re: Ace Frehley having a good old fashioned meltdown on Facebook

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I have to admit that when I was a kid I idolized Gene Simmons. Now that I’ve been an adult for many years I’ve come to see him for what he really is....a self absorbed, greedy and morally bankrupt a-hole. That prick worships the almighty dollar and I would venture to say that he would gladly sell out his own mother to make a buck.

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I agree with this, but what really blows my mind is that when people decide to take out a loan and plunge themselves into debt to afford one of their meet and greet packages they generally claim that Gene was actually super friendly and down to Earth and that it was Paul who was more kind of distant and not very interested. I swear a lot of what we see of Gene in interviews, in front of the camera, etc. is all a character...nothing but a show to project how much of a rock star he is.

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here's a video floating around on YouTube of Gene having a 30-minute debate with Bob Lefsetz about the music and record business. For about the first 3-5 minutes, Gene seemed to be holding his own, but only until he'd exhausted all his usual recycled talking points...the next 25 minutes, Lefsetz exposed him as the buffoon he really is. The debate took place at the same time Gene was relaunching Simmons Records, and based on his answers in the debate, it's no surprise the company folded shortly after.

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Paul Stanley's latest book spends a lot of time blasting the other 3 original founders of KISS - including Simmons. I recall that Stanley almost explicitly states something along the lines of that Gene isn't a great businessman, his greatest sell has been convincing everyone that he is a great businessman.

It's sad. Love KISS. They're my favorite band, but damn it's sad to see them all basically hate each other and go after each other publicly - some of it deserved some of it not so much. Even sadder when you go watch all their stuff from like '73-75 before they hit it big and they were just 4 guys busting their arse to make it.

Worst part is one could have believed there had been a mending. Gene played with Ace live to promote Gene's Vault, Paul appeared on Ace's latest album and even appeared in a music video together, etc.

Met all four originals at different times. Gene and Peter couldn't have been more gracious. Paul and Ace not so much.

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we talking about Kiss

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KISS was the band that allowed me to learn what exactly a producer does in the studio. Bob Ezrin produced Destroyer, an album that sounds nothing like every other KISS record. It actually contained some decent songs and solos and lyrics. However, the rumor now is that there were several other players who worked on the record.

Ace is right. He's in great shape to play shows.

True, but the Stones and the Dead had the personnel to capture the sound of "Miss You" or "Shakedown Street" without studio manipulation. Whenever Kiss tries playing "I Was Made For Loving You" live tho, it sounds like four guys who never heard a groove in their lives, lol...

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the carnival act they've always been

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Ha! To my grade school self... they were awesome!

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live tho, it sounds like four guys who never heard a groove in their lives, lol...

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I can't even deny that.

2000 ManThis is fake right?

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Hotter Than Hell

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That and the debut album sound like they were recorded in a tin can. Horribly produced but the songs on both are very good

Ace was on another level. Fractured Mirror was just such an awesome composition. Paul and Gene stuck to the "lemme frick you" mindless drivel.

That was a pretty shitty guitar solo.

I remember my 12 yr. old self arguing with my brother trying to convince him that Ace was better than Eddie Van Halen when Eruption first came out. Now I know better.

Still love them though. Last time I was them was around 6 years ago when they co-headlined with Motley Crue. Enjoyed it just as much as when I saw them for the first time in 1979 at the Centroplex.

A friend goes on the KISS cruise every year and seems to really enjoy the interactions he has had with all the band members. He’s had all the originals sign his arms and he tattooed the signatures to make them permanent.