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Lyndsey Parker | Yahoo Entertainment

Casual KISS fans might be surprised to learn that Gene Simmons co-wrote two tracks on former KISS guitarist Ace Frehley’s new solo album, Spaceman (“Without You I’m Nothing” and “Your Wish Is My Command,” the latter of which also features Simmons’s bass playing), or that Simmons even gave the album its title. After all, Frehley’s squabbles with both Simmons and KISS’s other mainstay, Paul Stanley, have been well-documented over the years.

But Frehley tells Yahoo Entertainment that there’s “no bad blood” between him and his ex-bandmates — he recently performed with Simmons in Australia and as part of Simmons’s Vault Experience, and Stanley appeared on Frehley’s 2016 album, Origins Volume 1 — and this of course raises the question, will Frehley, who successfully reunited with Simmons, Stanley, and original drummer Peter Criss in 1996, take part in KISS’s just-announced big farewell tour?

“I knew you were gonna ask that,” Frehley chuckles. There’s a glint in his eye that suggests he’s not telling the whole story (at one point he asks exactly when this interview will run) but is revealing all he can offer right now. “OK, I have a pat answer, and it’s true: I haven’t been invited.” That doesn’t mean Frehley isn’t open to the idea, however. “For the right price,” he says, he would “absolutely” do it.

“The first year of that reunion tour, we grossed $215 million, and that was 20 years ago. So what would it be today, probably double that? Half a billion? I’m there,” he laughs.

As for whether Criss would also sign on, Frehley says he hasn’t talked to his old bandmate lately. “Most of the time when I want to talk to Peter, I have to talk to his wife. She’s like his manager, Gigi. She’s a nice lady, but I don’t even think Peter has his own cellphone, or if he does, I don’t have the number,” he shrugs. “When I do business with Paul and Gene, I call Paul and he picks up. He goes, ‘Ace Frehley, how you doing?’ Gene says the same thing. When I want to talk to Peter, or ask him a question, it’s Gigi I go through.” Frehley adds, “For the right price, I’m sure he’d do it. I mean, it’s tough to turn down a couple of million dollars.”

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Blabbermouth

During a “live conversation” at Hollywood’s Musicians Institute on September 25, former KISS guitarist Ace Frehley recalled filming the band’s 1978 Hanna Barbera-produced made-for-television movie “Kiss Meets The Phantom Of The Park” (alternately known as “Attack Of The Phantoms”).

“I remember it very well,” Frehley said.”I had a lot of fun. When we started shooting at [the Los Angeles-area amusement park] Magic Mountain, they closed the park at 6 o’clock, so I had the run of the park. I bought a moped and used to drive around all those asphalt trails between the rides. I crashed a few times, but luckily, I had that costume on with all the padding, and I didn’t get hurt.

“The whole experience for me was pretty good,” Frehley continued, “[but] there was one day that I really kind of lost it, and that was when I had a fight with a producer. What happened was, I was partying the night before, we had to get up at 7 o’clock [and] drive to Magic Mountain. Then we had to put our makeup on and costumes and stuff. I had the day’s shooting schedule, and I was supposed to start shooting at around 10:30, 11 o’clock. All of a sudden, somebody knocks on the door and they says, ‘Excuse me, Mr. Frehley. We’re going to be doing close-ups on Gene Simmons all morning, and we won’t need you until after lunch.’ That happened more than once, but the second time it happened, I just lost my [tempter]. I ran into the producer’s office [and said], ‘This shit’s not going to fly with me. You get your shit together. If you want me here at 9 o’clock in makeup, you better make sure you got your shooting schedule right,’ because nobody wants to sit around in that makeup and costume for 12 hours. I lost it — I jumped into my Mercedes and took off.”

Although his former bandmates have voiced their displeasure with the movie, Frehley doesn’t share their opinion. “Paul [Stanley] and Gene have gone on record that they hate the film,” he said. “I think it’s hysterical, and I think it’s campy and I think it’s a silly rock ‘n’ roll movie. I don’t think there’s anything wrong with it. They took the film so goddamn seriously that it just ruined it for them when they saw the final cut, because they expected ‘Gone With The Wind’.”

“Kiss Meets The Phantom Of The Park” originally aired on the American television network NBC on October 28, 1978. Filmed largely on location at the Magic Mountain theme park in Santa Clarita, California, the film finds the members of KISS — playing themselves — using their “superpowers” to battle an evil inventor.

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Jody Havenot

John Katsilometes | Las Vegas Review Journal

Paul Stanley knows a little about face paint. And the vocalist, co-founder and “Starchild” of legendary rock band Kiss has created a new character — for Criss Angel.

Stanley has presented Angel the original oil painting “Split/Face,” showing one side of the magician’s face in full makeup and the other clean. An accomplished painter, Stanley has been working on the piece for much of the year and delivered the work on Thursday.

“Split/Face” will be displayed at the new Criss Angel Theater at Planet Hollywood on Dec. 19, the first night of previews for the new”Mindfreak Live.” Stanley sells his paintings online, and as his website states, “One sees in Paul’s abstracts the influences of Kandinsky, Mondrian, Malevich, Paul Klee and Mark Rothko.”

Angel and Stanley are good friends. In August, Angel posted a video of Stanley as the rocker worked on the nearly finished “Split/Face.”

“Paul has been to my show, house, studio and has even seen what we are doing at my theater at Planet Hollywood,” Angel said in a text message Friday. “He loves this stuff. He also shot another attraction for my lobby that people will enjoy.”

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Mitch Lafon

Jody Havenot

Michael Brandvold

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Episode 301, September 25, 2018. Petey Mongelli the Spooky Empire promoter joins us to talk about booking and working with Vinnie Vincent at Spooky Empire last April. First thing Petey does is clear the air if Three Sides of the Coin strong armed our way into attending the event… guess what, we didn’t! We ask Petey if he would ever work with Vinnie ever again. Petey also talks about the upcoming Spooky Empire event in October featuring very special guest Peter Criss. Visit Spooky Empire at www.SpookyEmpire.com

Immusicmag.com

uring an appearance on “America’s Got Talent” season 13 finale earlier tonight (Wednesday, September 19), KISS confirmed that it will embark on its “farewell” tour, dubbed “The End Of The Road”, in 2019.

Said KISS frontman Paul Stanley: “This is gonna be our last tour. It will be the most explosive, biggest show we’ve ever done. People who love us, come see us. If you’ve never seen us, this is the time. This will be the show.”

Gene Simmons recently told Sweden’s Expressen newspaper that KISS‘s next tour will last three years. Calling it the band’s “most spectacular tour ever,” the bassist/vocalist added that the trek will make stops on “all continents.”

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 means that the band could use it in connection with “live performances by a musical band.”

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. Stanley later said that the 2000 tour was nothing more than an attempt by the group to “put KISS out of its misery” after years of ego clashes and disagreements over songwriting credits between the band’s original members.

“The ‘Farewell Tour’ was to get off the stage with our tails between our legs while we still had some self-respect left,” Simmons explained. “And it became very clear the fans didn’t want us to go.”

Simmons said in a 2017 interview that KISS had “a few more years” left before it would call it quits. He told Glasgow Live: “We’re the hardest-working band in show business. I wear over forty pounds of studs and armor and all that stuff, seven-inch platform heels, spit fire and have to fly through the air and do all that stuff.” He continued: “In hindsight, it would have been smarter to be a U2 or THE [ROLLING] STONES, to wear some sneakers and a t-shirt and you’re comfortable. No, we had to do it the hard way. Continue reading →

Rolling Stone

Kiss are kissing the road goodbye once again, but not before embarking on one more tour. The rockers announced their final trek after a 45-year career during their appearance on NBC’s America’s Got Talent on Wednesday.

The group performed their hit “Detroit Rock City” to launch AGT‘s season finale episode before announcing the news. “This is going to be our last tour,” they announced onstage. “It will be the most explosive, biggest show we’ve ever done. People who love us, come to see us. If you’ve never seen us, this is the time. This will be the show.” The band has not yet revealed tour dates, but they said in a statement that their final shows will be part of a multi-year ‘End of the Road’ world tour and that they’d announce updates on their official website in the coming weeks.

This isn’t the first time Kiss has called it quits. In 2000, Gene Simmons said, “There just aren’t any more mountains to climb. We want to go out in style with the people that put us here, the fans.” It did, however, turn out to be their final tour featuring all four original members – Simmons, Paul Stanley, Ace Frehley and Peter Criss.

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Nicekicks.com

Nice Kicks: When PUMA approached you about this collab, how did it first come about?

Paul Stanley: It’s really funny, it comes down to the chicken or the egg. In this case, I contacted PUMA. I said, ‘Hey, I’ve spent fifty years almost now, designing stages, album covers, clothes and shoes so I think I’ve got a pretty good idea of what we could do.’

I wanted to create a shoe that really had an identity that would help to define somebody’s style. I’m not big on fashion, I’m big on style. You either become a follower of fashion or you seek out your own style. People with style ultimately become fashion icons. I wanted a shoe that you could wear with jeans and a suit. I wanted it to be multi-purpose that could fit all different functions. I think the PUMA Suede is timeless and I just wanted to give my take on it. For the few weeks I’ve been wearing them around and the response has been positive in regards to both males and females saying they’re awesome. That’s awesome because I didn’t want a gender-specific shoe, I wanted something that conveyed an attitude.

“The thing that attracted me to PUMA is that you could have style and fashion without having to mortgage your house.” – Paul Stanley
What they’ve done with Rihanna, Selena, and The Weeknd is a different mindset than some of the other brands. Reaching out beyond athletes is a very smart thing to do. When I got in touch with PUMA they said, ‘What are your ideas?’ So, I literally sent them what became my PUMA Suedes and they said, ‘Yes indeed, let’s go!’

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Michael Brandvold

Jody Havenot

Gus Griesinger | Backstageaxxess.com

Gene Simmons has got his hands in everything from restaurants to record companies to now having a stake in a new partnership with John & Paul Janik of Rock Steady Sodas. The brothers company which is located in Niagara Falls, NY has partnered with Simmons to launch MoneyBag Sodas.  What a better way to get the word out than to have Simmons make an appearance (September 13) at the 7-Eleven on Hyde Park Boulevard in the Falls to promote the new line of sodas.  Simmons may have a lot of bravado, but when it comes to his fans and veterans, there a few (if any) who are better to show their sincere appreciation for both of them. Simmons and MoneyBag Soda teamed up with Veterans One Stop Center of WNY (WNY Veterans); for every person that came in and made a $20.00 donation,  they were given a 4 pack of MoneyBag Soda which Simmons autographed and posed for a photo with them. It was a great gesture by Simmons to not only get up close and personal with his fans, but to raise money for a cause that means so much to him; raising funds for veterans. The event ran beautifully. The Janik’s along with the staff at 7- Eleven put on an amazing event that about 400 people enjoyed. Everyone walked away with smiles on their faces and it was hard to tell who was having more fun, the fans or Simmons himself?

After the meet and greet was finished, BackstageAxxess were lucky enough to grab a short interview with the KISS legend. We of course focused the interview on both the MoneyBag Sodas along with his new book “27-The Legend and Mythology of the 27 Club,” which will be his first publication in a new series called “Simmons Books.” We also talked about his current solo band (Gene Simmons Band) which are getting rave reviews everywhere they play.  Lastly, we touched upon the news that KISS will be announcing a final tour that is slated for early next year. Let’s see what the Demon has to say…

Andrew Magnotta | iHeart.com

To be a fly on the wall during the next meeting between Gene Simmons and Paul Stanley would be … uncomfortable.

While Simmons and Stanley’s relationship has generally been characterized as that of “business partners” in KISS, it sure seems like a singer’s waning vocal cords would be off-limits for jokes — being that it affects his career.

Video posted to YouTube by fans who attended one of Simmons’ recent solo concerts in Australia, which featured Ace Frehley, shows the bassist calling “Bulls**t” on his fellow KISS co-founder before bringing some VIP fans on stage to sing “Rock and Roll All Nite.”

“We need some help though; we can’t sing the song by ourselves,” Simmons told the audience, before adding sarcastically. “‘Cause I’m 69 and I’ve lost my voice!”

What’s more, this wasn’t even the only time on this tour that Simmons called out Stanley — who, by the way, had surgery in 2011 to help fix “recurring vocal cord issues.”

“I’ll sing everything,” Simmons said in another video. “Because my voice always works! I don’t lose my voice. I don’t lose my voice…Paul Stanley.”

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Michael Brandvold

Episode 299, September 11, 2018. Jay Gilbert joins us to talk about photographing Ace Frehley for his new album Spaceman. Jay discusses getting the phone call to be the photographer, planning the photo session, in the studio with Ace, how the photos are a deliberate reference to Ace in 1978. Great stories!!

Jody Havenot

This week we finally do a show, and it’s a big one! We rank our top 20 Bruce Kulick solos, and also are joined by Ros Radley to talk about his book, and we also have the highlights of stuff we recorded in Nashville at the RocknPod Expo. Check it out!

Steve Baltin | Forbes

“I’m a big fan of not only diversity in my life, but urging other people to open those floodgates cause there’s so much out there,” Kiss frontman Paul Stanley says. That is very apparent as he sits down with me for the latest installment of Who I Am.

Taking us from discovering Beethoven, Elvis Presley, Pablo Picasso and the Beatles as a child to opening up about therapy and becoming a dad, Stanley goes into great detail about the artists and moments that made him the voice of one of the most successful rock outfits of all time.

He also explains the artists that made him an accomplished painter (Stanley will be doing gallery shows September 14 and 15 at Wentworth Gallery’s Washington DC locations, Westfield Montgomery Mall in Bethesda on September 14 and Tysons Galleria on September 15).

From growing up in New York at age five to rock stardom and family man, this is Paul Stanley Who I Am.

Beethoven’s “Piano Concerto 5” (Age 5)

I was absolutely god smacked. To know that music could have that kind of power, although I was so young, the music had such heroic qualities to it and mammoth chords. To this day it’s some of the heaviest and most glorious melodies ever. So that really was my introduction to the gravitas that music could have and how emotive it could be. So at the core of music for me is Beethoven. I was very fortunate, my mom was born in Berlin and my dad was first generation here from Poland. In Europe the arts over there are part of your life and everyday living, so I grew up in a household  where music, fine art, theater were all parts of the food groups. I would have been malnourished without them.

Elvis Presley and Eddie Cochran (Age 6)

Opening a door always leads to another door. I think that’s the beauty of life is that when we find something we like it will lead us to something else we like. So Elvis and Eddie Cochran led to Dion And The Belmonts, the Elegants and all the doo-wop, which led obviously to the Beatles. The songs that sang about teenage romance and this amazing fantasy life was something I aspired to early on. All I wanted to be when I was a little kid was a teenager because life sounded so romantic and so dramatic. I would say being introduced and exposed to some of the early rock became a path that I never left. While other kids were out playing cowboys and Indians I was watching American Bandstand and listening to Alan Freed.  I think in life the idea of diversity, whether it’s in food or music or art, is key. The more you ingest the more you can use as tools to create. Music has always been at my core, as has art.

Pablo Picasso (Age 6)

Seeing, as a child, Picasso’s art that certainly I didn’t understand and had trouble figuring out why someone would put two eyes on one side of the head or put the nose on the side. But the passion was what I understood. And art should be made from passion and elicit passion. So going from some of those more abstract Picasso pieces, with these incredible vibrant colors, I found my way to the “Blue Period,” which was eloquent and tranquil, or the “Rose Period.” And again it opened a door for me to Matisse and Foldism, where you’re not necessarily painting with colors that emulate a reality, but that elicit a feeling. So even up through Peter Max, as commercial as he may be, there are pieces of his that are just glorious in their color. And if there’s anything I’ve been inspired by it’s these artists and their fearless use and celebratory use of color. I find myself somewhere between them and being a punk impressionist. Where I am today is clearly based on all those influences. So I would say Picasso has been, from the beginning and to this day, a standard and inspiration. He described himself as an artist without a style. I’ll never be delusional to ever breathe that rarified air that he did, that idea of being free to express myself and travel through different styles is what I do and want to do. I’ve always believed in living my life without boundaries. And certainly not the ones other people set.

Franco Corelli At Metropolitan Opera House (Age 10)

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AMJM