- Paul Stanley: KISS 'Went Astray' By Creating New Character

[kisslolo]

- Paul Stanley: KISS 'Went Astray' By Creating New Characters For Non-Original Members

KISS frontman Paul Stanley has defended the band's decision to have current KISS members Tommy Thayer and Eric Singer dress up as Peter Criss' and Ace Frehley's respective "Spaceman" and "Catman" personas, explaining that the original four KISS characters "will continue" even after Stanley is no longer around.

During an appearance on "The Joe Rogan Experience", Stanley reiterated his belief that it was a mistake to try to introduce new characters in the band (in a short-lived Eighties incarnation of KISS, guitarist Vinnie Vincent was the Ankh Warrior, and the late drummer Eric Carr was the Fox). He said: "I think where we went astray is when we first replaced Peter and we decided we needed a new character. And the problem with that kind of stuff is that it started to become — interestingly, I think — disingenuous. It took an air of 'fake' in the sense that it became a menagerie. I mean, we had a Fox and an Egyptian Warrior. Next we would have the Turtle Boy and The Frog Man. So I think once we brought Ace and Peter back for the reunion tour, which I hoped would go on forever… In other words, I hoped that everybody would get back together, everybody would see the error in their ways and we would move forward and stay together forever. But when that wasn't to be, I thought, you know, we really built these four images. And, arguably, you can go anywhere in the world and people know who KISS is, regardless of whether they know who those people are. So to give up that because we found that those guys were no longer either capable or wanted to give it a hundred percent, well, then who loses out? The fans. So, no. Those images are the images that will continue when I'm not here either."

A few months ago, Stanley told Rolling Stone magazine that part of the reason the new characters in KISS didn't work is simply that "people didn't buy it. It lost its believability." He added: "We saw a decline that started gradually, but quickly we fell off the edge of the cliff. To go from doing multiple nights in an arena to, next tour, not being able to sell out a theater, is stark."

During an interview for VH1 Classic "That Metal Show" co-host Eddie Trunk's podcast, "Eddie Trunk Podcast", Frehley was asked what his "evaluation" is of Tommy "dressed as [Ace]" and "doing [Ace's] thing." He responded: "[Tommy is] not Ace Frehley by any stretch of the imagination, number one. Number two, what bothers me the most is that I know the new fans that KISS are getting don't know it. A lot of people that see Tommy up there think he's the original guy that created the makeup, that wrote great songs and wrote all those solos that he's performing, but he's not. He's just a guy up there copying me and trying to move like me and trying to sing like me and trying to play like me. And that's what bothers me the most. I mean, the real hardcore fans know. But the new fans, a lot of them don't know."

http://www.blabbermouth.net/news/paul-s ... l-members/

Paul tries to rewrite the history, poignant! Sir pizza is really a small ridiculous person!!!

[Genebaby]

Pull the other one Paul, besides the fact that Peter owned his makeup design at the time, it would have been totally fake to not create a new character for the new member, same for when Ace left.

Paul knows that Kiss today would not be anywhere as popular if Eric and Tommy had new personas, it's the recognisibility of the original four that sells.

Kiss have always found it hard to be successful when they stray from that formula. They'd be nothing now if they hadn't bought out Ace and Peter.

[shramiac]

Also the fact that Eric was as popular....arguably more popular than Peter, screams BS to this story.

But....I get what he's saying.

[VVWarrior82]

I get what he's saying, but I doubt the new characters contributed as much to the decline of the band as he implies here. Had more to do with Dynasty, Unmasked and Music From The Elder.

[poserboy71]

Paul is full of shit.

Most fans were unaware of Ace leaving during the COTN tour. Attendance was poor because Kiss' previous shitty releases.
Once people heard Vinnie play, he was accepted.

The proof is in Kiss' records without Vinnie. Please enjoy Cadillac Dreams and Nothing Can Keep Me From You.

[VVWarrior82]

I didn't really dig their makeup designs until I saw Vinnie's actually.

[heavystef]

Sonn after Eric Carr joined the band as the FOX, he became the most popular KISS member FOR THE FANS.

Paul seems to got amnesia...

[doublev2]

Well they never sold well with eric in make up but not to do with eric. Actually I think if they made new characters it would invigorate the band. They are badly in need of two incredible new talents to beat out the cobwebs.
Yes we all know fans will hate new characters. It would be like jar jar binks or ewoks but given a decade or two they will be cult favourites. I think kiss really should totally sell out and do an tv show audition for lead guitar and drums. They need to boot those guys. Vinnie would have been good guy to boot them actually with his recent record.

[PinkWiz]

Although I LOVED the Fox and Pharaoh, I can see the need to keep the same characters. It gets kinda silly thinking up a new character considering Kiss has had ten members.

[doublev2]

i really can not see how they would have gotten away with vinnie in ace make up in 1982. that could have been a bad situation. the only saving grace is not too many die hard ace fans existed back then and i doubt they showed up to creatures tour. As a side not i would have loved to hear one Ace song on Creatures. Big Eric Carr drums and a killer ace tune would have taken over the edge. I am not saying have him play on record just have maichael james jackson travel to Ace's studio with Eric Carr and pull some Ace magic out of a hat.

Back on the streets would have also been great. Would love to hear that song with the big drums. I feel the VVI drums are totally lost and a bit artificial sounding for me. Playing is awesone just the sound and mix.

[JimmyJames]

Maybe I'm alone on this one . . . my first KISS album was alive and the first album I ever purchased was Rock N Roll Over. Even though I was in elementary school, I get the whole "original" lineup/makeup thing. But to me, by far, the best musical version of KISS was with Eric and Vinnie. Eric's make-up was good, and I believe better than Peter's. I actually like Vinnie's the best of all of the band's characters.

KISS lost a lot given the change in musical style at the time (their hairband days were awkward for some band members - maybe the worst for gs), and over time, they just failed to release new songs that were strong. How many compilations can you have/buy? Best records since the original 3 were where there was collaboration with Vinnie. Probably their best look without makeup was Revenge. I think Bruce is a very good guitarist, but man, would have been great to have Vinnie back in there at the time. They are still in my top 3 bands, but I haven't purchased any of the new material . . . listened to on youtube and it really isn't all that great (IMO) . . . Didn't even attend their tour this summer . . . Paul's voice isn't as strong (which is unfortunate and I feel badly for him). Maybe next time they come around.

My two cents / my opinion . . . sorry for rambling on

Jimmy James.

[metatron]

Spot on Jimmy
Most of us feel the same way

[doublev2]

Yes agree. I liked the compilations like double platinum and killers and smashes thrashes hits but the newer conpilations I have no interest in.

[roustabout23]

I get where he is coming from. It is a very wordy way of saying:
We should have bought Peter and Ace out back in 1981, when they quit, but we didn't because we were very cash poor. So, we created new characters. Now, that Ace and Peter sold it to us, it makes perfect sense to keep using these iconic designs.

Kind of like when Coke made New Coke, and then went back to Coca Cola Classic. It flopped, so they switched back. I wonder sometimes, what KISS would be like... if Gene left... and was replaced... since he was barely there during the 80s movie era. Without the leaving of Ace and Peter, and the new people coming in... especially VInnie (1982-1992) is my favorite period for KISS on many levels.... they'd be a nostalgia act touring casinos, and state fairs...

[doublev2]

I used to drink coke 2