Imitation KISS: King of Buffoons

From Left : Frehley, Stanley, Criss &Simmons

The childish feud between classic rockers Paul Stanley and Dee Snider is just that, juvenile for two men gracing their sixties. Stanley is the lead singer/rhythm guitarist of KISS, a rock band who rose to fame in the early seventies. Snider is the lead singer of Twisted Sister, a rock band who rose to fame in the 80s. Twisted Sister is nothing but a twisted rendition of KISS, but Snider felt he had grounds to insult the band which so inspired him. 

"I don't see how people could accept this. Tommy Thayer? I'm sorry. It's insulting. Not only did he play in a tribute band of KISS, he's imitating Ace in his entire Act!" Snider said during an interview with Eddie Trunk.

From Left: Singer, Simmons, Stanley & Kulick

I find it rather unsettling that I don't disagree with the mock drag queen. My father raised my sisters and me on KISS. We used to run around in the living room jamming to their 90s version of rock and roll. Growing older, I expanded my already vast knowledge of the band. I've read biographies, watched documentaries, and of course, listened to the music old and new. I found my favorite version of KISS was indeed the original. Although I'm a child of the new millennium, the sound of 70s rock and roll enraptured me. I loved the same things about it that my father did. My love for the band outgrew nostalgia and matured. I came to respect the music after immersing myself in the time era from which it was born. 

Dee Snider

There was something unique to KISS back then. The music was their rendition of prior influences, such as The Beatles. Maybe the only real aspect which set them apart was the wacky look. I sympathize with Snider's opinion, and even find myself standing behind him despite my dislike for his band. Maybe he mimicked the sound and look of KISS, but this was a band which he loved. This was a band he respected. Over the years, the members of KISS seem to have lost this notion of respect and maybe just a little self-respect. 

I remember reading an interview with Stanley and Simmons in which the two of them alleged KISS would never "sell out." In summation, they said the band would continue to adapt to the times. In 1983 the band unmasked on MTV following the loss of two original members, Peter Criss and Ace Frehley. Vinnie Vincent and Eric Carr had previously replaced them and adapted their own characters, their own make-up. 

In an interview with Yahoo News, Simmons confirmed, "New members had come into the band, and then new characters were happening . . . and it just wasn't convincing to us anymore. We had always adhered to a philosophy that if Peter and Ace ever left, then KISS, at least in that form, would cease to be. And I think, instinctively, we did that. Without killing ourselves, without taking the Cobain way out, we simply killed off that version of KISS and did a different version."

I'm sorry, but is the present version  of KISS not exactly the epitome of everything this statement isn't? Forget Simmons insulting Nirvana fans far and wide! Just take a gander at the blatant hypocrisy! Several members have come and gone since the loss of Frehley and Criss. At present, Tommy Thayer has replaced lead guitarist Ace Frehley, and Eric Singer former drummer Peter Criss. After the loss of these two originals, the makeup came off in 1983 and it appeared the band had moved on. The 90s version of KISS that I grew up on was fast-paced and extreme. It was everything the band used to be only ramped up a few hundred notches. I certainly felt this adaptation was appropriate. The legendary characters were in the past, immortalized by the times in which they were created. Everything was looking up for unmasked KISS. Of course, not all fans were pleased with the loss of their beloved, painted KISS, but the band stood behind their decision. 

From Left: Vincent, Simmons, Stanley & Carr

"Everybody hated it. People didn't want the paint to come off, but you know what? Tough. It had to happen. You want your heroes to stay the same forever, but then the consequence of that is you get bored with them. We had to take it off. it had to run its course." Simmons responded. 

Where is this ideology now? We all know Simmons is a sell out. His initial goal for the band was to make money, and he's great at it. Simmons expertly marketed the four characters, making them worth millions. In the same vein as Marilyn Manson, an artist heavily influenced by KISS, Simmons was looking to make a name for something that didn't really exist. How big could KISS become before KISS was really a thing? 

Maybe it hasn't been solely about the music for Simmons from day one, but Stanley? I always looked up to him. Off stage, he was modest. For the longest time, he even refused to take part in Simmons' reality show Gene Simmons: Family Jewels. Stanley wasn't the pretentious, obnoxious character that his bandmate embodied so well. Unfortunately, however, there was this:

From Left: Frehley, Stanley, Criss & Simmons

"Well, let me put it in the simplest terms. In this case, this guy is a wannabe, has always been a wannabe and desperately wants attention and to be taken seriously, and that will never happen because he's obviously clueless that he and his whole band are a bunch of buffoons," Stanley responded to Snider's disgust.

I usually stand behind Stanley. I've rationalized the hypocrisy. I've overlooked the gall of present KISS , but this I could not. I expected as much from Simmons. Who hasn't accepted the KISS bassist is a narcissistic jerk, and struggles not to love him despite this? I thought my bias about Snider's band alone would skew my acceptance of his statement, but it didn't. I agree, and I am disheartened by Stanley's response. Stanley, Simmons, Criss, and Frehley were all wannabes of their time. They are no different from Snider, aside from the enormous success. I believe Stanley forgot to attribute the better part of his fame to Simmons expertise of marketing, and not his talent alone. In fact, the band never really hit popularity until they discovered their appearance and exuberant stage show was what would eventually put them on the map. The talent was hardly a factor in the beginning. 

From Left: Criss, Frehley, Stanley & Simmons

Snider replied on social media with a little letter back to Stanley in which he laments about his respect and love for KISS. There was one other thing he said that I whole-heartedly agree with, "As far as my "whole band being a bunch of buffoons" goes, that's a pretty ironic statement coming from you. The argument could easily be made that KISS is the "king of the buffoons", so in an odd way you've paid Twisted Sister quite the compliment. It takes one to know one." 

From Left: Singer, Stanley, Simmons & Thayer

Finish him, Snider! I can't believe I'm agreeing, but the glam rocker is right. The imitation of the legend that KISS created is ridiculously disappointing, hypocritical, and just all together sad. I'm not implying that KISS should stop rocking. By all means, rock on! Rock on Stanley and Simmons, don't hold onto what you used to be, and let your members be themselves as well! There was an imaginary line crossed when Thayer and Singer adopted not only Criss and Frehley's characters, but even their idiosyncrasies! Classic KISS had a stage presence that should never be recreated nor blasphemed by such buffoon-like imitation. 


Feud covered by Metal Injection here
40 Years Later by Yahoo here
Watch KISS 1983 unmasking on MTV here