at that late point in their career – even though they are co-headlining – they now down to mostly play the amphitheater tour and it will never be different again. I would be totally comfortable with that, if only G and especially P would stop bragging that they are still the greatest show on earth (for proof otherwise go watch Robbie Williams’s tour of 2013 through European stadiums or U2’s 360° to show you a real state-of-the-art stage show) and still more successful than ever … the discrepancy between what they say and what they do (cf. e.g. Paul’s voice) is becoming more ridiculous every year, sad, but true.
I agree. the way I see it, if the makeup is on, then it should be with original members. the makeup free years were lean were they not? enough said. rock on Ace!
Hey, I like Ace…but he sold out…end of story. Maybe after 2 strikes (original Kiss and ’96 Reunion), P & G don’t want to go for the 3rd strike. It’s their call. I guess this falls under the category of rich people problems.
Honestly, I think it was Ace who decided to leave to start his solo career. Someone correct me if I’m wrong… After the farewell tour, Paul asked him to play a concert somewhere and Ace flatly refused–or so I thought.
The only time he wanted to perform with KISS is for the RRHOF induction. I don’t think he wants to be in KISS again. The points made about a reunion is just for argument’s sake and not because he wants to be part of another reunion.
For once I have to agree …
Get Ace back!