Gene Simmons has told Sweden’s Expressen newspaper that KISS will launch a three-year world tour in January 2019. Calling it the band’s “most spectacular tour ever,” the bassist/vocalist added that the trek will make stops on “all continents.”
Simmons‘s latest comments echo those made by his bandmate, Paul Stanley, who told CNBC‘s “Squawk Box” that KISS will embark on its “biggest tour” next year.
Rumors of KISS‘s final run of live shows gained strength several months ago following the news that the band was attempting to trademark the phrase “The End Of The Road.” An application from KISS was filed in February to the United States Patent and Trademark Office, which — should it be accepted — means that the band could use it in connection with “live performances by a musical band.” As it stands now, no official farewell tour has been announced.
As most fans remember, back in 2000 and 2001, KISS already performed a “Farewell Tour”. The trek, which was the last to feature drummer Peter Criss, played 142 shows over five legs, covering North America, Japan, and Australia.
In a recent interview with Australia’s News Corp, Simmons confirmed that he “had nothing to do” with KISS‘s attempt to trademark “The End Of The Road.”
“The god’s honest truth is that I’ve heard this before but I literally had never heard of it until somebody mentioned it and I had nothing to do with it,” he said. “So I might learn something, but I know nothing of it. I wouldn’t pull your leg, by the way.
“Kiss Catalog [the company that filed ‘The End Of The Road’ application] is one of our companies, that’s true — but we trademark all sorts of things. I own [the phrase] ‘Motion Pictures’ — I actually do.
“There’s always been talk, every tour, that this is the last time.
“Let me put it bluntly: One day we are going to stop and do the last show. I don’t know when that is… I still look stunning in real life,” he laughed.
“The band’s in great shape — Tommy [Thayer, guitar] and Eric [Singer, drums] are fantastic. Everybody finally seems happy with their lot in life.”