KISS Frontman PAUL STANLEY - "We’re Very Fortunate To Have Come Out When We Did, And To Not Be Relying Upon An Industry That Has Basically Committed Suicide"
May 2, 2015, 8 years ago
The American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers (ASCAP) presented rock heavyweights KISS with the prestigious ASCAP Founders Award at its 32nd annual ASCAP Pop Music Awards on April 29 in Hollywood. The exclusive, invitation-only gala took place at the Loews Hollywood Hotel in Los Angeles, CA. The ASCAP Founders Award goes to ASCAP’s pioneering songwriters who have made exceptional contributions to music by inspiring and influencing their fellow music creators. Past recipients include Sir Paul McCartney, Smokey Robinson, Patti Smith, Steely Dan, Rod Stewart, James Taylor, Steven Tom Waits, Stevie Wonder and Neil Young.
KISS frontmen Paul Stanley and Gene Simmons spoke with Billboard on the eve of the event. An excerpt from the interview is available below:
Billboard: How much time do you still spend these days writing new music? And has that process changed from when you first started out?
Stanley: "I think at this point I write when there’s a reason to write. To sit down, there are so many outlets to be creative and certainly the recording industry or what’s left of it is really in shambles. The only reason to record at this point or write songs is to make a statement about the current band, and that we don’t only rely on our old catalog. I think we’re very fortunate to have come out when we did, and to not be relying upon an industry that has basically committed suicide."
Simmons: "We’ve been around for 41 years, but you know what Paul just said is actually true. Don’t misunderstand, we’re not complaining. We have very good lives, the arenas and stadiums fill up, we can go anywhere in the world and we have a ball. It is really -- maybe profoundly is the right word -- but it’s really sad for the new artists. Where’s the next Elvis, where’s the next Beatles, where's the Zeppelin? They’re out there but they don’t have a chance. They don’t have a chance because once upon a time we had record companies, and they would support you and have point of purchase material and they would give you advances. In other words, they gave you the air to breathe to find yourself and spend the time to learn how to run."
Stanley: "Well, they championed you and nurtured you."
Simmons: "And that’s what’s missing. So the next big band, the next Zeppelin, what are they gonna do? Give away their music for free? They’re gonna be living in their mom’s basement, unfortunately, and they’re never gonna get the chance that we did which is the saddest part of all for the new bands because there should always be a new generation of bands."
Go to this location for the complete interview.
KISS' tour schedule is currently as follows:
May
31 - Grune Hölle Festival - Nurburg, Germany
June
8 - O2 Arena - Prague, Czech Republic
10 - Hallenstadion - Zürich, Switzerland
11 - Arena di Verona - Verona, Italy
14 - Download Festival - Castle Donington, UK
16 - Le Zenith - Paris, France
18 - Ziggo Dome - Amsterdam, The Netherlands
21 - Saint Jordi - Barcelona, Spain
22 - Barclay Card Arena - Madrid, Spain
Go to this location for ticket links and information.
