Alcatrazz bassist Gary Shea recently shared his thoughts on KISS guitarist Vinnie Vincent’s controversial pricing strategy for his new music. He addressed the topic in an interview with Guitar World.
Shea’s comments came in response to questions about Vincent’s decision to charge fans hundreds of dollars per song for his new album ‘Guitarmageddon.’ The album was initially priced at $2 million.
When asked about his thoughts on Vinnie Vincent charging hundreds of dollars per song, Shea offered a diplomatic response.
“I don’t know any more than everyone else knows! He’s welcome to sell his music however he wants,” Shea said. “He seems to be in a rough spot, and I wish him well.”
The bassist also reflected on his past collaboration with Vincent in the band Warrior. He provided context about their working relationship.
“Warrior only lasted two months when Vinnie was asked to join KISS full-time,” he continued. “Great for him; not so great for us, but a deal hard to refuse. We kept in touch a bit as time went by. Vinnie had many songs, and we’d touched on some that showed up later down the line on his solo albums. His only shortcoming at the time was stressing over making final decisions on arrangements and mixes.”
Vincent’s unconventional pricing strategy has drawn significant attention from the music industry and fans alike. It highlights his unique approach to releasing new material.
Guitar World reported that the Guitarmageddon album includes 10 tracks with provocative titles like “Heavy Metal Poontang” and “Cockteazer.” The full $2 million price tag includes complete artwork and packaging. Individual tracks are available for $200,000 each, making this one of the most expensive music releases in rock history.
The collaboration between Shea and Vincent dates back to 1983 when they formed Warrior together. KISS-related recordings documented that Warrior released one self-titled album in 1984 featuring songs like “Fighting the Iron Fist” before disbanding after Vincent left for KISS. The band’s brief existence has become a footnote in both musicians’ careers. It provided valuable creative experience for both artists.
Vincent’s pricing strategy comes after years of controversy surrounding his music releases. Louder Sound noted that the launch of Guitarmageddon follows previous criticism Vincent received for charging $225 for his earlier releases. This establishes a pattern of premium pricing for his musical output.
The Guitarmageddon project itself has a complex history. Some tracks were originally recorded between 1989 and 1997 before being shelved and later completed. This lengthy development process reflects the perfectionist tendencies that Shea mentioned regarding Vincent’s difficulty with final decisions on arrangements and mixes. This characteristic has defined much of the guitarist’s solo career.
The interview was part of a broader discussion about Shea’s career with Alcatrazz and his experiences in the music industry.
