PAUL STANLEY On Why The Original Lineup Of KISS Didn’t Perform At ROCK AND ROLL HALL OF FAME

KISS frontman Paul Stanley explains why he didn’t want the original KISS lineup to perform at their Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame Induction

Paul Stanley expressed his negative feelings toward the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame for not also inducting current KISS members Eric Singer (drums) and Tommy Thayer (guitar) along with the original lineup back in 2014 during yesterday’s appearance on “The Howard Stern Show“

“The hypocrisy is that we’re not a band they like,” Paul said. “They purposely kept us out for 15 years. And other bands that they embrace, they induct people’s moms and songwriters and all these people. And with us, it truly was unfair.”

When Paul was asked why KISS didn’t perform at the Rock Hall induction, Stanley said: “Because we had too much pride in this lineup, which is KISS, and has been KISS for 20 years. It’s not newcomers. This is the band. We’ll be back in the stadiums of South America next month. We were there five months ago. We were in Japan.

He added: “This is the band that has carried the flag and taken it, really, to another level. This is the band I always dreamed it would be, and for us to go onstage… They were demanding, quite honestly, that we play with the two original guys, Peter [Criss] and Ace [Frehley], and at this point, that would be demeaning to the band, and also would give some people confusion. ‘Cause if you saw people on stage who looked like KISS but sounded like that, maybe we should be called PISS.”

KISS bassist/vocalist Gene Simmons also commented, saying: “We’ve been all over the world, through decades, with this present lineup. It bears noting I’ve never seen a single banner or sign that mentions any other lineup. When Tommy takes a solo, ‘Tommy! Tommy!’ That’s me backstage going, ‘Tommy!’ When Eric takes a solo, ‘Eric! Eric!’ They’re pumping their fists. It’s legitimate. Nobody is in KISS and doing it by the numbers.”

After KISS‘s induction into the Rock Hall, Stanley tweeted about Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame co-founder and Rolling Stone editor Jann Wenner, stating: “Our treatment at the [Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame] confirmed my worst suspicions. Wenner and the rest are spineless weasels.”

Stanley added that the people behind the institution gave the members of KISS “no passes” or “schedule” for the evening. He added: “We were great and [Wenner] remains a small man.”

Gene would also voice his opinion of Rolling Stone on Twitter, mocking the magazine’s original critical review of LED ZEPPELIN’s first album, writing “Rolling Stone. Idiots then. Idiots now.”

Paul wrapped up his Hall Of Fame speech during the ceremony with: “The people, I believe, are speaking to the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame, and what they’re saying is, ‘We want more.’ They deserve more. They want to be a part of the induction. They want to be a part of the nomination. They don’t want to be spoon-fed by a handful of people. Choices. The people pay for tickets. The people buy albums. The people who nominate do not. Let’s not forget that these are the people that make it all possible. We just benefit from it.”

KISS will play their last-ever shows on December 1 and December 2 at Madison Square Garden in New York City. The dates for these shows were announced earlier today (Wednesday, March 1) during the interview with “The Howard Stern Show“.

KISS initially launched their “End Of The Road” farewell tour in January 2019 but were forced to put it on hold in 2020 due to the worldwide pandemic.