Ace Frehley has threatened to release “dirt” on KISS if Paul Stanley doesn’t apologise for his recent comments regarding a reunion of the band’s original line-up.
The US group was formed by Stanley, singer and bassist Gene Simmons, guitarist Frehley and drummer Peter Criss in 1973. However, the latter two members left KISS in the ’80s, although both have performed with the band since.
KISS’ current line-up consists of Stanley, Simmons, guitarist Tommy Thayer, and drummer Eric Singer.
During a recent interview, Stanley was asked why the band had not performed at their Rock & Roll Hall Of Fame induction in 2014 – and if it was because Thayer and Singer were not included in the inductions.
“[…] We had too much pride in this lineup, which is KISS, and has been KISS for 20 years,” he explained. “It’s not newcomers. … 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.”
Stanley went on to say that the Rock Hall had been “demanding”, and wanted KISS to perform with Frehley and Criss. “At this point, that would be demeaning to the band, and also would give some people confusion,” he said.
“‘Cause if you saw people onstage who looked like KISS but sounded like that, maybe we should be called PISS.”
Frehley has now hit back at Stanley over his remarks, and demanded an apology while appearing on SiriusXM’s Trunk Nation with Eddie Trunk.
“Paul, if you’re not listening, I’m sure one of your associates in the KISS group are,” he said (via Blabbermouth). “And I’m telling you that I want my formal apology for what you said, and a retraction and an apology within seven days.
“And if I don’t get that within seven days, I’m coming back on Ed Trunk’s show and I’m gonna tell some dirt that nobody knows about Paul and Gene that I’ve always kept to myself because I’m the kind of guy who doesn’t talk about this. I like to talk about the positive stuff.”
Gene Simmons of KISS. CREDIT: Francesco Prandoni/Getty Images
Frehley continued: “When it comes to negativity, and we’ve all done things that we regret over the years – it’s there. I have a 120-page manuscript that I wrote after I finished my book. My attorney has it in a safety deposit box. God forbid anything happens to me.
“My attorney is instructed to release it… So they can’t intimidate me [by] trying to hurt me or say, ‘You’d better not say anything about me live on the radio’. Because then they’re totally screwed. Their careers will be ruined.”
KISS, meanwhile, have announced their final-ever run of live shows. The ‘End Of The Road’ farewell tour will head to the UK in June for six dates (buy tickets here), before wrapping up in North America later this year.
Although the band might be quitting touring, Simmons said in an interview last year that he expects the band to continue “in ways even I haven’t thought of”.
In other news, a KISS biopic is set to be released on Netflix next year.
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