Paul talks them not mentioning any past members at final show

[HueyRamone]

“To be somewhat diplomatic, there were people who made unrealistic demands of what they required,” Paul said “And it’s not about that. It wasn’t, for example, a thelebration of the beginning of the band; it was a thelebration of 50 years of a band, as opposed to a tribute to the start."

When Jericho asked about the absence of any mention of former KISS members like Eric Carr, Bruce Kulick, and Mark St. John, Stanley responded:

"What are you gonna do? I think the best way to honor everyone is to be the best we can be. What are we gonna have — videos up on the screen or draped photos? The fact that we were there, we were there because of everybody who participated, some more than others, but the tribute to everyone is us existing.”

https://metaladdicts.com/paul-stanley-s ... inal-show/

[DonJuanDeMarco]

I should’ve been there. Not sure why but I just wasn’t feeling it. I’ve seen the band a few times and it’s literally the same exact show every time. Still…I was expecting SOMETHING different.

Judging by the YouTube clips, there were no tears. No big speech. Nothing. Well, the avatar preview but that was as unemotional as it gets.

[ijwthstd]

I should’ve been there. Not sure why but I just wasn’t feeling it. I’ve seen the band a few times and it’s literally the same exact show every time. Still…I was expecting SOMETHING different.

Judging by the YouTube clips, there were no tears. No big speech. Nothing. Well, the avatar preview but that was as unemotional as it gets.

You could tell they were in a hurry to get it over with and were ending the tour years behind schedule.

The last Ramones show even with the guests was pretty underwhelming too.

[TravisBicklesMohawk]

"What are you gonna do? I think the best way to honor everyone is to be the best we can be. What are we gonna have — videos up on the screen or draped photos? The fact that we were there, we were there because of everybody who participated, some more than others, but the tribute to everyone is us existing.”

The fuck?

[HueyRamone]

I should’ve been there. Not sure why but I just wasn’t feeling it. I’ve seen the band a few times and it’s literally the same exact show every time. Still…I was expecting SOMETHING different.

Judging by the YouTube clips, there were no tears. No big speech. Nothing. Well, the avatar preview but that was as unemotional as it gets.

You could tell they were in a hurry to get it over with and were ending the tour years behind schedule.

The last Ramones show even with the guests was pretty underwhelming too.

The last Ramones show was the only Ramones show I saw, so the guests at least made it kinda special. I enjoyed the people in the crowd flipping Eddie Vedder off as well.


Pauls explanation is "What, how could we have tributed everyone, on those screens we have? Why? Isnt highlighting me and my performance the best tribute to KISS we could have?"

[Anthrax442]

Pauls explanation is "What, how could we have tributed everyone, on those screens we have? Why? Isnt highlighting me and my performance the best tribute to KISS we could have?"

When W.A.S.P. did the 40th Anniversary tour a few years back, this is EXACTLY what they did, they ran a video at the end with pictures of everyone that had ever been in the band, including people that he might not have been on the best terms with, like Chris Holmes and Tony Richards.

Was nice to see, especially since Frankie Banali had just passed.

The point is, if BLACKIE is being less of an asshole than you, you know you've fucked up.

[LitaStrauss]

Paul also said this about The Rolling Stones in that podcast with Jericho:

Regarding how he feels about KISS's legacy, especially in light of the fact that bands like THE ROLLING STONES are still continuing to play and record music, Paul said: "I think the legacy is only gonna grow. I think it's only gonna get bigger. THE STONES are an interesting one. At some point, what's it gonna be? THE STONE? 'I'm gonna see THE ROLLING STONE.' They have survived more decades than us, certainly, and are an institution. People go to see them because it's THE STONES. So, I think that over time we'll only get bigger because you become more powerful the longer you exist."

Paul added: "When we were doing the 'End Of The Road' tour, I think we became almost superheroes because we were timeless and we didn't change that greatly. People would come to see us and go, 'Wow, they look like they did 40 years ago.' You didn't get that close to us. But, yeah, I think KISS is timeless and that KISS will just transcend everything it's been."

He's really delusional. There's also more classic Rolling Stones members right now than there were Kiss. Mick, Keith, and Ronnie. Also, the last Rolling Stones record Hackney Diamonds blew away anything Kiss has done in decades.

[EzyRider]

Lisp text translator
https://lingojam.com/Lisptexttranslator

"What are you gonna do? I think the betht way to honor everyone ith to be the betht we can be. What are we gonna have — videoth up on the thcreen or draped phototh? The fact that we were there, we were there becauthe of everybody who partithipated, thome more than otherth, but the tribute to everyone ith uth ecthithting."

[Jason Jennifer Leigh]

Bunch of non answer BS.

KISS is dead and SOLD … go away.

Bruce wasn’t even invited to watch the show.

[Velvis]

I should’ve been there. Not sure why but I just wasn’t feeling it. I’ve seen the band a few times and it’s literally the same exact show every time. Still…I was expecting SOMETHING different.

Judging by the YouTube clips, there were no tears. No big speech. Nothing. Well, the avatar preview but that was as unemotional as it gets.

I was there. Gene was a little emotional at one point and Paul made a small speech of dreaming of playing at MSG and telling someone in his cab that one day he was going to play there and making his and Gene's parent(s) proud and something to the effect of that all anyone wants to do is to make your parents proud. It was quick and to the point.

Like the thousands of KISS shows before it, it was about the "show" and was performed the same way as always.
It really shouldn't be surprising KISS went out like they did. They have never been a "touchy feely" kind of a band when it came to their performances.

[Zinny]

Why on earth are Gene & Paul still doing interviews!?

Paul has had plenty of time to figure out an answer to why they didn’t thank and/or show past member in any shape or form, and this is the answer he gives!?
What’s wrong with showing past members on the screens during songs they actually played on or a montage during the last concert?

I truly believe and hope the avatars never become reality. Just look how far the AI technology has developed during the few months since they announced the avatars.
You can do whatever you want with your computer at home with AI today, and it’s getting better each day.

Please let Paul’s 80’s stage raps about his love gun or clips from the ”Exposed” home vide become viral for all to see what this sophisticated, fine wine drinking, art loving soul musician really is like!

[Wednesday 13 Fan]

If they acknowledged all of the ones that were in the band, people would be whining about that, and/or saying, "Eh, they just did that for the attention..."

So what the hell is the difference?

[Fat_Elvis]

They fucked it up plain & simple. I was at the last show and the general concencus from fans (that I talked to) after was they really fucked that up. Doing absolutely nothing to make "the last show ever" any different than every other show on that tour. For a band that always goes on about "we hear and we obey," Paul doesn't listen.

[Tyketto Meniketti]

They really blew it. Imagine if they took a little time off then did a final show with all their 'fan' bands/friends.

They could've had Morello organize something cool with all kinds of tributes. Maybe even a two-night deal. One with just Kiss playing, the next with tributes galore playing along.

From Morello to Skids to Garth, et al, it could've been massive like the Izzy/Sabbath upcoming gig.

Blew it in a major way. But I guess they could still do it, in a tacky sort of way.

[LitaStrauss]

They phoned in that entire farewell tour and just wanted to get it over. The passion for it was long gone and it showed.

Metallica did two 40th anniversary shows in 2021 that felt way more special than the last Kiss show. They showed old videos with Mustaine and all sorts of things. And that was free on YouTube. Kiss just completely shit the bed.

[ParaDime77]

They phoned in that entire farewell tour and just wanted to get it over. The passion for it was long gone and it showed.

Metallica did two 40th anniversary shows in 2021 that felt way more special than the last Kiss show. They showed old videos with Mustaine and all sorts of things. And that was free on YouTube. Kiss just completely shit the bed.

KISS made a race for the exit the same way Bon Jovi did on their bizarre Eastern Europe tour that had Jon trying to sing. The critics and ex fans dismay was too much for the bands PR to keep up with. The show was officially over for both bands.

[ParaDime77]

They phoned in that entire farewell tour and just wanted to get it over. The passion for it was long gone and it showed.

Metallica did two 40th anniversary shows in 2021 that felt way more special than the last Kiss show. They showed old videos with Mustaine and all sorts of things. And that was free on YouTube. Kiss just completely shit the bed.

KISS made a race for the exit the same way Bon Jovi did on their bizarre Eastern Europe tour that had Jon trying to sing. The critics and ex fans dismay was too much for the bands PR to keep up with. The show was officially over for both bands.

[Anthrax442]

They phoned in that entire farewell tour and just wanted to get it over. The passion for it was long gone and it showed.

Metallica did two 40th anniversary shows in 2021 that felt way more special than the last Kiss show. They showed old videos with Mustaine and all sorts of things. And that was free on YouTube. Kiss just completely shit the bed.

KISS made a race for the exit the same way Bon Jovi did on their bizarre Eastern Europe tour that had Jon trying to sing. The critics and ex fans dismay was too much for the bands PR to keep up with. The show was officially over for both bands.

Technically, Bon Jovi did try touring one more time in the US after that in 2022, but that was even worse, because those were the shows where everyone was thinking he'd had a stroke.

It'll be three years since they've played a "real" show in April. What are the odds they never attempt a full, electric set again? 50/50? 70 no/30 yes?

At least KISS still put on a great show that last tour, even if Paul's vocals were piped in.

[Anthrax442]

At least KISS still put on a great show that last tour, even if Paul's vocals were piped in.

What was great about it? Impressive set and pyro aside. And that’s a set and pyro, that’s not a show.

They came down at the start of the show playing DRC, ok they started doing that in 2000 and, a few different songs aside, largely did it every tour for two decades.

Gene did the lame blood schtick which was boring again by 1998, let alone 2023.

Gene didn’t even do the flying anymore, he just went up on the same sort of platform that he came down on at the start of the show. (And he mimed God of Thunder for some reason)

Thayer did Ace’s rocket schtick from 1996 but they added a clipart looking UFO that he aimed the last sparkler at. Big fucking deal.

Drums went up for Black Diamond, same as every makeup tour since 1974 (except COTN).

Oh there was a fake piano that Eric Singer pretended to play when he sang Beth, that was new.

What else? How was it a great show?

Same boring songs they’d done into the ground since 2004. Not a single rare song or a medley or anything that required any effort.

Gene barely moved. Most of the show he stood by the mic stand panting and squinting from the sweat and wig glue dripping into his eyes.

Paul completely overdoing it with that stupid “rock and roll preacher” schtick that he started in 2000 and didn’t even do in the 70s but I’m sure he thinks he did.

How was it a great show?

I swear, you might be the biggest grump on the board. Yes, it was all stuff people had seen before. However, I had only seen KISS once before, on the Psycho Circus tour, so a lot of the theatrics were things I hadn't seen a million times.

There were tons of pyro, Paul's flyout to the second stage, lighting arrangements that I had NEVER seen before at any show, the moving platforms that swung out over the crowd, and the most confetti I'd ever seen in my life, plus everyone that was there had a great time and were buzzing out the exits.

I think the only thing that fell flat was the Hologram announcement at the end while GGRRTY was playing, people didn't know what to make of it.

If you were some huge KISS nerd and was expecting some specific songs in the set (which I thought was a decent mix of hits), then maybe I could see being let down, but considering it was dudes in their 70s instead of the 1970s, it was more than acceptable.

[Wiseacre]

Thanks for mentioning Paul’s fly-out to the audience, I had forgotten that, thanks for bringing it to my attention.

He’d done that same fucking lame thing at every show since 1997!! Was added for the Lost Cities Leg of the reunion tour, it wasn’t in the 1996 shows. Every single fucking show since 1997 he’s done that, plus with the lame schtick of “you gotta invite me”, as if they’d set it up and he wouldn’t do it. They even did it at Dubai which made no sense as there was no audience. wtf?

Why couldn’t they think of anything new? 90% of their show for the last 25 years was stuff Bill Aucoin, Sean Delaney and Neal Bogart thought up for them to do in 1974-1979.

Happy to be the biggest grump on the board when it’s about those guys lying about “all new show, rare songs” every single tour and going out doing almost exactly the same shit.

The swinging platforms Gene and Thayer used for RNRAN were new for EOTR, I will give you that. At the same time they were just a variation on the Black Diamond platforms they used in 96/97. Which themselves were a variation of the Love Gun ones pictured in the Alive2 gatefold. Modern tech had them going over the audience further, obviously.

Yeah, but did you read the part about ALL THAT CONFETTI?

EOTR was so lame. Fancy stage and lights and literally could have been anyone up there miming along to KISS songs at half speed. What a great “show”. They limped across the finish line. Pretty sad actually.

Granted it would have taken some effort, but this was my “fantasy” final KISS show (gotta read the video description). And of course I know it would never have happened this way.

KISS - "Black Diamond" (franKENstein Fantasy Final Show Remix)
https://youtu.be/tLExPfqv5MA

[DangerZone]

Paul’s heart beats 200 times a minute and he gets rushed to hospital if he has to go off script or do any rare songs. Doing All American Man in 2007 did it.

what happened in 2007?
Love that tune

[DangerZone]

They did a poll on KISSonline to pick a rare song to add to the setlist and there were half a dozen ones to vote for : Goin’ Blind, Flaming Youth etc, and All American Man won. They played it once or twice on the very small mini-tour they were doing and then Paul had his heart incident and got rushed to hospital and the other three guys did the show by themselves.

Also a theory that the medics rammed a tube down his throat and fucked his voice, because 2008 was the year it really became noticeable that he was losing it and by 2009 he sounded like dogshit.

dang

[risingfarce]

A five minute documentary featuring all members of the band should have been played at each concert right before KISS went on stage. Problem solved.

[risingfarce]

I should’ve been there. Not sure why but I just wasn’t feeling it. I’ve seen the band a few times and it’s literally the same exact show every time. Still…I was expecting SOMETHING different.

Judging by the YouTube clips, there were no tears. No big speech. Nothing. Well, the avatar preview but that was as unemotional as it gets.

I was there. Gene was a little emotional at one point and Paul made a small speech of dreaming of playing at MSG and telling someone in his cab that one day he was going to play there and making his and Gene's parent(s) proud and something to the effect of that all anyone wants to do is to make your parents proud. It was quick and to the point.

Like the thousands of KISS shows before it, it was about the "show" and was performed the same way as always.
It really shouldn't be surprising KISS went out like they did. They have never been a "touchy feely" kind of a band when it came to their performances.

I watched the pay per view. Gene and Tommy were emotional. Didn't see any reaction from Paul and Eric.

[Love_Industry]

Please let Paul’s 80’s stage raps about his love gun or clips from the ”Exposed” home vide become viral for all to see what this sophisticated, fine wine drinking, art loving soul musician really is like!

Paul may have been at home musically in the 80s, a lot more comfortable than in the 90s on Revenge and CoS, but on stage he had no idea what to do without the make-up and Starchild persona.

So he created another persona, this time not an extension of himself but a David Lee Roth / Vince Neil knockoff. Ripping off the two most popular frontmen in the genre worked, but it was far from "what he really is like". Paul doesn't even swear offstage to start with. And Gene talks a lot more about getting laid than Paul ever did. As DLR himself said "Maybe it's all bullsh!t but who cares, it's a cool rock and roll attitude anyway".....

[HueyRamone]

They did a poll on KISSonline to pick a rare song to add to the setlist and there were half a dozen ones to vote for : Goin’ Blind, Flaming Youth etc, and All American Man won. They played it once or twice on the very small mini-tour they were doing and then Paul had his heart incident and got rushed to hospital and the other three guys did the show by themselves.

Also a theory that the medics rammed a tube down his throat and fucked his voice, because 2008 was the year it really became noticeable that he was losing it and by 2009 he sounded like dogshit.

He actually bitched to the crowd before All American Man. Something like “here’s one we haven’t ever played. And after tonight…. May probably never play again”

So weird, motherfucker you wrote and had it lead off the new songs on Alive 2. Isn’t it a little more interesting to do that, than Strutter for the billionth time? Or are you that terrified that some of the crowd won’t know it and sing along… for one song?

[Danzig in the Dark]

Also a theory that the medics rammed a tube down his throat and fucked his voice, because 2008 was the year it really became noticeable that he was losing it and by 2009 he sounded like dogshit.

His throat tolerated it for 50 years.