RAGE AGAINST THE MACHINE's Tom Morello inducted KISS into the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame earlier tonight (Thursday, April 10) at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn, New York. The guitarist told the crowd, "You can kiss my KISS-loving ass because KISS wasn't a critics' band. It's the people's band." He added: "Tonight proves beyond a shadow of a doubt that the high school bullies and critics were wrong. KISS fans were right. Impact, influence and awesomeness KISS have all three in spades." He concluded by saying: "Tonight, this isn't the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame. It's the Rock And Roll All Nite And Party Every Day Hall Of Fame."After that, the four members of the original KISS lineup took turns in addressing the crowd. Gene Simmons paid tribute to fellow co-founding KISS members Ace Frehley and Peter Criss for their roles in launching the band four decades ago. "[Ace's] iconic guitar playing has been imitated, but never equaled, by generations of guitar players around the world," he said. "Peter Criss' drumming and singing
well, there's not a guy out there who beats the sticks and sings who sounds just like Peter. Nobody's got that swing and that style."Simmons also mentioned and thanked each of his current and former bandmates who were not part of KISS's original lineup. "Eric Carr, rest in peace; Mark St. John, rest in peace; Vinnie Vincent; the great Bruce Kulick; and, of course, here we are today, 40 years later, with the great Eric Singer and Tommy Thayer," he said. "However, we wouldn't be hear today without the original Fantastic Four."Criss made it a point to "definitely thank our first manager, Bill Aucoin. We would not be here if it were not for Bill," he said. He concluded by saying, "In or out of makeup, I'll always be the Catman."Frehley opened his speech by saying: "I have a speech here, but these aren't prescription [glasses]. So I can't read." He continued: "You know, when I was 13 years old and I picked up my first guitar, I always sensed I was going to be in for something big." He also noted that he is now over seven years sober and, in what appeared to be a jab at Simmons' long-running critique of Ace's addiction problems, lamented that "some people think that it has to do with willpower. Most addicts are born that way, and people need to be educated about that."Paul Stanley thanked the fans for making KISS' Rock Hall induction a reality. "This is a special night for us, but it's also a special night for our fans. It's vindication," he said. "Here we are, basically inducted for the same things that we were kept out for," he added. "The people are speaking to the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame, and what they're saying is that they want more. They don't want to be spoon-fed with a handful of choices. The people buy tickets, the people buy albums, the people who nominate do not. Let's not forget that these are the people who make it all possible. We just benefit from it. "I am here tonight because of the people who inspired me, but I am also here because of the people I inspired. So god bless you all. It's a wonderful night."Morello told Rolling Stone before the ceremony that he first saw KISS play when he was 12 and attended their shows religiously during his formative years. "I've known Gene and Paul for some time and I'm a huge fan of the band and have been an advocate a noisy, fist-pounding advocate for years for KISS to be in the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame," he said. "One of the all-time great bands is being rightly enshrined."When those records were released, focus was shifted because it was a band in makeup or because it was band with explosions," he added. "But those are great anthemic songs with badass riffs. There's a reason why KISS sold 100 million records around the world. There was no one spitting blood in your living room when you were listening to them. I was rocking out hard to them."The 29th annual Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame induction ceremony was taped and will air on May 31 on HBO.
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