Gene Simmons recently expressed regret over not taking a tougher stance on Ace Frehley and Peter Criss during their time in KISS, particularly regarding their substance abuse issues.
In an interview with Backstage Pass, Simmons reflected on his feelings, stating, “I’m sad in retrospect. You know, hindsight’s 20/20. I’m sad that I wasn’t more hard on Ace and Peter, the two original guys who played guitar and drums in the band.”
Despite his remorse, Simmons emphasized that Frehley and Criss ultimately bore responsibility for their departures from KISS. He pointed out that substance abuse problems were prevalent not only in KISS but in many bands, highlighting a broader issue in the music industry: “It’s not even unique. Go to almost every band and you’ll find people ingesting stuff more than the bum on the street corner, except they’re richer and they can afford to ingest more. It’s sad.”
Regarding KISS’s final tour, “End of the Road,” which concluded last year at Madison Square Garden, Frehley and Criss were notably absent. Simmons addressed their absence in an interview with USA Today before the farewell concert, expressing concerns about their past unprofessional behavior: “Ace and Peter had been in and out of band three times. We love and cherish them and they will always be part of the KISS family, but we’ve had many differences about unprofessional behavior.”
Simmons elaborated on why he believed Frehley and Criss didn’t fit with the band anymore: “And what do you do with Tommy and Eric who have been loyal and professional and never turned their back on the band? Now, I do know, KISS would not have happened without Ace and Peter. There’s no question of the chemistry. But I don’t think KISS would have survived with Ace and Peter. Not everyone has the DNA. It’s hard damn work to stick through it for 50 years.”
During their final shows, guitarist Tommy Thayer and drummer Eric Singer joined Simmons and Paul Stanley in the lineup. Thayer has been a member since replacing Frehley in 2002, while Singer became a permanent member a few years later.
