Black Diamond: Excerpts
Excerpt from Chapter Six, "Four of the Three Muskateers":
"Brief meetings in the 1980s"

Perhaps the biggest news in KISS fandom during this time-off was Gene and Paul's appearance during the encore of a Frehley's Comet concert at the Limelight in New York on June 26. Frehley's Comet was about to go on tour with Iron Maiden and had decided to do the show as a warm-up for the tour. In the audience that night was Gene and Paul, of whom fans quickly noted and cheered when they made a quick wave to the audience. Later, as the encore to the concert began, Ace had convinced the two former bandmates to join him on stage for one song. With Paul picking up one of Tod Howarth's guitars and Gene singing on vocals, Ace went up to the mike and announced, "We used to open with this one." The group cut into "Deuce" and drove the lucky fans assembled in the club crazy with anticipation of these former members getting back together again sometime in the near future.

Paul quickly dashed these hopes as reported in the fanzine KISS ALIVE. "Gene and I got up for an encore with Ace's band. That was great. What would be the point of a reunion? KISS is functioning fine as Gene, Eric, Bruce and myself. And has done so that last six years. Those who want a reunion are living in the past." While Gene and Paul continued to state these reasons, Peter also agreed when asked in 1988 as well. "I don't think there ever will be a reunion." Peter told KISS THIS! in 1988. "I really doubt it. Sad. I thought of that whole generation that missed us. Still today ten year olds come up to me for an autograph which is nice. Ten year olds! They weren't even around then! I would have been willing to put the makeup on one more time for them and go and do like say two-three months work of touring the major arenas. It would be great! It would be super! It would be totally awesome! It would be huge! We'd make a lot of money, we'd leave all the KISS fans loving us and all the old albums would sell, and I would do a live double album of it. We'd make a fortune! But now we're not even talking, with all this bullshit going down.

"They'd have to ask me personally. I'd want it with the four of us in a room . . .alone! The fucking door closed. No managers. No lawyers. No accountants. The four of us looking at one another and fucking deal with it as men. You got something to say to me, say it now and let's get it all over with. And get all that hate out and then shake hands on it!"

While this type of talk was continuing to come from the people involved, the next year would see plans go into the works of a reunion tour for 1989, and then 1990. A plan initiated by Gene and Paul.