I’m sure a lot of KISS fans are going to read this and say, “This is a haggard topic. When are people going to stop it with this stupid shit?” Well, I don’t fucking care because it’s my blog, and it’s my time, so please, bring on the comments.
The question of the decade from me is, “Why the fuck is KISS still here?” Have you heard a KISS live show in the past ten years? I have, and it is bludgeoning. Paul Stanley’s voice left the building a long time ago, starting towards the end of the Sonic Boom tour and never returned. Since then, Paul has been struggling show after show, tour after tour, and thousands of KISS fans seem to be ok with this. I don’t understand why, so maybe someone can shed some light on this.
KISS fans are a dedicated bunch. Hell, it’s why they call us the KISS Army. I have been a KISS fan since I was 11 years old, and I have seen KISS many times. I have seen them do some amazing shows in that time, but the last time I saw them here in Atlanta on the Monster tour, Paul sounded tired and was straining and pushing to get even the most off-key of notes. That was the point where I tapped out and said, “I can’t take any more of this.” Why then didn’t everyone else do the same thing.
I have many friends who are KISS fans who shared my thoughts on this very issue, but yet KISS still manages to perform to thousands of people. I’ve heard it all from KISS fans. I’ve heard them say that people like me are just haters. Even long-time KISS brown nosers say shit like “It doesn’t matter what you say or think. We won.” That is an actual fucking quote. I couldn’t make that shit up if I tried.
What exactly did they win? They won an awesome stage show that comes with a vocalist who has lost 90% of his voice? “Paul doesn’t sound so bad. The stage show is awesome. Gene brought back “Sam the Serpent” from the Destroyer tour!” I’ve also heard, “Who cares if Paul can’t sing anymore? It’s KISS.” Who cares if Paul can’t sing? How about when Paul got called out for using backing tapes to cover up the fact that he can’t sing? KISS fans were vocally okay with this and said so.
Honestly, I can’t think of any fucking band that I would find this kind of bullshit acceptable. If Iron Maiden were doing this, Iron Maiden fans would lose their goddamn minds. When Rob Halford of Judas Priest could barely sing, fans voiced their frustrations until they finally down-tuned a full step allowing Halford to regain that power in his voice and deliver the goods.
Why is it completely acceptable for KISS fans to pay top dollar to see this crap? I honestly believe it is because the majority of KISS fans don’t really care about the quality of the output of their live performances. They are willing to go the shows, shell out a shit ton of money on tickets and overpriced merch, because, well, because it’s KISS. They have the look, they have the stage show, but they can’t actually sound good vocally.
If KISS had called it a day after the FIRST farewell tour, KISS would have left behind a legacy that I would feel was a band going out on top of their game. It could’ve been and should’ve ended at the full circle of it all. Instead, KISS continues to drag themselves through the mud bringing the thousands of tone-deaf fans with them. If the fans are willing to keep paying for this shit, KISS will continue to give it to them. I blame the fans as much as I blame the band for keeping this shit show on the road.
KISS’ End of the Road tour kicked off in January of 2019 and is scheduled to go all the way through 2021. End of the road, huh? Well, this is a long fucking road that goes on for way too fucking long. Hopefully, there’s a cliff at the end of this road.
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