Brian Hiatt of Rolling Stone reports:
Current KISS guitarist Tommy Thayer and drummer Eric Singer aren’t going to be inducted with the band at this year’s Rock and Roll Hall of Fame ceremony, and they won’t perform, either – but they’re showing up, nevertheless.
Gene Simmons confirmed to Rolling Stone via e-mail that he and Paul Stanley have invited Singer and Thayer to sit at their table during the April 10th ceremony, along with guitarist Bruce Kulick, who played in KISS during its make-up-free period, from 1984 to 1996. “The fact that they want me at their table means the world,” says Kulick.
With founding members Ace Frehley and Peter Criss also on hand, that means all surviving KISS members will be at Brooklyn, New York’s Barclays Center, except for hard-to-track-down guitarist Vinnie Vincent. “He’s kind of the Howard Hughes of KISS,” says Kulick.
Simmons and Stanley are upset with the Hall of Fame’s decision to induct only the four original members. “Tommy has been in the band 10 years,” Stanley told Rolling Stone in interviews for their current KISS cover story. “Eric’s been in the band 20 years.” (Minus a five-year interlude when the original band reunited.) “The idea of no one being even a candidate for induction into the Hall of Fame other than the four original guys is hogwash.”
Not surprisingly, Kulick, Thayer and Singer all endorse that sentiment. “Even if I was an outsider,” says Thayer, “I would say that all of the guys that have been in KISS over 40 years, all of the members, should be inducted into the Hall of Fame.”
As of last month, Singer was somewhat reluctant to attend. “If the choice is up to me, do I want to attend or not, then I don’t wanna go,” he told Rolling Stone before Simmons and Stanley invited him. “I personally don’t care about attending, but if Gene and Paul say, ‘No, we want you there,’ no problem. I’m there for you guys. I’m there for Gene and Paul and Tommy. For Kiss, the way it stands now, no problem. Or if they just want me to be there to celebrate Kiss in general, and that means everybody, fine, great, because I’m part of the whole story.”
There is no KISS performance slated for the ceremony. As reported in our cover story, Stanley and Simmons offered to allow the former members to jam with Kiss’ current lineup, featuring Thayer and Singer, who wear Frehley and Criss’ makeup, respectively. Frehley and Criss found that proposition deeply insulting. “I won’t be disrespected,” Criss says. “How can you put me in the Hall of Fame and then tell me to go sit over there in the corner while another guy puts on my makeup and plays? That’s an injustice. To the fans, too.”
source: rollingstone.com
149 Responses
Well I too have read the free chapter of paul’s book…it def doesnt put A/P in a good light thats for sure…its quite possible that A/P had a false sense of security bcuz they are founding members whereas tommy/eric are just hired guns….I guess you can make an analogy between a full time employee and a temp…temps are constantly on best behavior whereas full timers may have a longer leash. Or maybe..just maybe…tommy figured out there was no $$ in a black n blue reunion..lol…bottom line IMO, im glad its just the original four going in…I got a feeling its all gonna come to a head and pop like a big ol’ nasty zit! Lol…what y’all think?
Eric Carr should’ve been inducted, absolutely no question. I would’ve extended an invite to Bruce Kulick as well. Although Vincent is a part of one of my favorite albums, his time was too short. Same goes for St. John. Those who suggest only the original four are being shortsighted on the history of the band.
Only 9 more days of this … Thank god!
Oh wait… After April 10, we will have backlash and reactions.
Sweet Lord make it stop! Make it stop!!!
No.
Rumor on the street is that Vinnie Vincent will suddenly appear out of a plume of smoke, only to perform a medley of acoustic KISS hits, wearing a combination of all 4 original characters makeup.
Surprise!
That would be awesome! LMAO
Paul and Gene can go put the x in sex, uh all night, and whatever other lame shit they do.
This s**t is so getting old.
Doesn’t matter how you view it as a Kiss fan, if you’re truly an honest Kiss fan you have to admit that the music they put out with the originals is by far superior to anything they did after and it’s THAT MUSIC that’s put them where they are TODAY.
You can add in that if you weigh out the crap to mediorce music they did, a majority of it was post Ace & Peter by far.
Gene & Paul have lost touch with reality in respect to the very band they love.
That is your opinion, but you are not taking into consideration that the original music was made in a different time. That music was good for the 70s. You can have a hit on the radio back then very easily. (Calling Dr Love, Beth, Hard Luck Woman, etc…) That music is what you grew up with. That’s why you are fond of it. It’s unfair to compare the music in different eras of Kiss.
100% correct, S Falls!
100% incorrect. I’ve been with the band since 75, and without a doubt the best music they ever released was Creatures. It would also be easy for me to say that any “truly honest Kiss fan” would be an idiot not to agree…but then again that wouldn’t be taking into account that everyone has an opinion.
Yeah Creatures is an awesome album, except for the oh so repeating I Still Love You over and over and over.
Still, that’s ONE album buddy, ONE and it’s NOT in the top five Kiss albums by a majority of fans opinions I’m quite sure.
Also, JB I did NOT call anyone an idiot, nice try at spinning a yarn though. 😉