Ace Frehley has blasted back at Paul Stanley after the latter insinuated that a KISS reunion with the guitarist and drummer Peter Criss would sound like “PISS.”
In a new interview with SiriusXM’s Trunk Nation with Eddie Trunk, the former KISS axeman gave Stanley an ultimatum: If he doesn’t receive a formal apology within seven days, he’s going to uncover dirt on Stanley and Gene Simmons publicly.
Frehley is referring to inflammatory remarks made by Stanley during a recent appearance on The Howard Stern Show when Stern asked why KISS didn’t perform at their Rock & Roll Hall of Fame induction in 2014.
“They were demanding, quite honestly, that we play with the two original guys, Peter and Ace, and at this point, that would be demeaning to the band, and also would give some people confusion,” Stanley said. “‘Cause if you saw people onstage who looked like KISS but sounded like that, maybe we should be called PISS.”
Speaking on Trunk’s show, Frehley snapped back in a lengthly monologue that culminated in the guitarist demanding an apology.
“Paul, if you’re not listening, I’m sure one of your associates in the KISS group are,” Frehley said [as transcribed by Blabbermouth]. “And I’m telling you that I want my formal apology for what you said and a retraction and an apology within seven days. And if I don’t get that within seven days, I’m coming back on Ed Trunk’s show and I’m gonna tell some dirt that nobody knows about Paul and Gene that I’ve always kept to myself because I’m the kind of guy who doesn’t talk about this. I like to talk about the positive stuff.”
He continued: “When it comes to negativity, and we’ve all done things that we regret over the years — it’s there. I have a 120-page manuscript that I wrote after I finished my book. My attorney has it in a safety deposit box. God forbid anything happens to me. My attorney is instructed to release it … So they can’t intimidate me with trying to hurt me or say, ‘You’d better not say anything about me live on the radio.’ Because then they’re totally screwed. Their careers will be ruined.”
It’s certainly a spicy development in the long-running feud between KISS and the estranged original band members.
KISS just added more dates to their final run of shows, which are set to culminate with a two-night stand December 1st and 2nd at Madison Square Garden (with tickets available here).
Will Stanley extend the olive branch and apologize or, going a step further, invite Frehley and Criss onstage at the last concerts? If not, how juicy is this so-called “dirt”? Stay tuned to find out.
Photos Gallery – KISS at the Moda Center in Portland, Oregon, in 2019 (click to expand and scroll through):