Kiss 1976 – at that time still in the original line-up
Photo: Mark Sullivan, Mark Sullivan. All rights reserved.
Kiss bassist and entrepreneur Gene Simmons is said to have been speechless after his former bandmates Peter Criss and Ace Frehley turned down a final reunion concert. Simmons said this in an interview with the Italian broadcaster Radio Lombardi. The glam rock band is currently on their “End Of The Road” tour all over the world – but not with the original line-up.
Conflicting reports about possible Kiss reunion
Since the tour began, there have been conflicting reports as to whether founding members Criss (drums) and Frehley (lead guitar) would rejoin Kiss for another show. The manager of the band Doc McGhee claimed in 2021 that Frehley would definitely be part of the farewell tour. However, neither the guitarist nor the drummer returned to the stage. The two only performed together for one appearance at Creature Fest 2022, albeit without their ex-Kiss colleagues Gene Simmons and Paul Stanley. Frehley and Criss left Kiss in the early 2000s after ongoing arguments.
Simmons, on the other hand, regrets that many fans will probably never see the band in its original line-up again: “For the fans… those who have been with us for 50 years, [die] want to see Ace and Peter,” he explained in the radio interview. “The new fans haven’t even seen her, they don’t even know her. But the older ones, they wonder about Ace and Peter. “
Kiss on farewell tour
Speaking further, Simmons detailed his requests to Frehley and Criss: “I’ve asked both Ace and Peter a couple of times, ‘Would you like to come in for one last encore? Would you guys play a few more shows?’ And both canceled. So I don’t know what else to say about that.” However, the door for the ex-members known as “Spaceman” and “Catman” is not completely closed.
Kiss will not play any more concerts in Germany as part of their “End Of The Road” farewell tour. The tour had to be interrupted several times due to the corona pandemic, as first singer Paul Stanley and then Gene Simmons became infected with the virus. Stanley confirmed that this will truly be Kiss’ last tour, although the band may continue in a different form.
Listen to the full interview with Gene Simmons here: