Ultimate Classic Rock

Kiss manager Doc McGhee revealed that every surviving former member of the band has been approached about potentially taking part in the group’s last show.

The show is set to take place on July 17, 2021, in New York City, as the finale of the three-year End of the Road world tour, with 75 shows recently announced for next year.

The band’s surviving former members include founding lead guitarist Ace Frehley, original drummer Peter Criss, ’80s and ’90s lead guitarist Bruce Kulick and the band’s second lead guitarist, Vinnie Vincent. Deceased former members include Eric Carr, who drummed for the band between 1980 until his death in 1991, and Mark St. John, who played on 1984’s Animalize album.

“Ace and Peter will be and have been invited to come and play with us at anytime,” McGhee said during a question-and-answer session on the ninth Kiss Kruise. “Like I always say, people in New York would love to see Joe Namath still play football for the Jets. Unfortunately, he can’t. We want to include everybody that played with Kiss to celebrate the 45 years of Kiss.”

Name-checking Frehley, Criss and Vincent, he noted that “we’re still looking at what we’re going to do on the final show of Kiss … and, yes, they’ve all been talked to about it, so I can see us doing something. It’s very difficult, though, when people say, ‘Oh, you should bring Ace and Peter up.’ I mean, how do you do that when you have two Catmen and two Spacemen?’ So you say, ‘Okay, you don’t wear makeup, and you wear makeup.’ And then they go, ‘Well, that was my makeup.’ I don’t know.”

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Blabbermouth

Former KISS guitarist Vinnie Vincent says that he is open to the possibility of making an appearance during the band’s “End Of The Road” tour.

Vinnie joined KISS in 1982, replacing Ace Frehley. As the “Ankh Warrior,” he toured with the group in support of “Creatures Of The Night”, on which he played lead guitar on six songs prior to becoming an official member of the band.

Asked in a new interview with “Rock And Roll Experience With Mike Brunn” what he would say if he was approached to get up on stage with KISS during the band’s farewell tour, Vinnie said (hear audio below): “Well, it’s not something I’ve thought about lately. I think there was something that my lawyer had been in contact with them about a year ago. As far as I know, nothing came of it. And it wasn’t something I thought about — after that moment had passed, it wasn’t anything I thought about anymore.

“I don’t know what they’re doing. I don’t wanna assume anything — it’s not for me to second guess. It seems like they’ve got the band that they’re doing this with. I don’t know if they’re having past members play — I don’t know.”

After host Mike Brunn interjected that KISS has not yet played with any former members during the “End Of The Road” trek, Vinnie continued: “Well, that’s as far as my thoughts go with it. If this is something that they want to approach, all they’ve gotta do is give me a call, and we’ll take it from there.”

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