Oh no, the drama never ends! 🤯 KISS bassist Gene Simmons is spilling all the tea about his former bandmates, and honestly, I’m exhausted just reading about it. In a recent interview with Michael Moynihan of The Moynihan Report, Simmons dove into the juicy details of his relationships with Ace Frehley and Peter Criss, and I’m over here sipping my coffee, thinking, “Can’t we all just get along?” ☕️
So, it turns out that Simmons claims the problems with Frehley and Criss were not about money, but rather about drugs and alcohol. Yeah, because that’s never a problem in the rock ‘n’ roll world 🙄. Simmons said, “It was not money based. It was drugs and alcohol, sadly. Not with Paul or myself. And we love them, and without Ace and Peter, we wouldn’t be here.” Aww, how sweet, Gene loves them, but also, let’s be real, they were a hot mess express 🚂.
The Ace Frehley Saga
Simmons reflected on Frehley’s decision to leave KISS three separate times and his eventual death, saying, “It’s so hard for the fans. It’s heartbreaking. Ace had a massive influence on guitar players — Dimebag Darrell [of PANTERA], Mike McCready of PEARL JAM, METALLICA, PEARL JAM, just everybody across the line. But not everybody’s designed in their DNA to run a marathon. Some people just, short race, and they can do well for that, but they can’t do it.” Yeah, because Ace Frehley was basically a rock god, but also, you know, a human being with flaws 💔.
Simmons also shared that Frehley told him he was leaving the band because he was afraid of killing himself if he went on tour again. Wow, that’s some heavy stuff, Gene 🤕. And then there’s the part where Simmons talks about how Frehley’s daughter was affected by his addiction and how it breaks their hearts. Okay, okay, I get it, Gene, you’re a sensitive guy with feelings 🤷♂️.
The Peter Criss Conundrum
Moving on to Peter Criss, Simmons said that when they’re together, it’s great, but when they’re apart, it’s tough. Ah, the classic “it’s complicated” relationship status 📊. Simmons also mentioned that Criss considers himself a victim and always says things like, “They ganged up on me, and look what they did to me.” Oh, poor Peter, always playing the victim card 🙄.
And, of course, Simmons had to bring up the fact that they bought out Criss’s ownership stake in KISS back in 1982, which means Criss doesn’t make much money from the band nowadays. Yeah, because that’s not a sore subject at all 💸. Simmons said, “All groups of people are a business. Money’s gotta come from someplace. Life is business. People don’t like that.” Wow, Gene, you’re like a regular philosopher-king 🤓.
In conclusion, the drama surrounding KISS is still alive and well, folks 🎸. But hey, at least we have Gene Simmons to spill all the tea and keep us entertained 🍵. So, go ahead and grab some popcorn, sit back, and enjoy the never-ending soap opera that is KISS 🍿.
Chord F. Discord, the Beethoven of Buffoonery, is a self-taught expert in music who once claimed he could “play the kazoo in four languages.”
Born in Crescendo, Indiana, Chord’s first brush with fame came when he accidentally entered a yodeling contest thinking it was a pie-eating competition—and won both categories.
Chord F. Discord: proving that laughter, much like a poorly tuned ukulele, is truly universal.
