That Metal Show returns this week with their biggest episode of the current season to date. In the midst of the controversy around KISS not allowing two of it’s original members to perform on stage during the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony on April 10th, KISS original drummer Peter Criss shares how he really feels about this matter with hosts Eddie Trunk, Don Jamieson, and Jim Florentine. Peter also recounts the joyful early days of KISS, his battle and triumph over male breast cancer, and the joy he felt when playing with Ace Frehley again at host Eddie Trunk’s recent 30-years-in-radio celebration.
In Put It On The Table, Peter answers which band he wishes he could be in if it wasn’t KISS, the song he wishes he wrote, and the best concert he ever attended. The episode ends with Criss addressing the KISS Army telling them how sad he is that he won’t be able to play for them one more time and, as he so eloquently says to Paul and Gene, “What’s wrong with giving ten minutes of your time, for the forty years that you’ve given us?”
Charred Walls of the Damned drummer Richard Christy also drops by the show to take on the coveted guest musician job. Christy showcases his drumming skills while performing in front of his childhood hero, Criss. At one point Richard thanks Peter saying that if it wasn’t for Peter and Kiss, Richard would not be playing drums today. Christy also lets us know that he is currently in the studio working on the new Charred Walls of the Damned album, which will be out some time next year.
Episode ten also features the usual fan-favorite segments: The TMS Top 5 tackles the Top 5 KISS Songs with all three hosts only agreeing on one song, the epic Black Diamond. Peter then adds a few of his own that were missed. This week’s Throwdown pits the KISS classic live albums Alive against Alive II. The decision is unanimous as the original Alive wins the title. This week’s Stump The Trunk finds Eddie battling to regain his dominance over the audience questions with the end result being lots of camera time for everyone’s favorite Miss Box of Junk, Jennifer.
Episode ten of That Metal Show airs this Saturday, March 22nd at 11:00PM ET/PT.
This season marks some monumental changes for the show as it returns to New York City for Season 13. Previously, the show was taped over several days of one week out at Sony Studios in Los Angeles. The new season is shot at Metropolis Studios on Tuesday nights for broadcast that Saturday. Season 13 also consists of 12 new episodes making it the longest season in the show’s history. Fans can also catch the complete season 12 and brand new exclusive bonus clips at ThatMetalShow.VH1.com and in the new VH1 app. New episodes of season 13 launch on the web and in the app every Sunday morning following the show’s on-air premiere.
55 Responses
I’m amazed by the venom that’s directed at Paul/Gene. I get it. People are disappointed that the original members aren’t performing at the HoF. But get away from KISS as a hero-worshipped band who make you nostalgic for your long-gone youth, Look at them as four people. Say YOU started a business with three others and became successful. At the first sign of success, two of them become alcoholic/drug addicts and don’t always show up to work – and when they do, they’re usually wasted. You put up with this for a while until either you fire them or ask them to leave. Then the business has ups and downs, but you stay faithful to it. Then the original guys come back promising they’ve changed. As soon as you let them back, old habits re-emerge except now they’re also complaining they’re not equal partners. So eventually in the interest of your business, you let them go. Then these same guys – especially one of them – writes a book that takes some responsibility, but mostly bad-mouths you. Fast-forward, and your business is finally getting recognized for its importance and influence….guess who wants back in – even for just one night? After all the crap that you’ve tolerated from them, are you seriously going to want anything to do with them – even for a few minutes?
Again, I get it – the fans, the fans, the fans. Well, Ace and Peter – especially Peter – certainly didn’t think about “the fans” when they were in their alcoholic/drug-induced haze for 20 years. Sure, they may be clean now, but as individuals – not your hero band! – isn’t Paul/Gene’s resentment over the course of 40 years understandable?
I’d LOVE to see KISS play together for one night. But I also get where Paul/Gene are coming from. That’s all.
My only point is that there is no real reason why the original members can’t play a song or three together. But the unreal reason why they cannot is Paul’s and Gene’s egos.
That is the bottom line. I don’t worship any of them (any more). I grew up having a lot of respect for Gene and Paul. It is one thing to say we will never reunite and or tour again (for whatever reason, drugs, money, power) and quite another to say we won’t play together for 10 minutes when inducted into the HOF. It is a once in a life-time opportunity (you only get inducted once) and whether Paul and Gene like it or not it was the original four who deservedly got inducted and who should therefore play together.
BUT NO!!!
My point is that Paul and Gene’s claim that others are equally deserving is way off base. They need to come up with another excuse. Or the truth, “our ego’s won’t let us do it. It should be Eric and Tommy instead of the guys who did far more albums with us and made us famous.”
The fans are not their boss. Our way or the highway. There is more than one side to the breakup(s).
You, my friend are brilliant. Nothing more needs to be said. Best post, period.
Yeah . I am long time fan And agree . And Kiss is an Army or a business ,when one or two people leave someones else steps in. Iam grateful Paul &Gene for keeping KISS going with out makeup til today. Why wasnt KISS WORTHY,when the reunion was huge and all 4 members were together? ? Because HOF never gave a damn about 4 original members .But they do now?What a bunch of shit from HOF. I dont want KISS to do it. Fuck HOF! !
I have to believe the whole merchandise thing really hurts KISS with it’s credibility and Gene’s whoring himself out(which is his business) but they in part have themselves to blame.
This KISS-ass mentality only shows one side of the equation. What if you joined a band with 3 other guys, and when you start out, it’s supposed to be a 4-way deal, but as time marches on, 2 of the guys insist that they are somehow better qualified to make both business and musical decisions, taking control of the band, and diminishing the contributions of the partners. As a creative entity, you feel constrained. Your contributions are downplayed, your input is not appreciated, and so, you withdraw and avail yourself of party materials. The fact that Gene and Paul have, from the very early days, sought to exert more and more control actually made the problem worse, creating a vicious cycle. If you read the 3 books out so far, all of them talk about this, even Gene acknowledges it in his book on page 80: “to get our (his and Paul’s) way, we had to emotionally batter them (meaning Ace and Peter)”. That is the crux of the biscuit right there. When G&P wanted their way, they’d belittle them. Imagine how that feels after a while. then imagine how you’d react: by going off the rails as a way to get back at your oppressors. Pretty simple and also a pretty common interpersonal dynamic in a band scenario. That, however, doesn’t make it right. Nor does it necessarily excuse A&P’s behavior, either – but it does give it context.
Drugs and alcohol ruin relationships.
Money!!!!!!!! they could careless about drugs if they are making money, if they can Make money without ACE and Peter than it is a reason to kick them out/no new contracts.
Jimi Hendrix, Jim Morrison, Jani Joplin……..ALL abused drugs and alcohol. Should we ignore them as well.
I high horse OLD news with how Gene & Paul bring this up all the time about Ace and Peter is childish.
Great post..
Just read what is coming up on this Saturday’s TMS. Please keep the outcomes a secret so there is an element of surprise. Now I already know who won the Throwdown several days before the darn episode airs. Why did whoever wrote this feel the need to tell us? Just telling us what was in the Throwdown would have been plenty and enough to wet my appetite. Also, we know Eddie already had a bad night on the Stump segment. C’mon. Where’s the common sense? Is this April Fools already? Guess not. Please keep the winners a secret else you spoil the build up.
Gene and Paul have been extremely pissed all these years about the fact that they wanted to be KISS with Ace and Peter forever and the latter did not take it seriously that way. I’ve read all the books and seen all the interviews and I get it from both sides. Peter and Ace have personality issues and could not deal with fame, fortune and/or long term relationships with Gene, Paul or anyone for that matter. Gene could care less about being serious with women, for example, until later in life and Paul has always been more private. If I built something with three other guys and it became something huge, I’d be super pissed off if one or more of the guys veered off course. I can understand the difficulties in dealing with being famous, hanging around drug users and pushers, losers and selfish/envious people, but there comes a time when you have to choose between that type of life and the one that got you where you are. Ace and Peter chose badly while Gene and Paul chose wisely. I don’t care how anyone looks at it, but if you are mad at Gene Simmons, you are envious of what he has. None of us would dismiss what he has accomplished if we had the chance to be him. I love Peter Criss and Ace Frehley. They are still my favorite members of the band and collect more stuff of theirs than anyone else, but that does not mean I agree with the path they took in life. I don’t like the use of their characters in today’s lineup, but I can see the business side of it and everyone needs to get it once and for all. It’s all about the Benjamins, not the fans. Sure without the fans, there’s no money, but look at MLB or the NFL. Does anyone of us agree that a baseball player deserves to make $200,000,000? Obviously not, but people still go to the games and fill the stadiums while paying the big bucks to see a team play. No one should disagree that KISS today is a nostalgic band and we go for the show, the nostalgia, but even though we may not like what has become of Kiss, we gladly pay for it anyway… It’s not their fault, it’s ours.
It is not about “wanting back in” it is about the four who were inducted playing together for the fans.
BUT NO.
Paul and Gene are spiteful.
Sorry that is how it is. Coming from who loved Paul and Gene as much as anyone else. I call it as I see it. My saying that is not that same as saying Ace and Peter never did anything wrong.
One thing the HOF got right is that only the original members belong and that is who should play together.
I agree.
Looking forward to seeing Peter. Seems like such a good honest man. I actually in joyed his solo CD it was jazzy that’s why know one was into it.