Gene Simmons Wishes He Had Been ‘More Hard’ on Frehley and Criss

Gene Simmons has mirrored upon the unique Kiss lineup, declaring he ought to have been “extra onerous” on Ace Frehley and Peter Criss.

Throughout a dialog with Backstage Move, Simmons was requested if there was something he’d change about his legendary profession. In response, the Kiss bassist was forthright.

“Properly, I am unhappy on reflection — you realize, hindsight’s 20/20 — I am unhappy that I wasn’t extra onerous on Ace [Frehley] and Peter [Criss], the 2 authentic guys who performed guitar and drums within the band,” Simmons defined, alluding to his former bandmates’ struggles with substance abuse.

Ace Frehley and Peter Criss ‘Ought to Have Been’ With Kiss

“Ace and Peter… have as a lot credit score for the start of the band as Paul [Stanley] and I do,” the bassist continued. “There is not any query it was that chemistry. They usually each had distinctive voices, distinctive personalities and all that. And they need to have been right here with us 50 or 55 years later and having fun with the fruits of their labor. However sadly, they are not.”

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Regardless of suggesting he would have preferred Frehley and Criss to have remained within the band, Simmons insisted their fallout was “their very own doing.”

“They have been out and in of the band three totally different occasions. They have been let go three totally different occasions due to the identical outdated factor,” he famous, as soon as once more alluding to medicine. “It isn’t even distinctive. Go to virtually each band and you will find individuals ingesting stuff greater than the bum on the road nook, besides they’re richer and so they can afford to ingest extra. It is unhappy.”

Frehley was out of Kiss for the final time in 2002, whereas Criss’ remaining run with the band resulted in 2004. The band’s remaining lineup featured Simmons and Stanley alongside drummer Eric Singer and guitarist Tommy Thayer.