Original KISS members Ace Frehley (guitar) and Peter Criss (drums) reunited on stage for the first time in 13 years this past Wednesday night (October 23) during the all-star jam at the 30th-anniversary party for VH1 Classic "That Metal Show" co-host Eddie Trunk's radio show at the Hard Rock Café in New York City. Drummer Mike Portnoy (THE WINERY DOGS, DREAM THEATER) served as the musical director for the event, which featured additional performances by members of GUNS N' ROSES, ANTHRAX, ACCEPT, TNT, TWISTED SISTER and OVERKILL, among others.Frehley and Criss, along with several other members of the backing band including GNR's Ron "Bumblefoot" Thal and ANTHRAX's Scott Ian and Frank Bello played KISS' "Love Her All I Can" and "Rock and Roll All Nite". You can watch video of their appearance below (courtesy of Artisan News). Also available is footage of the "Rock and Roll All Nite" pre-show soundcheck.In a current issue of Rolling Stone, KISS bassist/vocalist Gene Simmons pulled no punches when talking about the disappointment he feels towards Criss and Frehley, but refused to take any of the blame the former drummer and guitarist along with millions of fans continue throw his way, declaring, "I am the bad guy. I won't stand for drunks and alcoholics who get up on stage and consider it their birthright. I consider it a privilege to get up there and arrive on time and be sober, and I'll be an asshole to anybody who thinks otherwise. You know who else is an asshole? Your teacher was an asshole. Your parents are assholes. Your drill sergeant was an asshole. Because they wouldn't let you get away with shit. Ace and Peter have had a lifetime of being losers. And not just with drugs and alcohol. They're losers because of wrong decisions. You sleep in the bed you make. How many chances in life do you get? They were in and out of the band three different times. Why should they get another chance?"According to The Pulse Of Radio, Simmons went on to say: "Anybody who gets angry at us are just small people with small dreams who never achieved anything and will always be angry. But they're mostly angry with themselves for being losers."Simmons and guitarist/vocalist Paul Stanley have chosen to have the rest of the current KISS lineup guitarist Tommy Thayer and longtime drummer Eric Singer dress up as Criss' and Frehley's respective "Spaceman" and "Catman" personas. The Pulse Of Radio asked Simmons what it feels like to turn around and see the spitting image of his former bandmates yet it's someone else. "Y'know, we still have a tug of the heart," he said. "It's like your drunken dysfunctional father who was a bum and you finally had to get rid of him but you still remember the beginning when he was a good dad. Ace and Peter are beloved, as they should be, for the beginning. For helping launch the band if you don't mind me saying so that changed the face of rock 'n roll, literally and figuratively speaking. But equally as important part of the beginning of KISS, it's also important to know that with them in the band today, KISS wouldn't be around."Artisan News report:
Rock And Roll All Nite" pre-show soundcheck footage:
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Rock And Roll All Nite" pre-show soundcheck footage:
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