Former W.A.S.P. guitarist Chris Holmes recently shared his thoughts on the current state of new rock bands, focusing his comments on Stanley Simmons, the group formed by Gene Simmons and Paul Stanley’s sons, Nick Simmons and Evan Stanley. His remarks were shared in an interview with Cassius Morris Official.
Holmes began by reflecting on the lack of major new bands emerging in the rock scene over the past decade, before turning his attention to Stanley Simmons and offering some advice to the young musicians.
“What has been a new band that’s gone big in the last 10 years? There really hasn’t been any, has there?” Holmes said. “I’ve seen that [Gene Simmons and Paul Stanley’s sons’ band Stanley Simmons]. And I you know, if those guys don’t end up being like their parents, they’ll be killer guys, you know.”
He went on to acknowledge the advantages the band members have due to their family background, while expressing hope for their success.
“I just you know, and they got it’s you know, they got money behind them because they’re parents,” he continued. “Let’s hope maybe they’ll work for him. I hope the best for him, you know. I would normally should go f those guys, but I don’t. I hope the best for them, you know.”
Holmes also commented on the musical style of Stanley Simmons, distinguishing it from traditional heavy metal, and noted his personal experiences with the band members’ parents.
“And I don’t consider their music really heavy metal. No, it’s more it’s more pop. It’s not super hard rock. It’s more vocal stuff, you know, but it’s cool,” he said. “It’s cool with their, you know, I would just not want to be them growing up in their parents, you know. The only thing I know is what I’ve seen the way their parents treat people. I didn’t like it, you know.”
He concluded with a lighthearted remark about the band’s music.
“But the music is not too bad. I wouldn’t go out and buy it, but I don’t really buy music. I steal it off the internet [laughs],” Holmes said.
Holmes’ comments arrive against the backdrop of two distinct musical careers that couldn’t be more different in tone and trajectory. Both careers are shaped heavily by the legacies of KISS.
Holmes built his own reputation as a founding member of W.A.S.P., serving as the band’s lead guitarist from 1983 to 1990 before rejoining the group for a second run between 1996 and 2001. That tenure cemented his standing as one of the defining guitarists of the shock-rock era, giving his remarks on the current generation of rock musicians added weight.
Stanley Simmons, meanwhile, is a far newer venture. Nick Simmons and Evan Stanley began writing and recording together in early 2025, turning what started as a casual creative outlet into a full-fledged musical partnership. The duo released their debut single, “Body Down,” in December of that year, officially launching the project to the public.
The band has continued to build momentum since then. It followed up its first single with additional releases and eventually announced its debut studio album, “Dancing While the World Is Ending,” which arrived in late August 2026. The album’s release, along with a debut tour, marks a significant step for the sons of two KISS icons as they carve out an identity distinct from their fathers’ hard rock legacy.
That distinction is exactly what Holmes touched on in his interview, noting that Stanley Simmons leans more toward pop and vocal-driven material than the heavy metal sound associated with KISS. Whether the band can escape comparisons to their parents’ outsized reputations remains to be seen. Holmes made clear he’s rooting for them to find their own path.
