Why is Ace being made the "goat" of the band??
By: Terri Bey

There has been quite a bit of discussion, or should I say bashing of KISS' original, or for this KISS fan of twenty two years, ONLY KISS guitarist, Ace Frehley, ever since he got on WNEW-FM and made his comments concerning the future of KISS. Lots of fans, online, and at expos that I have attended, have made several of the following complaints that I would like to address:

1) Ace is the blame for the band's current problems. (I will elaborate on how I got the title of my "sound off as well)

2) Ace is unreliable because he is not an "official member of the band" and because of his past "behavior".

3) Ace did it for publicity.

POINT #1

I would like to know how Ace all by himself is the problem. From what I have been observing lately, post reunion tour, the WHOLE KISS train is going off the track. We have a band that gave us an album that only has Ace playing on one or two tracks the most. We hear rumors that Ace and Peter have songs being turned down, left and right, which evidently turned out to be true. Ace said, not only on the radio, but in an online interview with prime choice.com that "Into the Void " was the only song accepted that he brought in. He had to fight to get THAT on there.

Of course, the PC tour was not as successful as the band expected. How this is all Ace's fault is strange since he is one fourth of the show. I saw them six times on this tour and the band kicked ass when I saw them. Yeah, Ace had a couple of nights when he messed up a couple of tunes but I am not as picky as LOTS OF FANS. Of course there was the over abundance of merchandising, which did not help the band.

Gene and Paul, as praised by Jason Houston in his "Sound Off", Gene/Paul Bashing are the ones that keep the band running right? They are in charge? SO , why is he so surprised that they are bashed? Aren't they culpable in what happens to KISS? It is like when the Boston Red Sox Manager left Bill Buckner in Game six of the 1986 World Series despite his bad knees (I believe Buckner had bad knees or something or other), and Mookie Wilson hit that ball down first base and it went right through Buckner's legs!! Of course, the Mets went on to win the game and the Series, making Buckner the "goat". Why is Ace being made the goat? Gene /Paul are the managers of the team. IF a baseball team is doing lousy, the MANAGER, or general manager is the one that gets the axe. Yeah they change a few players, but the managers are the ones that get the blame. Why? because they are just as culpable as the team for winning. That is my point.

POINT #2

Ok. It seems that Ace is seemingly, in the eyes of lots of KISS fans unreliable because he is either not a member of the band, or because of his past behaviour. I would like to tackle the first one: Well, hasn't Gene said things that were going to happen that didn't?? I remember when he said the 3-D tour was going to have a circus act for an opener instead of a band. He also said that during the show,there were going to be things under our seats, and over our heads ( Guitar World). I am sure, the whole band has said things that were going to happen, but did not.

Now, his "past behavior" which I guess will ALWAYS come up. I don't discuss it, because I am on the record as, "It is his demon, and he is the one that has to fight it and I love Ace despite of all his faults." However, there are fans that just will NOT let this one go. If they want to hold his past or whatever against him, I guess that is their conscience. My problem is that lots of fans take EVERY WORD these guys say and attempt to hold them to it!! It is not just Ace, but the whole band. Ace is ESPECIALLY held to this standard, though, and I wonder if the fans just like to torture themselves or they like to hold Ace to his word and wait to see if he screws up. What kills me is that, if they hear so much as a RUMOR, of him screwing up, they turn around and bash him. Some fans, if you ask me!!!

I have a serious problem with this, because in essence, why was what Ace saying so unbelievable? Was it because HE said it? I do not understand that logic at all. That is ridiculous!! Ace is in KISS, no??? I mean, he is a hired gun, but at this point he is in the band and should IMO be able to say something about the future of the band. To say that he is unreliable, because he is not Gene and Paul or because of his past or whatever is just shortsighted. It is like saying don't believe Greg Maddux when he gave an explanation on why his team lost to the NY Yankees in this year's World Series because Owner Ted Turner or Bobby Cox, the manager didn't say it.

POINT #3

If Ace had done it for publicity. I don't blame him a bit. Hell, if I had brought in six songs and had to fight to get one, and felt stifled in the band, yeah, I would do what Ace did also. If Ace did it for more money, more power to him. If that is what it takes to keep Ace in KISS and to keep what I feel is the real KISS together, so be it.

I must respond to Jason Houston's sound off, though. Ace did NOT start the rumors about the Farewell tour. Those rumors were WELL in circulation before Ace got on the radio. As for Gene's saying that he would replace Ace, Gene can do what he wants, but it will not be KISS. If there is no Ace in KISS, there is no KISS. It will be Gene and Paul with two sidemen. Gene could KEEP his band. I would have nothing to do with it.

Well, that is all I have to say, and I wish to thank KISS ASYLUM for allowing me to SOUND OFF and stand up for my favorite space man.

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