Ethan Sacks of the New York Daily News reports:
KISS may not have performed together on stage at the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame induction ceremony, but they managed to put their ugly feud behind them long enough to accept their statuettes Thursday night.
The four original members of the band who had been trading barbs ever since news of their induction broke — Gene Simmons and Paul Stanley on one side and their ex-bandmates, Ace Frehley and Peter Criss, on the other — took the high road to the stage at Brooklyn’s Barclays Center, trading conciliatory speeches that honored each other’s history with the band.
“This is a profound moment of all of us. We are humbled that the fans ever gave us the chance to do what we love doing,” Simmons told the audience after a rousing induction speech from Rage Against the Machine guitarist Tom Morello.
“To Ace Frehley, whose iconic guitar playing has been imitated but never equaled … to Peter Criss … there’s not a guy who beats the sticks who sounds just like Peter,” he continued. “Something happened 40 years ago, I met the partner and brother I never knew I had: Paul Stanley. You couldn’t ask for somebody more awesome to work with.”
Simmons then skirted dangerous territory — name-checking all of Frehley and Criss’s successors who were not named to the Rock Hall, but rebounded with one last olive branch.
“We wouldn’t be here today without the original fantastic four,” he concluded.
Criss then took the microphone, thanking everyone who’s ever worked with the band and discussed how he’s been been seven-years healthy after a battle with male breast cancer. He took the evening’s only shot at the drama surrounding Kiss, referencing Eric Singer’s use of Criss’ famous cat makeup. “I want to say, in or out of makeup, I’ll always be the Catman, so it really doesn’t matter. I also want to say, you gotta forgive to live. It’s really important.”
Frehley cut the tension by admitting that he couldn’t read his speech because his sunglasses weren’t prescription, before discussing his seven years of sobriety and how the country needs more education about substance abuse.
Finally, Stanley wrapped it up, saying, “For us, this is a special night but it’s really a special night for our fans because this is vindication. Peter, Ace, Gene, we are the original foursome. We couldn’t have done this if we hadn’t started together. Everything we’ve done is built on the past. We’ve got a great, great legacy.” Then he took a dig at the Hall, and all the critics who’ve denounced them and voted against them. “The people pay for tickets, the people buy albums, the people who nominate [Hall inductees] do not.”
Frehley told the Daily News back stage that he was disappointed that a compromise couldn’t be reached.
“It wasn’t my choice,” he said of not getting the chance to perform. “I wanted to do it. But the bottom line is we’re still brothers in rock ‘n’ roll. And even though we don’t see each other for five, 10, 15 years, it’s just like yesterday.”
Read more at the New York Daily News.
source: nydailynews.com and billboard.com
109 Responses
Nice speeches by all.
And whatever anyone’s feelings on Paul right now…he nailed it on the RRHOF. Well said Paul.
I agree.
Pathetic that there egos would not let them play that night. Shameful and Stupid IMO. Embarrassing as a fan.
I’ve been a fan since 75…not embarrassing to me at all. Kiss doesn’t owe me anything. That’s the problem with some of you people, you feel like they owe you something. At the end of the day not a single one of us had or has to participate in what they do. It’s up to us to either way. Thank god that growing up I had a band I could latch onto, and band that made music fun and influenced me to become a musician.
I’m not embarrassed at all, in fact I’m just as proud to be a Kiss fan now and of the original guys as I was when I started nearly 40 years ago.
Great post JB
Well said JB. No one owes anybody anything except decency. These guys have provided me way more entertainment than the few hundred bucks I’ve spent on merch, music and concerts.
Well said, JB!
That’s your opinion I guess not mine, they just seem bull headed and petty. sound and act like crumpy old men. The fact they could not get there crap together for three songs is disappointing and says a lot about them personally considering everyone else played. I think they are going to regret it, they get one shot at it and they blew it.
Totally agree…each one came off well and even the few shots that were taken we’re done respectfully…Proud to be a Kiss fan today..
With all the drama leading up to this, the way it transpired with Kiss last night, I believe, was the best we all could have hoped for. I was really happy with Peter and Ace’s speeches… and Gene’s… I wish Paul would have thanked more people instead of using the opportunity to slight the HOF, but that’s just me. No mention of Bill Aucoin by Paul or Gene, who was really the most instrumental in Kisstory besides the guys themselves… thankfully Ace & Peter took care of that. All in all, a nice way to say goodbye to the original 4, as we’ll probably never see them on a stage together – ever – again.
Are you serious? Someone had to slight the HOF. Paul’s speech was fantastic. What is wrong with you?
Shameful IMO. No songs played just insecure egos and BS. Embarrassing as a fan.
Paul stated everyone covered the thank you’s…how many times can the same people be thanked when you’ve basically got about 2-3 minutes to speak. Besides, Paul and Bill had become close again in Bill’s later years…Paul pays plenty of kudo’s to him in his book.
Paul said what needed to be said about the RRHOF. Very few other musicians have had the balls to say anything and few have ever said it like that. In fact Paul’s speech was probably the best speech I’ve heard at an induction…right beside Alex Lifeson’s…blah, blah, blah speech. They get the absurdity of it all.
It’s not about Dave Marsh, Jann Wenner and the Springsteen clique, it’s about the people who allow all of it to even exist…the fans. I thank Paul for having the balls to say what needed to be said.
Paul and Gene should have thanked Bill Aucoin, Sean Delaney, Neil and Joyce Bogart because they wouldn’t have it without those key people. Thank goodness Ace and Peter would thank them, along with Carols Kaye and Ross. Ace and Peter never forgot who was instrumental in KISS’ success.
And you probably think they should have thanked you personally, right Van?
Wow Gene speech sounds so mature and respectful. I bet deep down he would’ve done a performance with Ace and Peter. It probably eats him up that there are all these bands there playing well and Kiss didn’t get the chance to blow the roof off. I’m sure Gene would have loved to show up all the other nominees… To show them how it’s done.
Gene had originally indicated he would perform with the originals. ‘sure why not’ I believe was his Twitter response. Agreed, Gene did very well. His comments on Ace I’m sure were appreciated. Let’s hope Paul stops talking for awhile now.
It was Paul. His ego and distaste for Ace and Peter’s past transgressions are what prevented the original four from playing at the RRHOF. Gene is joined at the hip with Paul, so what one does the other must follow. How’s that saying goes, “The tail wags the dog,” or something like that. People vilify Gene for his ego and money-hungry ventures, and rightfully so, but Paul by far is the worse of the bunch! Eddie Trunk will tell you. Gene at least talked to him in Vegas. Paul will never speak to Eddie again.
With the HoF now over, we can look back before and during the HoF as Paul definitely blew it. Gene, Ace, and Peter were open to playing together, but Paul was the lone holdout and started creating drama in addition to having his book out. With this airing next month, Paul’s speech may likely be edited the most.
As for the 2-3 time limit in comparison to the other acts, it’s clear that it was applied to KISS the most. The HoF singled out KISS big time. I don’t think it was their night at all.
Would you rather them play and not be nearly as good as what we remember from the past or would you rather them do what they did last night? I don’t think anything good would have come from them performing last night. Peter is 68 for crying out loud. If it had been 14-15 years ago, they’d have blown the roof off the place. In 2014, there’s a good chance that it would have been a let down and as a big KISS fan, I would really hate for them to fail in front of that crowd.
I disagree. Paul had the balls to say F -you to the HOF in his own way. I applaud him.
Well let’s put this in a nut shell, Paul Stanley mentioning the two current members that are in the band now got boooooooood, and Paul had to stop because the booooooooooos were to loud for him. Do I need to say anymore. The originals are the originals Ace, Gene, Peter and Paul., and no other band members should were there makeup.
Sure that wasn’t a “BRUUUUUCE” chant when Paul mentioned Bruce Kulick’s name? Sure sounded like it when I watched it.
Yes, I think it was Bruuuuce too. Since they do that to Springsteen, it made sense that they did it for Kulick.
How would that make sense if they do it for Bruce Sprinsteen, that makes no sense. Fagan your loosing a winning battle here, give it up !
Probably because they’re both named Bruce. It’s not that difficult to comprehend, for most.
Nope it wasn’t ” Bruuuuce”. Again, watch the new video
Nope…I was there. Paul mentioned Eric & Tommy and literally the whole place booed….oh well….
They weren’t booed when Gene mentioned them.They weren’t booed when TM mentioned them. You forget that ? Peter was booed when he made mention of him being the only Catman.Completely uncalled for. In both cases, whether it was actual Bruce chants or booing and the booing of Peter , had no place at last night’s celebration. As to Paul thanking more people, he did by starting off saying something along the lines of everyone that the others have already mentioned(they had a speech time limit). Thank God he took a stab at the Hall. All speeches were great, Pete tried to veer off but didn’t go to far. If fans don’t like it, that’s fine, the guy that sold the make up should give it up. While all speeches were good, Gene really surprised me, the mere mention of Vinnie is something I didn’t think would happen. Ace was great, once again his best work was a cover tune(borrowed joke),Peter tried veer off, but I think he was just so happy to be there he couldn’t. Paul knocked it out of the park and said what had to be said while still celebrating what the 4 of them started.
Peter was not booed by anyone but the clown who posted the video. Watch the new video up on YouTube.
If Tommy and Eric were not booed when Gene mentioned them, it’s because Gene also mention Eric Carr, Vinnie Vincent, and Mark St. John.
Peter being booed for the Catman comment was only the person doing the video. There is another video of another angle of the HoF speech and there were no boos during Peter’s comment.
Uhh Todd Fagan, Peter wasn’t booed when he mentioned he was the only Catman…..which he is….so stop pulling the Paul Stanley bullshit story. I was there
Hey Todd Fagan there was no damn booing for Peter that’s BS, and Paul had to stop his speech because the whole arena was booing when he mentioned the 2 cover band members Eric and Tommy…and they didn’t book when Gene mentioned their name cuz is was in the middle of Bruce, Carr and Vinnie….get your facts straight , i was right there I’m pretty sure you wasn’t…
Fagan is clearly a cheater Criss fan and thats o.k. we all know what really happened !
” I’m pretty sure you wasn’t” ???? really? you are trying to sound credible with that? you know they have these books like “grammar for dummies”
no I’m not trying to sound credible…i don’t need to since i was right there watching it, you old fart Shadez, you should try to read those books then or maybe audio tapes since I’m not sure that books is your thing…lol
A great night! Paul, Gene, Ace, and Peter – well done.