Paul Stanley recently opened up about tensions within KISS during the mid-1980s. He specifically addressed Gene Simmons’ focus on film and television projects during that period in an interview on The Magnificent Others With Billy Corgan.
The KISS frontman expressed his feelings of betrayal and resentment regarding his bandmate’s divided attention during a crucial time for the band.
“I felt betrayed. No secret,” Stanley said. “I felt that he was leaving me to do the heavy work but continued to get paid, so trying to have the best of both worlds.”
Stanley elaborated on his frustration with what he perceived as an unfair partnership arrangement during that time.
“Go off and do your own thing and have the success, at any level that there was success, and the monetary compensation, which I’m not sharing in, but you’re abandoning ship and you’re still my partner,” he continued.
The guitarist also revealed the personal impact of the situation on their long-standing relationship.
“I felt very resentful and hurt. I wouldn’t at that time have said I was hurt. I would say I was angry. But I was hurt,” Stanley explained. “Gene’s my brother. He’s been with me since I was 17. So that was really difficult.”
Stanley emphasized his commitment to keeping the band together and maintaining its quality despite the challenges.
“But again, it was, ‘Well, screw it. I’m not gonna let this band fall apart.’ If it’s my band in that sense, then so be it. If I gotta be in the middle in a video, then let’s do that,” he said. “But yeah, I felt that he was selling the band short. The quality of the writing was not good. I thought he wasn’t playing fair.”
Stanley’s comments shed light on a particularly turbulent period in KISS history. This era extended beyond just internal tensions between the founding members.
The mid-1980s marked a significant transitional phase for KISS. The band had already undergone major lineup changes that contributed to the instability Stanley described. Ultimate Classic Rock reported that original members Peter Criss and Ace Frehley had left the band amid personal and creative conflicts in the early 1980s. Their departures created a shifting dynamic within the group that added to the challenges Stanley and Simmons faced during this period.
The era Stanley referenced was also notable for KISS’s decision to abandon their signature makeup and theatrical personas. Britannica documented that KISS temporarily went “unmasked” during the mid-1980s. This marked a distinct period where the band experimented with their image and sound while still achieving commercial success. This dramatic change in their visual identity coincided with the internal struggles Stanley described.
KISS managed to maintain their commercial momentum during this challenging period despite the tensions and lineup instability. Ultimate Classic Rock noted that the band released successful albums like Animalize in 1984 and Crazy Nights in 1987. This proved their resilience even as founding members dealt with personal and professional conflicts.
The replacements for Criss and Frehley brought new energy to the band. These included drummer Eric Carr and guitarist Vinnie Vincent. However, they also contributed to the evolving dynamics that Stanley found challenging. These changes, combined with Simmons’ outside interests, created the perfect storm of circumstances that led to the feelings of abandonment and betrayal that Stanley now openly discusses decades later.
