KISS canceled 2 shows after Paul Stanley’s flu, which he said was quite dangerous, and continued their last tour, ‘End of the Road,’ with the Indianapolis concert on 25 November. You can find our coverage of Stanley’s illness and cancellation announcement here.
They canceled concerts in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada (November 21), Toronto, Ontario, Canada (November 22), and Knoxville, Tennessee (November 24) following Stanley’s illness. Now back on stage, Stanley addressed their fans during the pre-show soundcheck and question-and-answer session Stanley addressed his illness. Stanley said:
”You know, I’ve done shows with cracked ribs, I’ve done shows with a 103 fever. [This time] I literally… I was wondering if it was my time. But anyway, I’m here and it’s awesome.”
Paul Stanley’s Health Problems
Growing up, Paul Stanley was an unlikely candidate to become a rock star. He was born with a facial deformity, microtia, which prevented his right ear from forming properly and left him deaf on the right side. He eventually had reconstructive surgery in 1982 to create an ear using a piece of his rib cage.
Stanley recalled these health problems in a 2013 interview with The Los Angeles Times. He said:
“What I do has taken its toll. I’ve had both my rotator cuffs surgically repaired. They’re all similar to sports injuries. I’ve torn my meniscus in both knees and had a hip replacement. This is all from onstage performances. It’s like doing a triathlon with a guitar around my neck. You have to jump, sing, swing your arm, and play the right chord. I used to jump up in the air and land on my knees. It didn’t hurt then, but it does now.”
In 2012, in an interview with the UK’s Independent, he said the following:
“Every scar on my body was proudly earned. There’s nothing worse than looking back and wishing you had done things, but I did ’em all. That’s how life is supposed to be lived.”
71-year-old Stanley continues to tour with KISS despite these problems in the past. The last leg of their last tour, ‘End of the Line,’ will end at Madison Square Garden on December 2, 2023.
