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
“Tommy has been in the band 10 years… Eric has been in the band 20 years.” This is misleading information people!!!!
Tommy= 2 albums, Sonic Boom, Monster, in 10 years
Eric= 3 albums, Revenge, Sonic Boom, Monster (*4 if you count C.O.S.), in 20 years!
NOBODY in their right mind can argue the thought that making the above albums qualifies one for the RNRHOF!!!
Awesome Point!
Then why did Robert Trujillo from Metallica get inducted?!?
Awesome point Dave.
should not have
There’s a reason Paul (and Gene) mentions the amount of TIME these guys have been in the band…it’s the only way to make them seem better than Ace and Peter. That’s what G and P are all about, trying to convince people that the current lineup is better. It’s a magic trick they’ve yet to pull off, and now by having every member besides Ace and Peter at their table, they probably feel like they’ve won somehow. This is how children act, which is why I said their table will be like the kids’ table at Thanksgiving. Meanwhile, Ace and Peter will be joined by Eddie and that’s the table that most of the fans would rather be at anyhow.
Yeah in their minds(G&P) it’s quantity over quality. lol
Ea$y to $ee that with Gene’$ main concern.
Very well said, it is strange that even (or especially) grown-up men who might comforetable relax, sit back and be cool about it, act like they were still in the sandbox arguing about who has got the biggest shovel. G and P must make it look look they are winning – over Peter and Ace, over the HOF, they owe it to their enormous egos. In fact, to me it seems like the they are the puppets of their own egos running wild, which, in the end, is exactly what you say, a childish behaviour.
3 loc: Totally spot on. Gene and Paul think we are stupid, apparently…
Great post….all true ..
After reading Ace and Peter’s books, I’m of the opinion that there’s no way that the original four guys could ever coexist for any amount of time. Peter seems to have a persecution complex and seems to think he’s never getting what he deserves. He’s just so emotionally volatile. That’s from people other than Gene and Paul. I think that Ace just wants Paul and Gene’s respect, especially Paul’s. I think it really bothers him when they say things that demean him and not just his behavior. I wish Gene and Paul would show him that appreciation because as great as Paul was and as huge as Gene’s image was, Ace really was the spark that took them to greatness. Regardless, I’m glad that Eric, Tommy, and Bruce are going to be there. Especially Bruce. He’s one of rock’s good guys. I wish every body that helped Kiss along the way, on stage or off, could be there. Certainly a band of their level was bigger than the four guys on stage. It’s too bad that too many of those guys aren’t with us anymore.
Well said
I think Paul & Gene are trying to invite as many members of KISS so Ace & Peter will have to sit at the kiddies table.
Dick Wagner and Anton Fig are also pissed about not being inducted with KISS and are going to boycott the ceremony. Bob Ezrin, who produced Destroyer “fresh off doing the Wall” is also not attending as well.
uh, The Wall was after Destroyer. But he did produce The Elder after The Wall. Which explains why The Elder sounds more like The Wall than an Alice Cooper album (Ezrin’s pre-Destroyer producing gig).
As a fan for over 35 years, this is like a never ending train wreck that I simply cannot look away from. I love the Rolling Stone cover of the ORIGINAL four. It would have been sweeter if the caption had read “The REAL KISS” instead, but I’ll take it anyway.
I wish the ceremony was being held in Cleveland (like they ALL should be…). I’d make sure I wore a Peter Criss T-shirt & put on Ace’s makeup & jeer as loud as possible when Gene & Paul take the mic & then cheer for Ace & Peter. This 50% tribute band over the last decade + has forever tarnished the legacy of my favorite band. However, recent events have done irreparable damage that makes it too hard to care anymore. If I can’t have them play one short set as a bookend & go out with pride, then I’ll be glad when all this is over.