Saturday, February 22, 2014

Gene Simmons and Paul Stanley Disrespect KISS Fans One Last Time

On Eddie Trunk's radio show last night, original KISS guitarist Ace Frehley disclosed that Paul Stanley and Gene Simmons are preventing the original four members of the band from reuniting onstage at the Rock 'n Roll Hall of Fame induction ceremony to take place in New York in April.

While the Hall of Fame has been clear that they are inducting the original four members of the band, Simmons and Stanley contend that they should have the new version of KISS, which has Tommy Thayer and Eric Singer posturing as Frehley and original drummer Peter Criss.

If there is to be a live performance I think this is a slap in the face to the original lineup of KISS and especially to the legion of lifelong fans who campaigned long and hard to get the band into the Hall of Fame in the first place.

Gene and Paul have always said that the fans were number one and that the fans were "the boss" but clearly that is not the case. This is nothing but a self-serving slap in the face designed to continue to promote the new version of KISS as the only version of KISS and to disregard the legacy started by the original four members.

Reading a post by Trunk who has insight into the Hall of Fame process, this is mostly a Paul Stanley call. Paul made it very clear that he doesn't care about the Hall of Fame and he does not feel honored to be involved.

Granted the Hall of Fame took 15 years to induct KISS, but the fact of the matter is that without Peter and Ace coming back into the band for the reunion tour Paul and Gene would still be would be playing small theaters wouldn't be living in their giant mansions.

I first got into KISS in 1978 when I was 10 years old and they literally changed my world. I became a lifelong guitar player primarily because of Ace. I stuck with the band to the disco era and while I lost touch with them in the 80s, I happily reengaged with the band for the reunion tour farewell tours.

Even though I was not comfortable having Eric Singer or and Tommy Thayer take on the personas of Peter and Ace, I stuck with the band because I really wanted my children to be able to see what I saw when I was a kid and to experience whatever magic and bombast was still left in the group.

But after this move, if it's true, I am done with these guys. They will get no more of my money.

2 comments:

drewzepmeister said...

Like you Paul, I got into the guitar thanks to Ace Frehley. I was a die hard KISS fan back in their heyday till they took off the make up. By then, I already had turned my attention towards other bands while KISS sank into oblivion.

The world can agree that Gene Simmons is a money hungry attention whore and Paul Stanley just rides on his coattails. It was Ace and Peter Criss whom did themselves in due to their drug and ego problems. I can't really blame Gene nor Paul for not wanting to work with them again.

Let's face the facts... OK, Ace and Peter ARE clean and sober now. Both have expressed interest in reuniting for this special event. An event that the fans would appreciate. So who is the problem now? Gene and Paul!

Ace had mentioned that he would not appear on stage if Tommy Thayer shows up in "his" Spaceman costume. Who can blame Ace? Will the real Spaceman step forward please? Geeze!

What I'd like to see is the original foursome appear onstage sans the make up and the theatricals and play at least three classic tunes and take a bow for the fans. They don't need to take on a reunion tour nor make a new album. Hell, they could go on their separate ways after that.

Is this too much to ask for? Apparently so....



Donald Capone said...

Peter Criss should perform Beth and Ace should do Back in the New York Groove. In makeup too, just to piss off Gene and Paul.