KISS are planning to reunite with all of their former band members during their final farewell concert in New York City on July 17, 2021.
“We want to include everybody that played with KISS and celebrate 45 years of KISS,” manager Doc McGhee told the crowd at the recent KISS Kruise IX, as seen in video shared online. “And everybody, Vinnie Vincent and everybody else, that has played with KISS is part of this whole celebration of 45 years. So, we're still looking at what we're going to do on the final show.
“They’ve all been talked to about it, so I can see us doing something. It’s very difficult though. People say, 'Oh, you should bring Ace Frehley and Peter Criss up.' How do you do that when you have two Catmen and two Spacemen? So you say, ‘OK, you don't wear make-up and you wear make-up.' And then they go, 'Well, that was my make-up.’”
“It's really hard to do,” he continues, “but we'll figure it out because they're very much a part of the heritage of Kiss and they're acknowledged by Gene Simmons and Paul Stanley as being the founding members. It's just a matter of the balance and we can bring it to where it works for everybody and everybody is having a great time."
KISS was co-founded in New York City in January of 1973 by Stanley and Simmons; the group’s original lineup – which also featured guitarist Ace Frehley and drummer Peter Criss – were inducted into the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame in 2014.
The current KISS lineup sees guitarist Tommy Thayer perform using Frehley’s spaceman makeup and stage gear while longtime drummer Eric Singer appears in Criss’ cat makeup and stage persona.
Guitarist Bruce Kulick joined KISS on their recent cruise event; Vinnie Vincent has resurfaced in recent years after a long time away from the stage; drummer Eric Carr and guitarist Mark St. John passed away in 1991 and 2007, respectively.
KISS resume the End Of The Road farewell tour with shows in Australia and New Zealand starting in Perth on November 16.
See also:
KISS reveal final farewell concert date
KISS: Gene Simmons undergoes kidney stone surgery
KISS: Gene Simmons medical procedure postpones Salt Lake City concert
KISS postpone farewell tour concerts in Oakland and Los Angeles
Search KISS at hennemusic
