Former KISS guitarist Vinnie Vincent recently made controversial statements about his upcoming album. He threatened to withhold its release over financial concerns in a statement shared on Facebook.
Vincent’s lengthy statement addressed criticism from fans regarding the high price of his new music. He expressed his frustration with the current state of the music industry.
“There’s no money in record labels. They’re A dead end inside a dead end. AND THERES NO MONEY RELEASING A RECORD LIKE THIS with bootlegging thieves at my door,” Vincent said. “The real plot is much bigger. Unless I get compensated for my work, the album stays unheard. The praise from a fan base is pointless unless I’m compensated FIRST.”
Vincent continued his critique of the music industry. He reflected on its decline since the 1990s.
“The last of the label days died in 1990. They hung a bit longer with grunge and rap, but the culture changed. The fun was gone. Rock was dead,” he continued. “By the early 90’s the doors to the record labels were a fortress…. Unlike the 80’s. The doors were closing literally. And even during the heyday of record labels signing bands, it was a revolving door of an advance going to the artist, being cheated out of your royalties, hiring lawyers to find your royalties, going to court for years and ending up without your royalties, and left with nothing but legal bills.”
The guitarist also addressed fans who have complained about his pricing strategy.
“I am the manufacturer. I produce high end product. I set the price accordingly. It’s that simple. there’s no argument here. there’s no discussion,” Vincent stated. “I’ve created an elite product for elite taste. So for the smash and grab EBT card group of self entitled complainers bitching about price..fuck off. the fatigue is now exhaustion.”
Vincent concluded with an ultimatum regarding his upcoming album “GUITARMAGEDDON.”
“So it comes down to this; if the fan support is not there which it does not appear to be, this record will not be released. Am I fine with that? Absolutely. 100%,” he said. “It will be the greatest album of all time, never to be heard, never to be released. If people want my music, and think they’re punishing me by not buying it because of the price, it matters not to me. They’re the ones who will lose out.”
Vincent’s current stance on music pricing and industry compensation reflects a pattern of financial disputes that have marked his career since his brief but impactful tenure with KISS.
Noise11.com reported that Vincent played a major role in reshaping KISS’s sound during a critical period. He was only formally associated with one album despite contributing heavily to three KISS records. His time with the band from 1982 to 1984 was marked by both creative success and financial disagreements that would foreshadow his current industry criticisms.
The guitarist’s recent pricing strategy has drawn significant attention from fans and industry observers. YouTube reports indicated that Vincent has been charging fans $225 for his new CD single. This price point has sparked widespread debate about the value of physical music releases in the digital age.
Vincent’s frustrations with the music industry echo broader concerns about artist compensation in the streaming era. His comments about the decline of record labels since 1990 align with industry analysis showing how digital distribution has fundamentally altered the traditional music business model that once provided substantial revenue streams for artists.
The threatened withholding of “GUITARMAGEDDON” represents more than just a business dispute. It reflects Vincent’s broader philosophy about artistic value and fair compensation. His willingness to keep what he calls “the greatest album of all time” unreleased demonstrates his commitment to his pricing principles, regardless of fan pressure or potential lost revenue.
