Twisted Sister frontman Dee Snider think KISS are making a terrible mistake by presenting new members in the classic makeup worn by founding members Ace Frehley and Peter Criss. Particularly, Tommy Thayer, who took over for Frehley in in 2002.
“I don’t see how people could accept this,” Snider recently told Eddie Trunk. “Tommy Thayer? I’m sorry. It’s insulting. Not only did he play with a tribute band of KISS, he’s imitating Ace in his entire act!”
Thayer worked as a co-writer on KISS’ 1989 release Hot in the Shade and played guitar on 1998′s Psycho Circus, but didn’t officially join the band until the period just before KISS Symphony: Alive IV in 2003.
Thayer has since been part of two albums, 2009′s Sonic Boom and 2012′s Monster, which also include new member Eric Singer, who took over for late drummer Eric Carr.
Singer originally performed without makeup, before Gene Simmons and Paul Stanley reunited with Criss and Frehley in 1996. Singer then began wearing Criss’ makeup when he returned in 2001; a year later, Thayer started dressing as Frehley.
Snider said it’s an insult. “My theory is, they forgave KISS for I Was Made for Loving You, and anything is acceptable after that,” he said. “It was a disco song, people! It’s not okay! It was never okay, and they’re playing it live now. Unbelievable. They play I Was Made for Loving You, a fricking disco song!”
The worst of it, added Snider, is when KISS perform Shock Me, a song associated with Frehley, complete with Thayer mimicking all of Ace’s old moves. “Oh, my God — that’s disgraceful,” he said. “When KISS replaced Ace and Peter, and they brought in guys [Carr and Vinnie Vincent] who had their own makeup and their own thing, that was acceptable. That was awesome. They were their own characters.”
additional source: ultimateclassicrock.com
76 Responses
It is like I pointed out previously, KISS is in serious danger of becoming the next Lynyrd Skynyrd. Skynyrd has one original member, they play county fairs and they play the same show over and over, complete with Ronnie Van Zant’s 1976 ad libs. It is more of a theatre performance than a rock n roll show. It is pathetic.
The truly sad part of this is that most people that attend these shows, don’t even realize who is an original member and who isn’t. They just mindlessly clap, hogging 3 or 4 teeth to themselves.
Dude don’t harsh on my skynyrd…..the band has been desimated with death. If they were all alive they would be playing togetther no doubt. Kiss on the other hand has Ace & Peter available if they would just mend fences.
Ronnie Van Zant told several people that he was considering firing Gary Rossington in 1977 (Check out Cameron Crowe’s commentary on “Almost Famous”, he discusses this situation) It is ironic that Gary is the last original member and he has done nothing but run a great band into the ground. The current “Skynyrd” is a complete joke. They play county fairs, casinos, and half empty sheds.
Skynyrd ended on October 20, 1977. I am not “harshing” on Skynyrd. They were a great band. The current blasphemy that calls themselves Lynyrd Skynyrd is complete horse s***.
Ronnie was Skynyrd. Case closed.
People who just want to slag off Paul and Gene keep saying this, but it isn’t true. I was at the shed tour this past summer with Def Leppard, and there was no one who “didn’t realize it wasn’t Ace or Peter” (but that might be because Tommy wasn’t wobbling all over the stage, missing cues and flubbing notes, and Eric wasn’t missing cues and playing at half-tempo) . My 14-year-old at her first Kiss show even knew the full story. This “myth” is just a tool to rationalize an opinion and has little if no truth to it whatsoever. The “truly sad” part is the people that feel the need to justify their own position by wrongfully pointing fingers at other, real fans. I’ll have you know, I didn’t “mindlessly clap” at anything, and I have all 32 of my teeth, thank you very much. No, I don’t like everything they’ve done in their career, and I am certainly NOT an apologist for anyone; but if the trade off for seeing Paul and Gene in full colors means Tommy and Eric (which it does, by all accounts) I’ll take it.
Bill, a fan since ’78.
I don’t think many don’t realize it’s not Ace and Peter at this point, but still doesn’t make it right!
People keep forgetting that Kiss is a special band. Imagine replacing one of the Beatles. And don’t start with the Pete Best thing, he was in the band before they made it. Kiss and The Beatles. 8 faces that the world knows like the back of their hand. The fact that each Kiss member came up with their personas based on who they were inside and how they felt and what they liked, and to let anyone come into the band and basically rape that, is outrageous and completely unacceptable. Paul keeps comparing Kiss to the Yankees or whatever. Does he think Kiss is a franchise that comes up with a name first, then chooses the members? A FRANCHISE?? Well I THOUGHT Kiss were a special BAND. Now and since 2001 they have been a sad joke, a delusional bastardization of what was once to be revered. They just couldn’t end on a high note, could they? They had to drag it into the mud, stay way late at the party and wallow in their arrogance. I’ve been a fan since Destroyer and to hell with them. Thanks a lot, guys. Jackasses.
Yep, listening to Paul these days gives the impression that Kiss shall soon become just one in a line of other franchise enterprises, ie. LA Kiss, Rock’n Brews, mini golf, selling art (??) prints, books on how to become a millionaire, etc. As much as I think it will end up a complete failure I now believe they will actually try it out, see if it works, if not bury it WITHOUT telling everyone on every available morning show. Same will happen to their involvement in football – in with a bang, out walking on tiptoes, so-to-speak. Every time Paul says that there might be a Kiss without him and Gene he sounds like a market researcher testing the possible acceptance of a new possible product launch in the pipeline.
Skynyrd is still going strong & sound good. Their last two albums kicked a$$.
You are way off base, main reason most of the original members are no longer in Skynyrd is because they are DEAD.
You’re comparing apples and oranges. KISS has no dead members outside of Carr who was not an original member.
Also many, many Skynyrd fans know the history of the band and still enjoy the current line-up.
I btw have a full set of teeth. 😉
Man, don’t piss off Skynard fans! Me, i’m more of a Hatchet guy. I saw Hatchet play a free BBQ in the Smoky Mountains in ’97. Lots of great people with lots of missing teeth. They don’t care if you accept them or not, they say “take me as I am.”
Love Skynyrd, and 38 Special, but when it comes to southern rock, nobody kicks ass harder than Molly Hatchet! Good call Shannon. 😉
Shannon, you say you are a fan yet you can’t even spell the name correctly? Get back to your cornbread and beans, RC Cola, and moon pies.
It is spelled Skynyrd not “Skynard”
Thanks, and your monicker is very intelligent by the way. (Did I spell monicker correctly? please let me know).
After the crash the band members decided ronnie would have wanted them to continue, so they did. Ronnie was a huge part and a big reason they got as huge as they did. I have seen them live at least 20 times all post ronnie as I was 11 when he passed. I can’t tell u how much fun I have had at their shows especially in the late 80’s and 90’s. Too each their own when it comes to these older bands. In another ten years I will have nobody to see anyways.
Oh yea and Harry …..one thing ….please excuse any spelling errors and try not to take.it.so.serious its just rock n roll. Cbeers!
Shannon, I’m sorry to hear the news about molly hatchet’s drummer. may you know of no more sorrow.
Thanks Elliot, quite a few rockers have been dying this month.
All hail Blackfoot, my toothless friends!
Blackfoot rocks! And don’t forget about The Outlaws! 😉
LOL, they have three or four teeth?
I have replied about this situation many times before and have always agreed with Eddie about KISS and the band that calls themselves KISS today, they have always been a visual band even more so than a music band and thats what made them set apart from all others but when it comes down to brass tax and since they now have the legal rights for all make up trademark characters ever since the first time Peter and Ace left the band so they feel they have the rights to say who can portray the spaceman and cat man characters and I certainly understand that, but morally I don’t see it or agree with it and never will and if that’s the way they want to come across as the band that said ïf it was not for our fans we would not be where we are today, but if you dont agree with us after all these years …well thats fine because we got all the financial support out of you that we could, and thats ok because we have fans that like us this way now and they will be more than happy to pay for the records or concert tickets and merchandise….so so long suckers.
Well, maybe so but I know myself, Eddie and many others who feel the same way may see the band self destruct because of their portraying the band in the manner they are but they wont care because they milked out enough money from the fans over the years (including myself) that they could retire ten times over and wouldn’t give a crap about the fans who were there at the start in 1973, as far as im concerned they were done in 2001
Oh, hey. I remember Dee Snyder!….He was the dad in that VH-1 “Osbournes” knock-off reality show. I sure hope knocking KISS brings him another minute or two of fame.
Gee you’re only about 13 years late! Wonder if Eddie got these same comments from Dee on his upcoming podcast?
I feel the same way as Dee. I feel violated by Tommy Thayer every time I see him mimicking Ace’s moves.
scot, you might be taking this too personal.
Oh, Elliot Goldberg. You neither understand nor respect veterans of the KISS Army! Have you no empathy for the PTSD-inducing pain of seeing Tommy and Eric in Peter’s and Ace’s makeup/costume?
rtunes68, I am your brother. I are one.
Kiss used to mean something to me now their just a parody of themselves.
That is the point, more than a new member copying the original member’s licks (as people want to hear the music they love played correctly) it is sad to see that Tommy seems to be such a spineless person to even mimick Ace’s way of behaviour on stage. In the face of two control freaks, you need obviously to be a yes-man. Other bands from the 70s and 80s do have replacements, it is the only way these bands can still stay alive, but do they move around like they were puppets on a string? – Apart from that, Paul should be replaced now as he is no longer able to sing properly, then the above-mentioned Lynyrd Skynyrd syndrome would come into effect. But I wonder if that happens because Paul clearly seems to run this ship called Kiss, I would rather expect Kiss, ie. Paul to go on without the original “Gene” even though , to Paul’s displeasure most probably, it is Gene’s make up and face that is the most recognizable and well-known around the world. The image of Kiss can often be found reduced to just the image of Gene’s character.
I agree with Dee 100% about everything, except IWMFLY! Not sure if Dee ever heard it performed live, totally different than the studio version! And even despite what he, most others, and even Paul Stanley himself say about the song, I never heard it or considered it as a disco song, it sounds nothing like The Bee Gees, Village People, or KC & The Sunshine Band, now that’s disco! 😉
Doug R, I actually have the 12″ of said song, it’s about 8 minutes long, and it’s designed for disco dancing. That is, it is meant, intended, to be played in a discotech. “It sounds different than the studio version…” really? in that it is not the studio version, but the live version? They don’t change the song any, and it sucks just as bad live as it does in the studio. I love Don Kirshner’s total deadpan when he introed this song on his show, he goes something like, “Kiss has always been full of surprises, and this is no exception..” except it is obvious he meant in a bad way, like “what the hell are they doing?”
Shannon, what the hell are you talking about?? Nobody is talking about the 12″ version, or comparing it. Hey, everybody has an opinion, and I’m not the only one who hears a big difference between the DYNASTY version of IWMFLY, and hearing it live, always have. Still overanalyzing I see, IWMFLY does not suck, whatever you want to call it.
Why doesn’t anybody ever ask “what the hell are they doing” referring to Queen with “Another One Bites The Dust’? Not a knock on Queen or the song, ’cause I’m a fan of both, but there was no backlash on Queen for that song, nor should there have been. And there shouldn’t have been a backlash on Kiss either, it was 1 song, 1! And again, call it what you want, it is a good song! 36 years already, time to get over it. 😉
I am not over analyzing anything. The 12″ is actually the way the song is intended to be experienced. It is actually the exact same song, but edited for length. As it is the exact same song, it is proves that the song is a disco song, that was intended for the discotech. And you’re right, who cares if they did a disco song, but the song sucks, it’s a generic, boring song, that Paul says he wrote in his living room in about 10 minutes! “Another One Bites the Dust” has some character to it, it’s a decent song. That dumb Kiss song , while beneficial in the short term, did more damage to Kiss’s career than all of Ace and Peter’s shenanigans put together.
Rather, I should say, the version on Dynasty was edited for length. Have you even heard the 8 minute version? That’s the song’s true composition, and it was deliberately composed for the discotech, which maybe would have been O.K, if that’s all they did with it, but they had to put it on a Kiss record.
Shannon, dude, you’re gonna drive me to drink, and that’s a short trip! Cheers! 😉
The 12” is not the original mix it’s a Remix by Jim Burgess. any edits are to
extend sections. the album version was mixed by Jay Messina. I have bootlegged
recordings from the Dynasty sessions that show it to be closer to the album version.
You know Doug R, I like alot of disco, KC, Donna Summer (Giorgo Moroder is phenomenal as a producer)…just not when Kiss does it.
Lol…Doug R, in the bridge to your favorite disco song, Paul Stanley does a complete Barry Gibb move with a falsetto..
Wrong Shannon, my favorite DISCO song is “Stayin’ Alive”, from the soundtrack that even Alice Cooper himself loves! BTW, ever see Slash’s reaction to IWMFLY every time he sees Kiss perform the song live? He loves it, even finds a way to headbang a little bit. Analyzing too much interferes with just enjoying the music, don’t rock the boat Shannon, you might tip it over, just enjoy the cruise! 🙂
Stayin’ Alive is pretty good, but Slash’s musical tastes have no affect on me.
Me neither, just making an observation. 😉
I have had bowel movements that make more sense than you Shannon.
Doug R, I would never get on that boat for three days and subject myself to those Kiss fans. And, for Kiss to do a disco song, they could have at least done something cool, or ironic, like The Who did on Who Are You.
99 Bottles of beer on the wall…
doug, if you’re implying that “rock the boat” by the hues corporation is a disco song, you would be inaccurate. there is an old wives tale that states “rock the boat” was the first disco record. that tale was started by two of the band members wives. the song is more a calypso song than anything else. so you see, doug, your rock the boat reference holds no water. now dirty living, that’s another ‘monster’. I have the 20 minute version where peter takes a cat nap during the recording session….
LOL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Good one Elliot. LMFAO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!