It's safe to say that Daisy Jones & the Six has effectively reminded everyone about the dramatic gravitas of band beef. Even real-life bands are taking cues!
As KISS finally approach the end of their retirement tour (although there's always the chance they'll be back as four "deserving" 20-year-olds), Paul Stanley has another ticking clock to contend with: former guitarist Ace Frehley has threatened to spill some secrets if the frontman doesn't apologize for some comments he recently made on The Howard Stern Show.
When the band stopped by the show earlier this month, they were asked why Stanley and Gene Simmons had chosen not to perform at their Rock and Roll Hall of Fame induction ceremony way back in 2014.
According to Stanley, producers "were demanding, quite honestly, that we play with the two original guys, Peter [Criss] and Ace [Frehley]," since the organization insisted that only the band's original lineup be inducted. Frehley and Criss both left KISS in the mid-'80s and haven't been involved with the band since the early aughts.
"And at this point, that would be demeaning to the band and would also give some people confusion," Stanley went on. "'Cause if you saw people on stage who looked like KISS but sounded like that, maybe we should be called PISS."
Frehley was not happy with him. In an interview with SiriusXM's Trunk Nation with Eddie Trunk on Wednesday (March 29), the musician gave Stanley an ultimatum: apologize within seven days or else he'll "tell some dirt that nobody knows about Paul and Gene."
"You know what it is? It's Paul's frustration and insecurity that he has to use backing tapes," Frehley said. "And we're only six months apart, and I can still get up there and belt it out and hit the keys, and he can't. And it's very unfortunate."
The former guitarist continued to explain his disappointment in Stanley using backing tracks on tour, accusing him of "cheapening the brand" — which affects Frehley's bottom line because he still gets paid from KISS merchandising. Frehley said that the band has been talking shit ever since he quit, but argued that the reunion tour he participated in "was one of the most successful tours KISS ever did."
Read Frehley's statement to Stanley below, as transcribed by Blabbermouth.
Paul, if you're not listening, I'm sure one of your associates in the KISS group are. 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.
You've read my book. You've read Paul's book. You've read Peter's book. A lot of times those guys are just throwing people under the bus. I mean, in Paul's book, he even threw Gene under the bus. What I tried to do was have a fun, entertaining book with interesting stories, and this is the way I am. I'm not the kind of guy who kisses and tells. 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 to The New York Times, Rolling Stone, API [sic], everybody. So they can't intimidate me with 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.
As KISS finally approach the end of their retirement tour (although there's always the chance they'll be back as four "deserving" 20-year-olds), Paul Stanley has another ticking clock to contend with: former guitarist Ace Frehley has threatened to spill some secrets if the frontman doesn't apologize for some comments he recently made on The Howard Stern Show.
When the band stopped by the show earlier this month, they were asked why Stanley and Gene Simmons had chosen not to perform at their Rock and Roll Hall of Fame induction ceremony way back in 2014.
According to Stanley, producers "were demanding, quite honestly, that we play with the two original guys, Peter [Criss] and Ace [Frehley]," since the organization insisted that only the band's original lineup be inducted. Frehley and Criss both left KISS in the mid-'80s and haven't been involved with the band since the early aughts.
"And at this point, that would be demeaning to the band and would also give some people confusion," Stanley went on. "'Cause if you saw people on stage who looked like KISS but sounded like that, maybe we should be called PISS."
Frehley was not happy with him. In an interview with SiriusXM's Trunk Nation with Eddie Trunk on Wednesday (March 29), the musician gave Stanley an ultimatum: apologize within seven days or else he'll "tell some dirt that nobody knows about Paul and Gene."
"You know what it is? It's Paul's frustration and insecurity that he has to use backing tapes," Frehley said. "And we're only six months apart, and I can still get up there and belt it out and hit the keys, and he can't. And it's very unfortunate."
The former guitarist continued to explain his disappointment in Stanley using backing tracks on tour, accusing him of "cheapening the brand" — which affects Frehley's bottom line because he still gets paid from KISS merchandising. Frehley said that the band has been talking shit ever since he quit, but argued that the reunion tour he participated in "was one of the most successful tours KISS ever did."
Read Frehley's statement to Stanley below, as transcribed by Blabbermouth.
Paul, if you're not listening, I'm sure one of your associates in the KISS group are. 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.
You've read my book. You've read Paul's book. You've read Peter's book. A lot of times those guys are just throwing people under the bus. I mean, in Paul's book, he even threw Gene under the bus. What I tried to do was have a fun, entertaining book with interesting stories, and this is the way I am. I'm not the kind of guy who kisses and tells. 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 to The New York Times, Rolling Stone, API [sic], everybody. So they can't intimidate me with 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.