Former KISS guitarist Bruce Kulich responded to rumors of playback tracks and lip syncing being used by Paul Stanley at KISS shows on the Syncin’ Stanley YouTube channel at this weekend’s Spooky Empire convention in Orlando, Florida.
“I didn’t study all the — I know there were people doing video proof and the whole thing, and I know that there’s plenty of video out there that shows what was happening with backing tracks. I know at one point [KISS’s longtime manager] Doc McGee finally let it out that that’s what that was happening. And I always felt like, quite honestly, KISS is much more than just that, and they wanted to do this show and they were going to try to do it any way they did. And it’s not fair for me to judge on it. All I know is they made a lot of people happy. I do prefer when people — like I know Jon Bon Jovi doesn’t wanna perform if he can’t sing. But I can’t fault Paul for going out there and putting on a hell of a show, even if it was with some of these — the help, shall we say, okay? So, it was a weird thing.”
In a conversation with Forbes, Gene Simmons revealed his thoughts on the Oasis reunion, expressing admiration for the band despite their past conflicts. He noted that the dynamic between the Gallagher brothers, Liam and Noel, mirrors the classic tale of famous musical partnerships turning sour only to reunite, but he also gave his honest thoughts on Taylor Swift.
Simmons mentioned briefly meeting Liam in the past, who jokingly claimed to have named one of his sons, Gene, after Simmons. He praised the reunion, calling it brilliant, whether intentional or accidental, and wished the band well, adding that their fanbase is eager to hear their music again.
Big fan! Oh, it’s brilliant marketing, whether by hook or by crook, whether it’s by accident or plan. I know Liam [Gallagher] a little bit. We ran into each other at a hotel and exchanged pleasantries. He actually pulled my leg and convinced me that one of his two boys—Gene and Lennon—that he named Gene after me. I doubt it, but he convinced me at the hotel! But that relationship between the two brothers, I mean I’ve read that story before, it’s always worked. Start with Cain and Abel and go right down. All the great pairings: [John] Lennon and [Paul] McCartney, [Mick] Jagger and [Keith] Richards, they all turn on each other after a while, then they get back together again! It always works and good for them because, again, people want to hear those songs! They’ve got lots of fans and they’ll do great. Good luck! More power to them.
Addressing the controversy surrounding Ticketmaster’s handling of ticket sales for Oasis’ UK and Ireland shows, Simmons had a direct take on the matter. He defended the pricing model, which adjusts prices based on demand, and emphasized that it’s simply how supply and demand works.
He dismissed complaints about high ticket prices, suggesting that fans have the power to choose not to buy tickets if they find them too expensive. For him, capitalism governs these situations, and if the tickets aren’t selling, prices will naturally drop. Ultimately, Simmons believes that people vote with their wallets, and if they don’t agree with the prices, they can always opt not to attend.
They’re entitled to f*** off. You have the ultimate power, supply and demand!
Whatever the pricing is, is all academic. Somebody sits in a room and tries to figure out how far the rubber band can stretch. And if you’re not selling tickets, guess what happens? The price goes down. Capitalism! If you don’t want to pay that amount, don’t go. I’m sure it’ll be streamed someplace and you figure out a way and you’ll complain. But social media has opened up the pathways of expressing yourself and there are no traffic cops. It’s like traffic in Italy and France, just people just go right by each other. It’s just insane. Also it’s a way to get attention, but ultimately the quiet people, the ones that don’t really use social media, vote with their money. You don’t like the ticket pricing? Don’t buy a ticket.
