Paul Stanley says he and his bandmates have never allowed their concert theatrics to overshadow the music.
In a new interview, the Kiss frontman explained, “I always say this: a crappy band with a big show is a crappy band. We didn’t start as a band with everything. We started as a band making music we listened to. When I was young, I saw Led Zeppelin, I saw Jimi Hendrix twice and I saw all the greats. They inspired me. And it was never about being a part of a band with make-up and [fireworks]. Our music doesn’t need intellectualizing or philosophizing.”
“I know there are entertainers right now who can draw bigger crowds, but I don’t know if they are going to in the next 50 years. We have done that. Our devoted fan base is almost like a tribe,” Stanley continued. “We don’t make art that is intellectual; we make art that’s emotional. That’s why people remember their first Kiss concert, their first Kiss song, and they remember when Kiss first came on the radio. It’s a powerful connection.”
KISS is currently on the road for their End of the Road farewell world tour. The band’s final show is on December 2nd at Madison Square Garden in New York City.