Gene Simmons has made controversial comments about his KISS bandmate Peter Criss. These statements followed his recent backlash and apology regarding remarks about Ace Frehley’s death. The statements were shared in a video by Professor of Rock.
Simmons addressed his relationship with Criss while making pointed observations about the drummer’s musical contributions to the band.
“Okay, children, now that you’ve all grown up, it’s time for the truth,” Simmons said. “Statement of fact: I love Peter [Criss]. We all do. Families are complex. I don’t know of any family that doesn’t argue or get angry with each other and sometimes don’t speak with each other for sometimes decades and then get back together. ‘Cause family is family.”
“Peter is always family,” he continued. “And sadly we saw Peter at Ace’s funeral [last October]. And we reminisced in between the sorrow and the pain — ‘remember when’ and all that. But it’s time for the truth.”
Simmons then made his most controversial claims about Criss’s musical abilities.
“Peter does not write songs,” he stated. “He doesn’t play a musical instrument. Drums are not a musical instrument, by definition. They’re called a percussive instrument. Really important — sometimes extremely important in a band. It was for us. But you cannot play a drum fill that can be copywritten [sic], but you can come up with a riff that you can own and a melody and a lyric. Those can be copywritten [sic], but nothing you do on drums will prevent anybody else from directly copying whatever you did and applying it to another song. Okay, that’s number one.”
“Number two, as far as I know, Peter plays no other instruments that I’ve ever seen,” Simmons added. “Not keyboards, six-instruments at all. Peter’s got a great whiskey voice in the early days.”
These latest comments come amid a particularly turbulent period for the KISS family. The period has been marked by tragedy and ongoing tensions between band members.
The remarks follow Simmons’ recent controversy over his comments about Ace Frehley’s death in October 2025. PopCulture reported that Simmons told The New York Post that Frehley’s death was the result of “bad decisions” and past substance abuse issues. This occurred despite Frehley having celebrated 18 years of sobriety in 2024. The guitarist died from an accidental fall that caused a skull fracture, brain bleed, and stroke.
Simmons’ insensitive remarks about Frehley drew significant backlash from fans and the music community. Louder Sound noted that the KISS frontman was forced to issue a public apology after days of criticism. “On reflection, I was wrong for using the words I used… I humbly apologise,” Simmons stated, walking back his controversial comments about his former bandmate’s death.
The funeral service for Frehley became a moment of reunion for the surviving KISS members. PopCulture revealed that Simmons attended the private funeral on November 2, 2025, alongside Peter Criss and Paul Stanley. He described the experience as “heartbreaking.” It was during this somber gathering that Simmons noted seeing Criss, leading to the reminiscing he referenced in his recent comments.
Meanwhile, Peter Criss has been focusing on his own health journey and personal reflections. Channel X94 reported that in December 2025, Criss reflected on beating breast cancer, calling his recovery a “miracle.” The founding drummer’s health battle and recovery have been separate from the ongoing tensions within the KISS family. This highlights the complex dynamics Simmons referenced in his latest statements.
