Gene Simmons Speaks Emotionally On Peter Criss And Ace Frehley’s Not Being In KISS’ Farewell Tour
KISS bassist Gene Simmons once again shared what he thinks about the band’s original members Peter Criss and Ace Frehley‘s not appearing in KISS during the band’s farewell tour.
The richest KISS member with $450 million net worth, Gene Simmons, is known for his musical tenure with the world-renowned rock band KISS. Releasing his debut self-titled album with the band in 1974, Gene Simmons performed in the entire albums of his band.
On the other hand, Ace Frehley was the lead guitarist of KISS. He had appeared several times with them throughout their career. In 1973, he co-founded the band and performed until 1982. Later then, he rejoined the band in 1996 and parted ways once again in 2002.
The retired musician Peter Criss is known for being the original drummer and co-founder of KISS. Throughout his musical career, the drummer had appeared eight KISS efforts such as Destroyer, Dressed To Kill, Love Gun, Hotter Than Hell, Rock And Roll Over.
However, during a recent Question&Answer session on this year’s KISS Kruise, founding KISS members Paul Stanley and Gene Simmons once again discussed the band’s original members Peter and Ace. When the interviewer mentioned the KISS A&E documentary that is not featuring Ace and Peter, Gene Simmons said it upsets him that Ace and Peter haven’t been with the band during the band’s farewell tour.
“Well, clearly, Paul Stanley has lost all memory,” Gene says. “My memory of things says he thinks he wrote ‘Strutter.’ I know I did.
“I want to say something on behalf of Ace and Peter, and this is important – through the years there have been some bad decisions made.
“My heart breaks that they can’t be here and see your beautiful faces. They started with us, they were equally as important as Paul and myself in starting the band.
“We wouldn’t be here with them, it’s so tragic because of bad life decisions that they can’t be here to enjoy all of this.”
Paul Stanley Adds KISS Couldn’t Have Made It Without Peter And Ace
After Gene Simmons, the guitarist Paul Stanley chimed in and revealed his thoughts about the issue. Saying that KISS couldn’t have made it without Ace Frehley and Peter Criss, the guitarist addressed the positive sides of their departure from the band.
“But good things come from things that sometimes seem bad, and the good things that came from their departure from the band are sitting up here with us,” Stanley says.
“Not to dwell on that, we couldn’t have made it without Peter and Ace, and we couldn’t continue to this day with them. So they are strong parts of our foundation but this is what’s building the monument today.”
Elsewhere in the conversation, Paul Stanley had mentioned KISS’ new album possibility. Explaining why would KISS need a new album, Stanley had said that there is no possibility of that.
“Why would we need a new KISS album?” Stanley asks. “Any big classic band with a history, you go, ‘Oh, put out a new album.’
“You know, if The Rolling Stones put out a new album, you go, ‘Oh, that’s great. Play ‘Brown Sugar’.’ … Yeah, maybe not now…”
“But the same is true for us. You can have great songs on the more recent albums, but people then go, ‘Great. Play ‘Love Gun’.’
“The reality is you really love the old songs, and nobody is going to embrace new material, no matter how good it is, like you do the past, because those songs are part — those are like snapshots from your past, and you’re connected to them in a way new material never could be.
“We’re happy going out and playing. That’s where we live; that’s our turf, is the stage.”
Back in this past June, Stanley had answered why Ace Frehley and Peter Criss did not get involved KISS documentary.
“Some people might take exception to it,” Stanley says. “Some KISS fan might say, ‘Well, how come there isn’t more of Ace and Peter?’
“Truly, those guys didn’t want to be a part of it without certain… I think there was talk of final approval of footage and editing, and that’s fantasy – that’s fantasy. It’s really a story of the band.”
KISs will never be KISS without Peter and Ace. The new drummer and guitarist are great but they should have created their own characters; not taken on Peter’s Cat Man and Ace’s Space Man. There is only one Space Ace and one Cat Man.
Ya see, Stanley has this idea that old bands can’t make new relevant material that the fans will enjoy, but I have to counter with two words…… Iron Maiden. They make new relevant material that tops album charts. Maybe Gene and Paul need to sit down and really write some good songs instead of afterthoughting the material for just a few dollars. Just sayin’!
I agree about their caracters . They really should’ve created their own. BUT Peter and Ace are the past. They didn’t use several chances for being in the band again. I miss them but I don’t need them anymore. Eric and Tommy doing a better job.
The members that replaced Ace and Peter should have had there own characters period…I think it was a slap in the face and very disrespectful to Ace and Peter. Paul and Gene new better and I think it was purely rude!! Ace and Peter deserved so much more…without them there would be no KISS
Maybe ifbyouband Pauly wouldn’t been dicks to rhem, they may have stayed around.
Don’t agree. The last few Kiss studio albums charted high. This is a band who used to put out multiple albums a year. I’d love to hear a new one
They are a big joke!!
And Gene fucked it up for half of all Kiss fans.
He can be a sheep and wear a mask,get injected with an experimental vaccine,and tell Eric Clapton off..
Well Gene… You can FUCK OFF AND SO CAN THE ENTIRE KISS ORGANIZATION !
You lost us as fans.
Burning all my KISS crap tonight!
It ain’t worth nothing
Paul and Gene love discussing the faults of Ace and Peter, but never talk about their own faults. Anyone without bias, and a musical ear, knows Peter had the most dynamic voice of the four, while Ace was the most musically gifted of the four. Gene’s and Paul’s egos couldn’t deal with that reality…unlike Led Zeppelin and Aerosmith – who embraced the talents of other members of their respective bands. Paul and Gene have either lost their ability to write, or they rode the backs of fans – since the last good music these two wrote was on Love Gun. They got fat on fame and fortune; taking advantage of fans for monetary gain, while downplaying Ace and Peter. They can’t honestly say they care about fans when they diss those fans who favored Ace and/or Peter. They then use the original creation of the Cat and the Spaceman to further shove it down the throats of fans, by using the makeup on non-creators of the makeup. I used to love all original members, but Gene and Paul’s egotistical money lust got in the way – not Ace and Peter. Peter’s vocals on Baby Driver, and Ace’s musical gifts that surfaced on the solo album – showed how good they were…which took the spotlight away from Paul’s circus prancing and Gene’s theatrical stage presence.
They always know exactly what to say. I think that they should have done this tour with at least Ace and Eric Singer. Not any knock on Peter but I don’t think he would be interested. If so they definitely should have used him too. He played great back in 2003 and surely with some rehearsals for several months he could play his songs again. I just don’t see any authenticity in Tommy and Eric dressed up like them. They look stupid as hell imo and I think Tommy is a nice guy but he has a puncher face 🤔
Gene Paul Ace Peter Tommy and Eric would be interesting?
i think they should stick to the music and leave the polittical crap to merel streep and other goofs
amen
Thought you loved American freedom Gene? Guess you loved wokeness more. Too bad
Wish some of these wantabe fans would shutup and take their asses home!
Gene Simmons is a scumbag. Paul Stanley is a pussy. To not honor Ace and Peter by having two imposters wear their makeup was the biggest slap in the face to Ace and Peter. It was like they took a big shit on the original Kiss. I haven’t gone to a Kiss concert in over 15 years and I’ve been asked to go numerous times free. Yet I still wouldn’t go. I’m a die hard original Kiss fan. I even totally accept the late Eric Carr and Bruce Kulick. To me they were just as much to kiss as Ace and Peter, especially Eric Carr. But to have Tommy Thayer and Eric Singer wear Ace’s and Peter’s makeup is a fucking shame, and they should be ashamed of themselves.To me Kiss died after the 1996 reunion tour. Long live Ace, Peter, Eric C, and Bruce K!
I went to the first 2 farewell tours a long time ago and the second was my last. Ace made the band.
Ace and Peter should put out an album together. Then they should tour for it. They would do so good on tour, then do felwell to say good by to all the true Kiss fans tend it all with out Gene and Paul.
Over the years kiss became their own tribute band. Their own tribute to themselves.
Many people here say that Eric & Tommy wearing Catman & Spaceman’s makeup is disrespectful to Peter & Ace. Well you should know they sold the rights to use their characters to Gene & Paul. Remember you can buy something only if it’s for sale.
They would have never put the stupid 70`makeup back on without the first reunion…Ace was the coolest member of the band. Gene is a rich dork in real life with stupid looking hair
Can’t continue making music on a deadline with half the band sleeping off a bender. Half the band was about making money, and half wanted to party. You can’t always have both. Some bands made it with all originals and also partying. Gene and Paul were the driving wheels and didn’t want to be hampered, waiting around for the other two to be able to be ready to do business is how I see it. I agree with the characters, if they were going to keep the makeup. Eric Carr had different makeup, Vinnie had different makeup. Then they took it off. They should have made new characters again or unmasked again. Peter and Ace, haven’t been around for half the songs and probably wanted an even split and being that they hadn’t been there for the whole time, namely songs written and released in their absence. They obviously couldn’t come to financial agreement and that’s why they’re not there. Unfortunate, for the fans’ sake. Paul and Gene should respect the characters of Ace and Peter. And Ace and Peter should respect that should respect that it was business decision for their departure and any financial l loss from it is on them. Maybe Ace is happy playing solo regardless of the money. Maybe brings back bad memories. They could all cave a little for old times sake, Gene and Paul could give up some percentage and Ace and Peter could be satisfied with less than equal split. It would be nice for the real farewell tour to include them.
I’ve been done with KISS since after I saw them on the 1996 reunion. It was a great show. It brought back memories of when I was a kid and I loved it. Now I don’t have a shred of respect for Gene. He turned from being a relatively free thinking, intelligent defender of rock to a sheep. A sheep that believes all the bullshit about the vaccine and the masks. Fuck off Gene.
So many issues with Paul and Gene..
1) Ace has written more great solo material with Anomaly and Space Invader since leaving KISS after the Farewell Tour than Gene and Paul did with Sonic Fart and Monstrous. His writing far exceeds theirs. They hide behind the makeup and the KISS name while Ace goes about his business and out-writes them.
2) They make inaccurate claims that Ace couldn’t play well on the three re-masking tours from 1997 – 2002. I saw them a dozen times with Ace, and I’ve seen a dozen more shows online and on KISSstory, that I know they are liars. Ace plays rhythm and lead in KISS and his guitar is way louder than Paul’s, so I know what I’m talking about. I don’t care if Tommy Thayer had to “remind” Ace how he played a couple of old solos. Ace freely admitted (get the pun?) that he either hadn’t played the solos in years or had reinvented them through his solo career days. Direct quote from Ace – “it was I either I go back to the records and learn them or spend half the time listening to Tommy say ‘you had this little fill in between measures herebonbthe record.’ We had a tour to get on the road so I opted to use Tommy.” Sounds fine to me, and not a hint of immodesty.
3) Gene and Paul rip off the fans over and over but say the fans are their bosses. Dynasty and Unmasked – fake drummer on album used Peter Criss’ picture to deceive us. No mention of Anton Fig. Creatures of the Night – Ace’s picture on the record, note a note on the vinyl. Psycho Circus – up to their old tricks again deceiving and screwing the fans. Ace proved with the Worldwide Reunion Tour he could still play live, and he proved with Into the Void and Anomaly he was still a much better, as he had a complete album of strong tracks. Gene had 3 good songs on Psycho Circus, but Within was the only one that rocked enough to play onstage. Paul had the title track that was stage worthy. Ace got one song in that kicked ass, and he demonstrated his willingness to be a team player by recording guitars and singing In Your Face, a Gene penned song about Ace that was better than 85% of Psycho Circus, but was left off as a B side.
4) Ace never missed a show and never played a bad one that I’ve heard after the ’97 Reunion, and like I said, I saw them a LOT. They were all great shows, and it matters not that Peter played to a metronome and had electronic drum enhancement – they still sounded great (except Gene, whose voice sounded 20 years older).
5) This is the worst of them all. Instead of HELP the young Ace and Peter with their addiction issues, they cut them loose. That’s not how you treat friends, and they were friends in the beginning. Gene and Paul are deplorable greedy human beings who owe this fan a lot of money for false advertising.
Leave it to a Kiss fan to not even be able to stay on topic and dissolve into yet another mask rant. What a dumbass – if you’re older than sixteen and have a bunch of Kiss stuff, please don’t wear a mask. You’re too stupid to contribute to society, and I wish they’d outlaw masks just long enough for you to choke on a tube in the ICU. The world will be a little better the second you rae gone.
I have never liked Eric and Tommy wearing Ace and Peter’s makeup. It is very disrespectful, a slap in the face. Gene looks at the Spaceman, Catman as cartoon characters like Batman or Superman. He thinks you can put anybody in the suit and makeup and they are the character. Tha’T’s BS!! They are people. People who created that makeup design an those costumes in they’re own image. They invented the character, they were the character. Those two people are those character’s, Ace and Peter, nobody else. Gene and Paul, mostly Gene, have used the images that Ace and Peter created to make hundreds of millions of dollars. Gene is greedy and has zero moral compass when it comes to money. I will forever love Kiss, but I will never be ok with how he has disrespected Ace and Peter.
Gene and Paul are always gonna bash Ace and Peter. So they had problems Gene has a sex and Greed problem and Paul thinks he’s a God. Just grow the fuck up and get over it this is probably the last time they can get together you aren’t going to live forever and you will lose some of your craft as you get older. Kiss ain’t Kisswitjout Peter and Ace those 2 hired guns are nothing compared to Peter and Ace.
Kiss would remain together if Gene Simmons and Paul Stanley when they’ve been so selfish yes try letting them only make a small fraction of their salaries and see how they would react I think they would need to realized that yes that sounds good on paper but it doesn’t work well when you’re Peter Criss and Ace Frehley, Ace is a way better guitar player than Stanley
I saw Ace with Alice Cooper he shredded that Les Paul and he looked great.If Gene and paul would come off their high horse and get Ace and Peter back then all would be forgiven .Until then i wouldnt take even free tickets on the front row.
Kiss has always been a joke to me. 5% artistic vision/95% marketing force. Just the fact that the pieces are replaceable speaks more to the monetary value of the Kiss name than to the value of their music. They created a fake atmosphere whereas their fans believe they are apart of something special,”The Kids Army”. But the truth is this was a well oiled money making machine. In the history of rock and roll, Kiss is only an afterthought. Had Kiss never painted their faces, there would have been zero musical successes. They are smoke and mirrors, a con job. Very Trumpian before Trump.
I’m an old Kiss fan. Really love them. Ace is my favorite. Funny thing is, Ace’s makeup is only suited for his face and his face alone! Tommy doesn’t have the same bone structure and it makes the silver eye bursts looked scrunched and ridiculous looking! Like an old lady trying to wear shit that don’t fit her! Haha….But, for those saying the new guys should have their own makeup, I dunno…Who’s gonna wear the Auhnk? That didn’t turn out too well, did it? Anyway, LONG LIVE ACE! And his smoking Les Paul ⚡
Peter cant drum full time and Ace is never gonna put the paint back on, Paul can no longer sustain his vocal high notes. Everyone on here is boo whoing and bringing politics into the posts. The original lineup write/record the best music but its all about the live show. They are entertainers above all.
Theres Only One Kizz! Gene Peter Paul and Ace! Period End Of Story!!