PAUL STANLEY Says Current KISS Band Is 'Much More Consistent' Than Original Lineup

[Doose]

PAUL STANLEY Says Current KISS Band Is 'Much More Consistent' Than Original Lineup: 'We're Always In Sync With Each Other'

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Paul Stanley spoke to Rolling Stone Germany about KISS's new official live bootleg series "KISS - Off The Soundboard", which launched today (Friday, June 11) with "Tokyo 2001", recorded by the band at the Tokyo Dome in Tokyo, Japan on March 13, 2001. This marks the first in a series of upcoming live releases through UMe and is available as a 3-LP standard black vinyl set, a 2-CD set, digital downloads and available to stream. "Off The Soundboard: Tokyo 2001" — which features co-founders Stanley and Gene Simmons, with Ace Frehley on guitar and Eric Singer on drums — is also available as an exclusive 3-LP set pressed on crystal clear vinyl with bone swirl via the official KISS online store.

Asked how Frehley's guitar playing compares to that of current KISS guitarist Tommy Thayer, Paul said: "Tommy is very, very consistent. Tommy always hits the bull's eye, and there's never any question about that. And with Ace, I have to say, there was a certain amount of erratic playing. You didn't really know, night to night, what you were going to get, I have to say. So the band, as it is now, is much, much, much more consistent. We're always in sync with each other and always on point."

He continued: "I'm the first to say that the band wouldn't exist today without having had Ace and Peter [Criss, original KISS drummer] in the beginning. And I can also say the band wouldn't exist today if Ace and Peter were still there. So, things move on, and certainly Ace, his playing is part of the foundation of what we do."

Stanley also addressed the fact that "Tokyo 2001" was recorded during a challenging period for KISS after Criss decided to step away from the band over a contract dispute. (He rejoined the group in late 2002 and stayed for another year and a half before exiting for the final time.)

"Well, thankfully, Eric is a phenomenal drummer and had played with the band for decades, I think," Paul said. "So he was very ready. It wasn't a spur-of-the-moment happening that brought Eric into the band; we saw that coming. That was very obvious because of some of the tensions or lack of quality in Peter's playing at some point, frankly. So Eric was always ready to come in, and Ace loved playing with Eric. So, it was great. It was transitional; it was a time of transition. But we had fun, I have to say. I remember being in Australia, and we were all out to dinner, which was not anything that had happened for years before, and the four of us were out to dinner, and Ace was going, 'I love playing with Eric.' So, this board recording is really good — it's really, really good."

Article: https://www.blabbermouth.net/news/paul- ... ach-other/

[acevog75]

He’s not wrong, but it still isn’t the original vibe. I do wish Ace was a more consistent player though, whether in KISS or solo.

[So Cruel]

Delusional. Absolutely delusional. Saw the current lineup once (2010) and it was by far the worst Kiss show I’ve seen (started in 1984).

[Stanley! You look so cute]

I've genuinely heard Toomy fuckup more than Ace ever did. Christ, he can still barely play some of Bruce's parts consistently, if that is the buzzword Stan is using today. As for Paul himself, fuck him and his ego. His voice has made Kiss a complete joke.

[Kissologist]

17 years, and counting, of this lineup versus the 7 (+5 of reunion) years of the original lineup.
You BETTER be more "consistent" and "in sync".

[CStomp1]

There's certainly truth in Paul's statements. The key word he uses to describe Tommy's playing is consistent. That doesn't mean more dynamic or exciting, though. Tommy is faithful to the original stuff, but he could never top Ace in those early days.

When Paul mentions Ace's erratic playing, I wonder if he means in the early or reunion days? To me Ace was rock solid in the early years. If there was a bum note here or there, who cares? The reunion period I would say Ace was much less consistent.

I realize it's a balancing act for Paul. He does mention Ace's playing being part of the foundation, but then he knocks him as playing erratically while praising Tommy's consistency. I just wish Paul would give Ace much more credit than he does given he was absolutely critical to the greatness of the early stuff right through Unmasked.

[Chaim Wigz]

Well, his vocals are now certainly very consistent.

[Tito]

Well, his vocals are now certainly very consistent.

Also, very much in sync.

[StraightThruTheHeart]

When Paul thinks he has a clever line he uses it ad nauseam... "We wouldn't exist today without having Ace and Peter in the beginning and we wouldn't be here today with them."

So much nonsense spews out their mouths, I stopped taking anything they say seriously about 25 years ago.

[Choose_One]

God....How can he even compare the limp, lifeless sounds of the songs now, compared to the originals + Thayer is just copying Ace anyway. I haven't even mentioned the vocals....
I don't quite know if he truly is delusional and actually believes this, or he's just on another sales pitch.

[Glasgow Kiss]

Praising a band (or a lineup of same) for reliability and consistency has shades of Marty DiBergi lauding Spinal Tap for their punctuality. It doesn't exactly scream "rock'n'roll" at you, does it? Half of the excitement of rock'n'roll is that sense of things teetering on the edge of falling apart.

A brand-new small Japanese hatchback will certainly be more consistent than a temperamental older Ferrari...what one would you rather drive?

[joma5477]

He’s not wrong

Agreed. The band today is VERY consistent. They sound terrible each and every time they go out there. Congrats, Paul.

[Mahatma]

Paul is sooooo wrong, he just can't/won't see it. Or hear it, for that matter.

[Grand Classic]

There is nothing rock and roll about Tommy Thayer. He's white bread and safe. Ace brings rock and roll to KISS for better or worse. Consistency couldn't be more boring and that is what KISS is now.

[Mahatma]

He’s not wrong

Agreed. The band today is VERY consistent. They sound terrible each and every time they go out there. Congrats, Paul.

Exactly.

[Soylent Gene]

The current lineup consistently sounds like shit. Ironically, not because of the replacement members.

[Phyllis Simmons]

Well Pauls certainly in sync - with his vocal tracks, (at least most of the time).

Been a little while actually since he’s spouted this type of nonsense. I know this message is largely for the casuals and the current audience which are mostly newbies.

But this is what irks those that kinda at least care, even just a little bit.. Way overstating Tommy’s ability to sell this lineup. He’s basically a good club level player, prone to plenty of mistakes (as pointed out in this thread) poor vibrato, often not bending properly to pitch, missed notes etc etc. .

But what’s kinda strange here, and I don’t get this guy sometimes; he’s there trying to flog a Live Triple album that features Ace on it, wanting to apparently get people to go out and buy it. And then in the next breath, because you can’t miss the opportunity - goes and basically trashes Ace? Okay so I don’t need to go and get the album then? Thats okay I can live without this one. I saw that leg and they were indeed very good shows..

[FanbAce1978]

Sure.
Consistent at what, precisely?
Putting out mediocre records and performing as a tribute act???

I can see what he means in terms of 'less rock and roll', but hey, the 70ies was a totally different era alltogether.

[CStomp1]

But what’s kinda strange here, and I don’t get this guy sometimes; he’s there trying to flog a Live Triple album that features Ace on it, wanting to apparently get people to go out and buy it. And then in the next breath, because you can’t miss the opportunity - goes and basically trashes Ace? Okay so I don’t need to go and get the album then? Thats okay I can live without this one. I saw that leg and they were indeed very good shows..

Excellent point. The current line-up has nothing to do with this new release - why even bring it up? I think Paul twists himself into a pretzel sometimes when trying to promote something while also propping up the current line-up. You're right - makes no sense. Why he can't gracefully praise Ace is simply dumb.

[torgotheme]

Bosses expect consistency, so I'm sure this arrangement works out well for everyone in the KISSCorp.

[acevog75]

He’s not wrong

Agreed. The band today is VERY consistent. They sound terrible each and every time they go out there. Congrats, Paul.

Well, barring his vocals, the band themselves sound fine. I actually haven’t seen them since 2010 due to his vocals, it as a band on a musical level, they’re pretty consistent. But yes, Pauls vocals blow.

[jwilkison]

Well, here's a good preview of the upcoming A&E biography for you. Same old shit talk.

[sugardaddy]

I've genuinely heard Toomy fuckup more than Ace ever did.

scientifically impossible

[joma5477]

He’s not wrong

Agreed. The band today is VERY consistent. They sound terrible each and every time they go out there. Congrats, Paul.

Well, barring his vocals, the band themselves sound fine. I actually haven’t seen them since 2010 due to his vocals, it as a band on a musical level, they’re pretty consistent. But yes, Pauls vocals blow.

It's hilarious that the guy that talks the most shit about everyone else's performance is the guy responsible for the band sounding the worst they ever have...between the unlistenable vocals and requiring the band to tune down. Karma. What I'd give to see the interviewer call him on it and then the resulting silence and fart smell face while he thinks up a basement living, loser comeback.

[Grand Classic]

Bosses expect consistency, so I'm sure this arrangement works out well for everyone in the KISSCorp.

And they are incredibly worse for it.

[nfarend]

Here we are, most of us must be adult men, most over 45 or 50 years old and what we still don't understand is that Paul (and Gene) have a product to sell.
Paul is wrong!
Today's KISS sucks!
Uh huh!
Meanwhile P&G have taken this vehicle to a 50th anniversary.
They win. What do we know?
We know shit!

[shandi777]

Bosses expect consistency, so I'm sure this arrangement works out well for everyone in the KISSCorp.

And they are incredibly worse for it.

This....

[So Cruel]

Here we are, most of us must be adult men, most over 45 or 50 years old and what we still don't understand is that Paul (and Gene) have a product to sell.
Paul is wrong!
Today's KISS sucks!
Uh huh!
Meanwhile P&G have taken this vehicle to a 50th anniversary.
They win. What do we know?
We know shit!

I know that the last time I saw Kiss they were boring, Paul sounded like a dying cat, and the band was going through the motions. What Paul’s bank account looks like makes no difference to me.

[Terry Zeppelin]

Paul is full of SHYTE. No other band except for The Beatles and maybe a couple other bands were as consistent as the original lineup of KISS. Starting in '74...KISS released 2 albums a year up until '78 when they released 4 solo albums plus a greatest hits double lp. Plus extensive non-stop touring and tv appearances in between. Now that's what i call consistency.

[Hotter Than Heck]

[Terry Zeppelin]

Paul is full of SHYTE. No other band except for The Beatles and maybe a couple other bands were as consistent as the original lineup of KISS. Starting in '74...KISS released 2 albums a year up until '78 when they released 4 solo albums plus a greatest hits double lp. Plus extensive non-stop touring and tv appearances in between. Now that's what i call consistency.

[acevog75]

He’s not wrong

Agreed. The band today is VERY consistent. They sound terrible each and every time they go out there. Congrats, Paul.

Well, barring his vocals, the band themselves sound fine. I actually haven’t seen them since 2010 due to his vocals, it as a band on a musical level, they’re pretty consistent. But yes, Pauls vocals blow.

It's hilarious that the guy that talks the most shit about everyone else's performance is the guy responsible for the band sounding the worst they ever have...between the unlistenable vocals and requiring the band to tune down. Karma. What I'd give to see the interviewer call him on it and then the resulting silence and fart smell face while he thinks up a basement living, loser comeback.

Ha!! That would be something to see.

[Hi I'm Witz]

because that's what turns me on when it comes to rock and roll....consistency. Right up there with cleanliness and punctuality.

[kenn.ace]

I will always listen to KISS music. Mostly from 1974 to 1992, but I honestly have not cared or been the least bit interested in anything Paul or Gene have said or has to say for at least 20 years. So KISS has been very consistently uninteresting to me since 2001.

[Spaceace2000ric]

Kiss is embarrassing now, just a tribute band with a singer that can't sing...Paul is such a prick.

[Andy Capp]

I will always listen to KISS music. Mostly from 1974 to 1992, but I honestly have not cared or been the least bit interested in anything Paul or Gene have said or has to say for at least 20 years. So KISS has been very consistently uninteresting to be since 2001.

this right here ladies and gents---- this right here.... salute

[Andy Capp]

He’s not wrong

Agreed. The band today is VERY consistent. They sound terrible each and every time they go out there. Congrats, Paul.

Well, barring his vocals, the band themselves sound fine. I actually haven’t seen them since 2010 due to his vocals, it as a band on a musical level, they’re pretty consistent. But yes, Pauls vocals blow.

It's hilarious that the guy that talks the most shit about everyone else's performance is the guy responsible for the band sounding the worst they ever have...between the unlistenable vocals and requiring the band to tune down. Karma. What I'd give to see the interviewer call him on it and then the resulting silence and fart smell face while he thinks up a basement living, loser comeback.

let`s talk about rod stewart----

[ktalley84]

Ace has his bad nights no doubt I have nothing against Tommy personally but his playing is robotic and has zero feel

[jannep17]

Much more consistent = at times so boring you want to shoot yourself.

[ozweepay]

It's hard for some of you to look at things objectively. I'm a huge Ace fan, he's the reason I started playing guitar. But Ace's skills are definitely waning as time passes on. And he was always a little sloppy to begin with, but that was the charm in his playing. That erratic, edge of your seat tension he had.
I'm not a Tommy fanboy, I can only express indifference to him, it is what it is. But Tommy is clearly a better technical player than Ace, especially at this stage of Ace's career. Recent live clips of Ace portray someone who's playing has vastly deteriorated from what it once was.
Your blind devotion to the original members has clouded your judgement.

[TwistedTaste]

Friggin conman
Someone in his position - who hasn’t been able to sing for 15 some odd years - & is now playing to a tape and faking it - should just shut it when the thought even creeps into his plastic surgery ridden head to talk negatively of someone else in his band (or anyone else for that matter)

He just lost my money as I was going to buy the new a Tokyo vinyl. No more money from me.

[joma5477]

It's hard for some of you to look at things objectively. I'm a huge Ace fan, he's the reason I started playing guitar. But Ace's skills are definitely waning as time passes on. And he was always a little sloppy to begin with, but that was the charm in his playing. That erratic, edge of your seat tension he had.
I'm not a Tommy fanboy, I can only express indifference to him, it is what it is. But Tommy is clearly a better technical player than Ace, especially at this stage of Ace's career. Recent live clips of Ace portray someone who's playing has vastly deteriorated from what it once was.
Your blind devotion to the original members has clouded your judgement.

Objectively, Paul is worse now than Ace ever has been. The question is why talk shit about Ace at all? It's irrelevant and poor form. And when the guy talking shit can't perform worth one...glass houses and all that.

[TwistedTaste]

It's hard for some of you to look at things objectively. I'm a huge Ace fan, he's the reason I started playing guitar. But Ace's skills are definitely waning as time passes on. And he was always a little sloppy to begin with, but that was the charm in his playing. That erratic, edge of your seat tension he had.
I'm not a Tommy fanboy, I can only express indifference to him, it is what it is. But Tommy is clearly a better technical player than Ace, especially at this stage of Ace's career. Recent live clips of Ace portray someone who's playing has vastly deteriorated from what it once was.
Your blind devotion to the original members has clouded your judgement.

Quit towing the line. Ace came back in 07 was playing better than ever. With a critical ear I can say his playing was consistently fantastic until about 2017/2018. Then the decline came in. Although no more than Gene & Paul have been declining - and obviously Paul has fared the worst and has no business being on stage.

[Tito]

It's hard for some of you to look at things objectively. I'm a huge Ace fan, he's the reason I started playing guitar. But Ace's skills are definitely waning as time passes on. And he was always a little sloppy to begin with, but that was the charm in his playing. That erratic, edge of your seat tension he had.
I'm not a Tommy fanboy, I can only express indifference to him, it is what it is. But Tommy is clearly a better technical player than Ace, especially at this stage of Ace's career. Recent live clips of Ace portray someone who's playing has vastly deteriorated from what it once was.
Your blind devotion to the original members has clouded your judgement.

It's not even about who's the better player, or indeed, the most consistent (yay). It's this guy's pathetic need to keep shitting on people when there is simply no need for it whatsoever.

[Tito]

Ace came back in 07 was playing better than ever.

Whoah, settle down...

[In the Suds]

It's hard for some of you to look at things objectively. I'm a huge Ace fan, he's the reason I started playing guitar. But Ace's skills are definitely waning as time passes on. And he was always a little sloppy to begin with, but that was the charm in his playing. That erratic, edge of your seat tension he had.
I'm not a Tommy fanboy, I can only express indifference to him, it is what it is. But Tommy is clearly a better technical player than Ace, especially at this stage of Ace's career. Recent live clips of Ace portray someone who's playing has vastly deteriorated from what it once was.
Your blind devotion to the original members has clouded your judgement.

It's true that Ace's playing is not what it once was.


But Ace in his prime was truly great. Tommy Thayer has never been anywhere close to great.

[TwistedTaste]

Ace came back in 07 was playing better than ever.

Whoah, settle down...

Prove me wrong - his playing was top notch on the Rocket Ride tour

[Tito]

Ace came back in 07 was playing better than ever.

Whoah, settle down...

Prove me wrong - his playing was top notch on the Rocket Ride tour

Oh come on. Better than ever?

[TwistedTaste]

Ace came back in 07 was playing better than ever.

Whoah, settle down...

Prove me wrong - his playing was top notch on the Rocket Ride tour

Oh come on. Better than ever?

Right up there imo. He was newly sober and had newfound energy during that time. It’s not like his playing was exactly “Van Halen” level in the 70’s.
I honestly thought his playing 2007-2015 or so was much better than during the reunion era

[Holmgren]

Ace came back in 07 was playing better than ever.

Whoah, settle down...

Prove me wrong - his playing was top notch on the Rocket Ride tour

FFS
Ace was never "Top notch" troll.