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
Random Thoughts….
I wish Tom Snyder was still alive to induct Kiss into the HOF.
That interview tells you everything you need to know about the Originals.
(I loved how uncomfortable Gene and Paul were during that)
Would love Peter to be the last member to talk on stage – but you know that is not happening.
Paul will probably go last – would not be surprised is if all he said was “Thank you”
I am interested to hear what they all say – especially Ace and Peter.
I hope Ace and Peter have great speeches to show what infants Gene and Paul are.
Having Thayer, Singer, etc. shows what control freaks Gene and Paul are.
I have no problem , with them there – I liked Singer’s response in this story.
If things get busy, Thayer can pitch in an be a waiter/errand boy like he is in Kiss.
I truly hope Peter and Ace get a warm reception while Gene and Paul hear the boos
Would love to be a fly on the wall (make that table) to hear the conversations from the Kiss members.
The ceremony will only be broadcast weeks after, so I guess if there is to be any booing that will be edited out as well as the camera shots be focused on G and P’s table most of the time … by divine command …
Hopefully someone will post a youtube clip before it’s shown on tv.
I read all of the crap about Tommy Thayer and Eric Singer’s use of KISS make up made famous by Ace and Peter. Here is my final thought on that issue… “THEY QUIT BEING ACE AND PETER’S CHARACTERS WHEN THEY QUIT KISS. THEY HAVE SIGNED OVER THE RIGHTS TO CALL THE MAKE UP “THEIRS!” THE BLAME THAT PEOPLE ARE GIVING PAUL STANLEY AND GENE SIMMONS IS NOT MERITED AT ALL! ACE AND PETER WERE THE ONES WHO QUIT! ACE AND PETER WERE PROBABLY F’ED UP WHEN THEY SIGNED OVER THEIR RIGHTS TO THE MAKE UP! OK, IF YOU WENT TO SEE A MOVIE LIKE “WOLVERINE,” AND HUGH JACKMAN QUIT MID SHOOT AND HAD TO BE REPLACED, WOULD YOU CHANGE THE NAME OF “THE WOLVERINE,” TO “THE WOMBAT,” OR SOMETHING? NO, THE MOVIE IS THE SAME, THE CHARACTER WILL STILL BE WOLVERINE WITH A DIFFERENT ACTOR! THAT SAID… THE SPACEMAN AND CAT ARE CHARACTERS THAT WERE REPLACED! DIFFERENT ACTORS… SAME CHARACTERS!”
You are not comparing apples to apples. Tommy Thayer & Eric Singer can hardly be called original & they certainly do not warrant RRHOF consideration in any way shape or form just because they’ve been in the band impersonating Ace & Peter literally verbatim & via stage antics. I would consider Singer because of Revenge which was one of the best Kiss records ever. But just because Singer plays on Revenge, Carnival of Souls (worst Kiss record in my opinion) & Thayer/Singer both play on Sonic Boom & Munster which are not even close to being great Kiss albums does not merit induction. This shouldn’t be an issue especially with one Thomas Thayer!!!!
Senior citizen Paul Stanley and Senior citizen Gene Simmons acting like little kids… oooppsss. THAT’S ALL I HAVE TO SAY!!!
Except for Gene & Paul, I doubt any Kiss member, current or past has much money. Invite Gene & Shannon to the wedding? After the wedding Gene probably hit on the bridesmaids when Shannon wasn’t looking.
So some of the Kiss fans here got into them becuase of the Characters not the guy that made the characters Right let me see if I got that Right ? So your about as fake as Gene & paul are Right or you go out and watching a cover band every week right ? I cant wait tell they put someone in Eric Carr’s make up that would be so cool right ? Wake up Kiss fan’s Gene & Paul Have Killed Kiss a long Time ago now all they do Is Lie about it every time they have a mic in front of them !!! $$$$$$