KISS Welcome Ace Frehley + Peter Criss to Join Farewell Tour
UPDATE: Ace Frehley has responded to these comments, calling out Gene Simmons for groping his wife at a recent event.
For KISS, their farewell tour is the "end of the road." That's what the tour bill says, and ever since their farewell run was announced there has been a question amongst fans of which KISS alumni might turn up at shows. During a recent chat with Guitar World (as transcribed by Ultimate Classic Rock), Paul Stanley and Gene Simmons get into that very discussion, talking about who might and might not be welcome.
The obvious first names to come up are original members Ace Frehley and Peter Criss. Simmons says that while the two onetime members will not be invited back on a permanent basis, the door is open for appearances. "Ace and Peter have gotten three chances," the bassist states. "They were in and out of the band — fired — three times. For drugs, alcohol, bad behavior, being unprofessional … they weren't carrying their load. ... So the short answer to your question is we'd love to have Ace and Peter join us here and there. And if they don't, it's not going to be because of us. But they're never going to be in KISS again."
He went on to add, "Three times is the charm; 'I promise I'll pull out' doesn't work. It's the boy who cried wolf: 'Oh, I've been straight for a million years.' Terrific! Have a good life! ... Would we welcome Ace or Peter to jump up onstage for a song or two? Of course. Could we depend on either Ace of Peter to do a full set night after night? Not on your fucking life."
Stanley added, "I'll say that this is a celebration of this band and its accomplishments and its history. So anybody who was shortsighted enough to think this should be a reunion is missing the point. That being said, I would love to see everybody at one point or another be onstage. And if that doesn't happen, it's their choice, not mine."
Addressing other past members, both spoke highly of Bruce Kulick, with Simmons stating, "We love Bruce. He was always professional and showed up on time. … So I can never say anything bad about Bruce." Stanley added, "Bruce is somebody who shouldn't be overlooked or underestimated as far as his role in the band."
Meanwhile, Vinnie Vincent may not be welcome. "Now Vinnie, that's one exception, and for so many reasons," Stanley said. "I would say that's not someone who I want to celebrate." Simmons added, "It's worth stating that Vinnie has sued the band and lost 14 times. I'm not here to cast any aspersions. He's a talented guy. That's why he was in the band. But would I depend on him to get up onstage and do anything? Never. … Can he come to the shows? Of course! Anybody can. But onstage? Never."
The KISS "End of the World" farewell tour, with Simmons, Stanley and longtime KISS members Tommy Thayer and Eric Singer, kicks off Jan. 31 at the Rogers Arena in Vancouver. See all of the scheduled dates and get tickets here.
KISS Albums Ranked