KISS And Tell: Gene Simmons And Paul Stanley Slam Former Bandmates In Bitter Feud
Sept. 21 2013, Published 11:45 a.m. ET
KISS founders Gene Simmons and Paul Stanley aren't going to "Rock 'n Roll all Nite" with former bandmates Ace Frehley and Peter Criss--because they're locked in a bitter feud!
Simmons and Stanley, who have collaborated on the memoir Nothin' To Lose, an oral history of the band, charged to FOX411 that original KISS members Criss and Frehley misled fans in their own memoirs.
Simmons said, "Ace took me to lunch before his book came out and he read me a chapter about how he almost drowned in a pool and I saved him by diving in and pulling him out. He asked if it was accurate. I said, '95 percent of it was accurate, except it wasn't you; it was Peter Criss who was drowning. You've been a f**king drug addict all of your life.' "
The rock star famed for his long tongue also told FOX411, "Both Peter and Ace were at one point pure, innocent, believed all for one, one for all, and then they succumbed to the clichés of rock. So neither Ace nor Peter were fully conscious when any of those things happened. It's up to you if you want to believe them. We wish them the best, but those books, to my estimation, they're closer to fiction."
And Stanley said, "From what I've seen of those books, they clearly still see themselves as victims, and when you can't take responsibility for your situation, you blame others."
According to Stanley, Criss and Frehley are unsuccessful--and jealous! "The proof is what they have done outside of the band and it amounts to a big zero. I would say nothing if they had not said something first. I certainly wish them well and you can't help but believe that they're incredibly envious of the success we've had without them, which was part of the problem in the first place," Stanley said.
Simmons and Stanley are continuing KISS with new members Eric Singer and Tommy Thayer.