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
Tommy and Eric are in KISS because they are excellent musicians (Eric is flat out a better drummer than Peter). My impression is they understand their roles and that it has provided a very good living for them. They are younger and can support Paul and Gene better. The current lineup playing 95% of songs from the Ace and Peter era is a bit disingenuous in my opinion but those were the days of glory. Gene and Paul made a critical marketing decision when they had Tommy and Eric take on the Ace and Peter characters. If not, they would have had to put A LOT of energy to rebrand KISS.
I respectfully disagree about the re branding. It would have made more sense to have people that could develop their own personas and images and play in their own style. Not to mention more respectful to the legacy. Casual fans would not have cared and hard core fans who buy anything they sell would have ate up new images to add like they did with Eric Carr and VV.
I agree with Eddie as well. There seems to be some attempts to rewrite history in that they should have just continued with Ace and Peter’s makeup with Eric and Vinnie instead of new characters. If you were around when Eric joined you will remember how popular he was…the Unmasked tour…tv shows…magazines….all were a huge PR boost for KISS. Vinnie…unfortunately only wore the makeup for the Creatures tour and then it was dropped…so who knows ultimately how popular that character would have been. It all gets back to the point that back then it was a band…with individual identities…and now is a brand…the KISS brand. Whether you like KISS now or not is up to each individual…but ultimately the end is coming soon…and Paul and Gene have both implied that. Hard for a band to move forward when you have 2 members wearing former members makeup and the majority of the concert is music from the original 4.
Michael
Eddie,
In some ways I agree that new characters would have been interesting. However, I do not agree that those characters would have been successful. Eric Singer is a watch collector–should he wear clock makeup? Tommy is from Oregon. Should he have been Big Foot or Paul Bunyan? It sounds silly but I’m being serious! At what point does this stop before it becomes a joke?
I felt uncomfortable with it at first, but it’s been ten years!
There are a TON of makeup designs. That excuse is a cop out to me. There were already cool designs floated online that would have been interesting. To me it is FAR LESS of a joke than having two people to be forced to act, play and portray personas they had nothing to do with. That to me is a joke. But just my opinion, respect those that differ.
Agree 100% Eddie, artists supposed to be creative, think about it, what has Eric & Tommy created their whole time in Kiss? How hard is it to take credit for something that’s already been created? Musically, and visually.
They are collecting a check and in a great gig, so I don’t blame them at all. But it is so disrespectful to the bands legacy and Gene and Paul have cut off their ability to come up with unique and creative stuff and be their own people.
I couldn’t have said it better myself! 😉
Eddie, yes it’s altogether valid to say it would have been artistically braver & showed proper respect to Ace & Peter to put Eric & Tommy in new characters, but the “aunk” (sp?) & the “fox” hardly set KISS fandom on fire & that was w/ MTV & FM support. Gene & Paul, comfortable w/ the assessment that Ace & Peter jumped ship leaving everything KISS behind, didn’t want to risk the resources necessary to engage the long shot play of developing new characters; especially given that commercially the band has long since peaked & is therefore expected to celebrate their most successful era. Did they go w/ the money grab over artistic purity? 1. It’s KISS. 2. It’s Gene.
Humbly offered w/ deference ofcourse to your cosmic grasp of the KISS genome.
James Perkins
Houston, Texas
I don’t think that would’ve been a bad idea, but I really just think that if they did that, there would also be a lot of people saying it was ridiculous to create new characters, where I would rather see them play without makeup….either way Eddie, those that constantly make this about Gene and Paul v.s. Ace and Peter are doing nothing except stirring the pot…if Kiss was not inducted into the RRHOF this year, none of this bad blood would be resurfacing… I’m a little surprised at Ace as he is normally not the loudmouth in the group, whereas Gene and Peter are always saying stupid things…Paul is a little surprising to, as he is usually more low key until recently. They all have books, albums, football teams, etc to promote so I guess they are all trying to capitalize on the press. You can’t blame Gene and Paul for being upset at Peter and Ace anymore than you could blame Ace and Peter for having issues with Gene and Paul. I have a point that some including me have brought up, but most ignore…Why did both Ace and Peter play with Tommy or Eric in makeup if it is so offensive??? The answer is the both are hypocrites and were making money,so how can anyone be angry or say Gene and Paul ruined the legacy of Kiss by having Tommy and Eric in makeup?? Don’t like it but the hypocrisy by many who comment on your site is unbelievable…
Oh I don’t know maybe they were under contract?
Peter was told Ace would be back to tour with Aerosmith. They lied and brought in delivery boy Tommy so he could no longer bring Peter his meals.
amen Jodie!
Under contract??? Are you kidding me with that nonsense???
Bullseye George. Each of the “fabulous four” have played w/ Eric &/or Tommy. It’s sacrilege until the checks have their name on them. Nobody wants to give that any discussion? “Under contract?” Yea right. Under threat of going back to the clubs is what it really comes down to.
James Perkins
Houston, Texas
Who cares about KISS!!!!! An awful band with the most losers fans!!
Why are here moron???
so glad I never got around to getting a KISS tattoo – I would have felt really stupid by now.
This whole KISS fiasco has become a real soap opera sadly.
I think Paul & Gene made a bad decision about no playing
at the RRHF.It would have been redemption for being denied
Entry for so many years but it what it is.Great to see Ace
Putting out another release ,Anomaly was OK but boasted the
Killer anthem “Outer Space” so looking forward to the new one.
Sonic Boom was a pretty good album,the Gene songs stood up
better than the Paul songs IMO but I really haven’t gotten into
“Monster” what so ever.Probably the weakest release since “Carnival
Of Souls”.Oh yeah Tommy & Eric should have their own personas.
They’ve earned it,time to stop walking in the shadows of the past
members.That’s my two cents.Agree/Disagree either way its all good.
so how did you like the play, mrs. Lincoln?