For final major act of a storied career, Kiss decides to piss everyone off

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Kiss will shortly be inducted into the Rock ‘n’ Roll Hall of Fame, 16 years after becoming eligible. It should be a proud moment for the band and the Kiss Army; a celebration of 41 years (and counting!) of Kisstory.

So of course, they’re screwing it all up.

The original four members (Paul Stanley, Gene Simmons, Ace Frehley, and Peter Criss) are to be inducted. So it seems clear that the original four members ought to swallow their differences for three minutes and give the world a “Rock ‘n’ Roll All Nite” at the ceremony. The social media scuttlebutt was that Paul Stanley was preventing that, and that the current lineup would instead play.

I have been a Kiss fan since I was five years old. I have been a fan for every instantiation of the band. Most of the band’s existence, it has not been the original four. The contributions of several others have kept the band alive. I get that.

Still, whether fair or not, neither Eric Carr (RIP), nor Vinnie Vincent, nor Mark St. John (RIP), nor Bruce Kulick, nor Eric Singer, nor Tommy Thayer is being inducted. Only Paul, Gene, Ace, and Peter are going in.

As the hard feelings are apparently insurmountable, Kiss has decided that the band will not play at all.

This is an absurd intended action for such a self-proclaimed fans’ band.

No Kiss fan is happy with everything the band has ever done. The band has known great highs and lows. It has acted with integrity one minute, and hypocrisy the next. The farewell tour ended 13 years ago, okay?

As iconic and unique as the band is, Kiss has managed to piss just about everyone off at one time or another.

It is sad and disappointing that for what is likely to be the largest remaining moment of attention in the band’s lifespan, it has chosen to piss everyone off.

Paul? Gene? Work this crap out. Kiss deserves it. The Kiss Army deserves it.

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2 thoughts on “For final major act of a storied career, Kiss decides to piss everyone off”

  1. The “KISS sux” crowd gets more ammo. Sorry, man. It sure seemed Rush was having fun with it last year. Don’t know why they continue to be such divas.

    I blame David Fincher 🙂

    Reply

    • For one of my favorite live music experiences, I saw the first show of Paul Stanley’s Live to Win tour (and blogged about it in my third post ever).

      But as of right now, the sixth of six times that I saw Kiss was on April 14, 2000. We were sixth row, dead center, and when the curtain fell for “Detroit Rock City” and I felt the heat of the flame pots on my face, I actually cried a little bit. This was it. This was the last time. This was the farewell tour. Glad they’ve saved their own bacon one more time and found a way to go out, more or less, on top.

      Closing on 14 years ago. You want to see my Farewell Tour cap?

      I’ve had opportunities to see them since, and I like the Rock The Nation DVDs. I’ve bought and enjoyed all of their new studio material since then. But I said my goodbyes that night, and they’ve stuck. I’d like to take the boys sometime if I get the opportunity, but if I don’t that’s fine too.

      They’ve not always done things the way they should have. It was a mistake to try to be Bon Jovi in the ’80s. It was a mistake to try to be Soundgarden in the ’90s.

      But they’ve generally delivered live, even during those periods of wandering. It’s their live credentials that have been the best and most consistent validation of all of the “we’re for the fans” rhetoric.

      And here we are with a slow hanger straight over the plate (in terms of what’s indicated for the fans). And Paul and Gene whine and moan that it’s just too hard, and we can’t make everybody happy.

      Well, y’all stop being babies and solve the damned problem.

      I wonder if I’ve ever been more disappointed in Kiss than I am today?

      Reply

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