In a current interview with Barbara Caserta of Linea Rock, Gene Simmons was requested about the opportunity of authentic KISS members Ace Frehley (guitar) and Peter Criss (drums) making visitor appearances on the band’s last-ever live shows in early December at Madison Sq. Backyard in New York Metropolis. He responded (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): “For the followers — the older, older followers — those who’ve been round for 50 years, they’re previous, and a few of them wanna see Ace and Peter. The newer followers by no means noticed them and they do not know. However the older followers surprise about Ace and Peter. Nicely, I requested each Ace and Peter just a few instances: ‘Do you wanna come out for the encores? Do you wanna do some reveals?’ And so they each stated ‘no.’ So, I do not know what to say about that… But it surely’s at all times welcome. However there are a lot of different large stars, superstars, who wanna bounce up onstage and play a track. However we’re undecided about that. Possibly one of the best factor to do is to finish the best way we began: 4 guys with guitars. No keyboards, no synthesizers — nothing. Simply taking part in.”

The final leg of KISS‘s North American tour will kick off in October and culminate within the MSG live shows on December 1 and December 2.

This previous April, Frehley informed SiriusXM‘s “Trunk Nation With Eddie Trunk” that he was nonetheless open to taking part in with KISS on the band’s last reveals in New York Metropolis. “Cash motivates me, similar to it motivates them, however I do not put cash earlier than God,” he defined. “If I obtained 1 / 4 of one million {dollars} an evening, and I could make half one million {dollars} for enjoying three or 4 songs, 5 songs, I might take the cash. [I’d] purchase a Ferrari… purchase a Maserati. [Laughs] I do not actually wanna play with these guys ever once more after what they’ve performed, however cash can change my thoughts.”

Frehley continued: “Look, I am a capitalist. I grew up in America. However I might by no means put cash earlier than individuals’s emotions. I like cash as a lot as the following man does, however cash is not my God, like it’s theirs. They’re all atheists. No matter they will do or say, whether or not it is true or false, so long as it makes them essentially the most sum of money, they’re gonna do [it].”

Ace additionally addressed the problem of whether or not he would carry out with KISS on the band’s last live shows whereas sporting his trademark “Spaceman” make-up — the identical make-up his substitute Tommy Thayer has been sporting for greater than 20 years. “Positive. For 1 / 4 of one million {dollars},” he stated, explaining that “I am a handsome man. I do not want the make-up.”

When Trunk pressed Ace about what he thinks the chances are of him taking part in with KISS on the last live shows in New York, Frehley stated: “All of it is dependent upon cash. If I get a proper invitation with a verify, I will be there. However they’ve gotta have deep pockets… If they do not wanna pay me, I will not be there, girls and gentleman.”

Ace additionally as soon as once more confirmed that he had by no means obtained a proper invitation to hitch his former bandmates at their last-ever reveals. “Completely not,” he stated. “From what I perceive, the reveals are bought out. The one cause they bought out is that they made innuendos that me and Peter had been gonna be there, [that] they invited us. I wasn’t invited. They lie on a regular basis. Have not they stated, ‘We’re inviting Ace and Peter to come back up and play?’ Or at the very least me? A number of instances. So, individuals purchased the tickets. However I have never been given a proper invitation or given a proposal monetarily. And I am most likely not gonna get one now after this interview. And guess what: I do not give a shit.”

Regardless of the whole lot that has been stated between all of the events, Ace claimed that he nonetheless appears again fondly on his time with KISS and he does not hate his former bandmates.

“Look, the underside line is that this: deep down in my coronary heart, I like these guys, as a result of we created one thing so particular that will probably be remembered for years,” he stated. “After we’re all lifeless and buried, there’ll nonetheless be individuals listening to KISS music. And I am overjoyed. However I need my legacy to be cleared of any of this bullshit and lies.”

KISS launched its farewell trek in January 2019 however was compelled to place it on maintain in 2020 because of the COVID-19 pandemic.

“Finish Of The Street” was initially scheduled to conclude on July 17, 2021 in New York Metropolis however has since been prolonged to late 2023. The trek was introduced in September 2018 following a KISS efficiency of the band’s basic track “Detroit Rock Metropolis” on “America’s Acquired Expertise”.

In a June 2022 interview with Finland’s Chaoszine, Simmons was requested if Frehley and Peter would have any involvement in KISS‘s last live shows. He responded: “We have tried. I preserve making an attempt. Paul and I met with Ace, making an attempt to persuade him to come back again. He stated, ‘I need this. I need that.’ Nicely, we will not do this. I requested Ace and Peter to be within the documentary [‘Biography: KISStory’, which premiered on A&E in June 2021]. They stated no. They may do it if they’ve full management of the edit. I stated, ‘We won’t do this, as a result of even we do not have that. However I will not management what you say; you possibly can say no matter you need.’ The reply isn’t any — each of them. I requested Ace and Peter, ‘Come out on tour. We’ll get you your individual room and the whole lot. Come out on the encores.’ Ace stated, ‘No. The one approach I am going to come out is that if I am the Spaceman and also you ask Tommy [Thayer, KISS‘s current guitarist] to go away.’ I am going, ‘Nicely, that is not gonna occur.’ To start with, I care about Ace, however he is not in form — he cannot play that approach and does not have the bodily stamina to try this…

“Look, we care about them,” Gene added. “We began this factor collectively they usually had been equally necessary to the start of the band with Paul and I — no query. However as time went on… Not all people is designed to run a marathon. Some persons are designed to be in a band for a 12 months or two, or just a few years, after which that is all they will do. And each of them have been within the band three totally different instances. What number of probabilities in life do you get? All I do know is after I put my hand in hearth the primary time, I obtained burnt; I did not get a second or third probability.

“So, the reply is the door’s at all times open,” Simmons stated. “In the event that they wanna bounce on stage at any time and do the encores with us, terrific. However no, we’re not gonna eliminate Tommy or Eric [Singer, current KISS drummer]. In actual fact, Tommy and Eric are one of the best issues that occurred to us. They gave us new life [and] new appreciation for what we do as a result of they had been followers first. And each now and again, Eric or Tommy will flip round and say, ‘Wow! Is not this nice?’ And it makes us notice, ‘Yeah! Wow! Is not this nice?'”

Gene was additionally requested if he noticed any of the video footage from the Might 2022 Creatures Fest in Nashville the place Criss, Frehley and fellow former KISS members Vinnie Vincent and Bruce Kulick all carried out. He responded: “Any individual confirmed me about 30 seconds, yeah. It was very unhappy. I felt unhappy for Peter… Once I referred to as to ask Peter to be within the documentary, his well being is not what it must be. I do not wanna get too particular as a result of it is a part of his personal life. However no, bodily, he would not have the ability to do it. Neither would Ace.”