KISS frontman Paul Stanley recently spoke with Concert Guide Live About his other passion, his Soul Station side project, which draws from R&B/soul music hits of the ’60s and ’70s. Following is an excerpt from the story.

“We don’t believe in rearranging these songs or adding too much that veers away from what it is. I’m always terribly disappointed when I hear songs that aren’t done as I know them. We try to keep the songs a cohesive set and not be all over the map. Since I’m very secure in my place in the band, I’m happy to turn the spotlight over to our other singers as well which only makes the show that much better.”

Although the formation of the band took place a little more than a year ago, in many ways, Soul Station can trace its roots even further back–to a young working class Jewish kid from Queens.

Despite suffering from a deformity in his right ear, which left him struggling to hear on that side, Stanley relished in the music of artists across all genres.

“I was not somebody who wanted to be fed one kind of music anymore than I wanted to be given one kind of food. There’s two kinds of music to me–good and bad,” Stanley said. “I love rock music and choose to sing it, but on the other hand, I’ve also starred in Phantom of the Opera and here I am doing Soul Station. There’s just so much great music to be made and I’m too passionate to wear just one hat.”

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Check out the Soul Station performance of the Smokey Robinson & The Miracles classic “Tracks Of My Tears”, below:

Soul Station is a ten piece coalition of some of today’s leading musicians paying tribute to an era of great soul music.

“When I was a boy, before I ever saw The Who or Led Zeppelin, I saw Solomon Burke and Otis Redding. I saw the Temptations. It’s tragic to think that so many people are missing out on experiencing the power of so many great bands, artists and that incredible music,” said Stanley. “That music is part of the foundation of all the music I’ve made and Soul Station is my chance to celebrate it for a night that’s real and live.”

To clarify further he adds, “I don’t play guitar in the band and we don’t do a single KISS song. That’s not what this is about,” Stanley continues. “It’s magical to hear those songs played right and we’re making magic.”