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Gene Simmons (and now Def Leppard frontman) blasts the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame for KISS treatment


Mr.Dreadful

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The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame will be having its next induction ceremony on April 10 at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn, but do not expect new inductees KISS to be performing. Founders Gene Simmons and Paul Stanley have decided against it to protest the Hall’s decision of inducting only the original line-up of the group (which includes departed members Peter “Catman” Criss and Ace “Space Ace” Frehley) while ignoring other longtime (and current) bandmates like Eric Singer and Tommy Thayer. I asked Simmons about his decision when he called into Entertainment Weekly Radio (SiriusXM, channel 105) to chat about his appearance tonight on CBS’ CSI (where he will be playing himself).

 

“Paul and I got on the phone and called Ace and Peter,” Simmons explained of what happened right when they found out about the induction. “‘Hey, congratulations. It was an honor to stand alongside you then and we’ll be proud to stand alongside of you at the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame to accept the award.’ And they were gracious and happy and God bless, and all of that, and we went off our separate ways. And then we found out the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame will only be honoring the original lineup with Ace, Peter, Paul and myself, and we said, ‘Oh okay, then we won’t be playing there. We’ll just accept the award. Thank you very much.’ And they go, ‘What are you talking about?’ and I said, ‘Well, you have a group like the Eagles who continue to be our contemporaries…and every member that has even been in the Eagles has been inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. But you’re only gonna honor the first lineup that was together for seven years? We’ve been around forty years. Tommy and Eric have been in the band 20 years — two and a half times longer than Ace and Peter. You’re going to slap them in the face and we’re supposed to get you a sandwich and make sure you burp at 9 o’clock at night and get up on stage and do it? No, that’s not going to happen.’”

 

Simmons then went on to draw a comparison to fully illustrate his point. “So imagine you’re being invited to be inducted at an award ceremony and you get to bring only the first person you ever went out with in your life. The one, your beloved right now? She can’t come, or he can’t come. They get to stay home, They don’t get honored. ‘And while you’re there, can you get me a sandwich?’ Really? That’s not going to fly.”

 

Okay, first off, I’m not sure what the sandwich thing is about. Maybe he was just hungry. Yes, Simmons has a point that it would kind of be a bummer for longtime members to be excluded. But he also has to know that the band is being honored for what they did when they ruled the rock world back in the 1970s, a time when the band included Criss and Frehley. Those are the four people everyone wants to see on stage together, just like when the original lineup reunited back in 1996. In any event, you can listen to the full audio below, in which Simmons drops another bombshell. Apparently, he’s been offered a role in the new Entourage movie!

 

http://music-mix.ew.com/2014/03/12/gene-simmons-kiss-hall-of-fame/

 

 

i agree with Gene. ALL the members of Metallica, Red Hot Chili Pepers and the Eagles got in ducted. so why can't Eric Singer, Tommy Thayer, Eric Carr, and Bruce Kulick be indicted to?

it stopped being the 'Rock n Roll' HOF when they started inducting rap groups. where's Deep Purple? where's Foghat? where's Boston? where's The Doobie Brothers? they're getting passed up for Public Enemy, Beatie Boys, Run DMC. f--- the R'N'R HOF. they should just rename themselves the Music HOF.

 

KISS has been slighted for the past 15 years because some people that run the place had something against them, and now when they finally are allowed their rightful place, the RNRHOF gives them another jab and does not extend them the same courtesy as it did to many other bands. Personally, I think Gene and Paul should be commended for even showing up to accept the award.

 

 

All of those groups were assets to the Rock N' Roll genre by helping it to crossover to an urban audience, making it more diverse. That's the reason rap groups like that are inducted, and they deserve to be.

 

 

Whatever the case, the article is pretty right, It's an acknowledgement of what KISS was when they were on top of the Rock world, after the 70's, their star pretty much started to fade as that era and it's music became a thing of the past. But if all other rock groups has each and every single member included in their inductions, I don't see why KISS couldn't be one of them.

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The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame will be having its next induction ceremony on April 10 at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn, but do not expect new inductees KISS to be performing. Founders Gene Simmons and Paul Stanley have decided against it to protest the Hall’s decision of inducting only the original line-up of the group (which includes departed members Peter “Catman” Criss and Ace “Space Ace” Frehley) while ignoring other longtime (and current) bandmates like Eric Singer and Tommy Thayer. I asked Simmons about his decision when he called into Entertainment Weekly Radio (SiriusXM, channel 105) to chat about his appearance tonight on CBS’ CSI (where he will be playing himself).

 

“Paul and I got on the phone and called Ace and Peter,” Simmons explained of what happened right when they found out about the induction. “‘Hey, congratulations. It was an honor to stand alongside you then and we’ll be proud to stand alongside of you at the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame to accept the award.’ And they were gracious and happy and God bless, and all of that, and we went off our separate ways. And then we found out the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame will only be honoring the original lineup with Ace, Peter, Paul and myself, and we said, ‘Oh okay, then we won’t be playing there. We’ll just accept the award. Thank you very much.’ And they go, ‘What are you talking about?’ and I said, ‘Well, you have a group like the Eagles who continue to be our contemporaries…and every member that has even been in the Eagles has been inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. But you’re only gonna honor the first lineup that was together for seven years? We’ve been around forty years. Tommy and Eric have been in the band 20 years — two and a half times longer than Ace and Peter. You’re going to slap them in the face and we’re supposed to get you a sandwich and make sure you burp at 9 o’clock at night and get up on stage and do it? No, that’s not going to happen.’”

 

Simmons then went on to draw a comparison to fully illustrate his point. “So imagine you’re being invited to be inducted at an award ceremony and you get to bring only the first person you ever went out with in your life. The one, your beloved right now? She can’t come, or he can’t come. They get to stay home, They don’t get honored. ‘And while you’re there, can you get me a sandwich?’ Really? That’s not going to fly.”

 

Okay, first off, I’m not sure what the sandwich thing is about. Maybe he was just hungry. Yes, Simmons has a point that it would kind of be a bummer for longtime members to be excluded. But he also has to know that the band is being honored for what they did when they ruled the rock world back in the 1970s, a time when the band included Criss and Frehley. Those are the four people everyone wants to see on stage together, just like when the original lineup reunited back in 1996. In any event, you can listen to the full audio below, in which Simmons drops another bombshell. Apparently, he’s been offered a role in the new Entourage movie!

 

http://music-mix.ew.com/2014/03/12/gene-simmons-kiss-hall-of-fame/

 

 

i agree with Gene. ALL the members of Metallica, Red Hot Chili Pepers and the Eagles got in ducted. so why can't Eric Singer, Tommy Thayer, Eric Carr, and Bruce Kulick be indicted to?

it stopped being the 'Rock n Roll' HOF when they started inducting rap groups. where's Deep Purple? where's Foghat? where's Boston? where's The Doobie Brothers? they're getting passed up for Public Enemy, Beatie Boys, Run DMC. f--- the R'N'R HOF. they should just rename themselves the Music HOF.

 

KISS has been slighted for the past 15 years because some people that run the place had something against them, and now when they finally are allowed their rightful place, the RNRHOF gives them another jab and does not extend them the same courtesy as it did to many other bands. Personally, I think Gene and Paul should be commended for even showing up to accept the award.

 

 

All of those groups were assets to the Rock N' Roll genre by helping it to crossover to an urban audience, making it more diverse. That's the reason rap groups like that are inducted, and they deserve to be.

 

 

Whatever the case, the article is pretty right, It's an acknowledgement of what KISS was when they were on top of the Rock world, after the 70's, their star pretty much started to fade as that era and it's music became a thing of the past. But if all other rock groups has each and every single member included in their inductions, I don't see why KISS couldn't be one of them.

 

rap/hiphop has absolutely NOTHING to do with the Rock'N'Roll genre.

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It's not without precedent though. While some may point out the original Nirvana drummer isn't going to be inducted I agree that he shouldn't as he left after Bleach. I think the better example could be Doug Yule of the Velvet Underground. Cale only played on two records, Yule played on two after Cale left. Santana's guitarist for their 70's period wasn't inducted. I do appreciate KISS but I don't put much credence on this HOF.

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The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame will be having its next induction ceremony on April 10 at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn, but do not expect new inductees KISS to be performing. Founders Gene Simmons and Paul Stanley have decided against it to protest the Hall’s decision of inducting only the original line-up of the group (which includes departed members Peter “Catman” Criss and Ace “Space Ace” Frehley) while ignoring other longtime (and current) bandmates like Eric Singer and Tommy Thayer. I asked Simmons about his decision when he called into Entertainment Weekly Radio (SiriusXM, channel 105) to chat about his appearance tonight on CBS’ CSI (where he will be playing himself).

 

“Paul and I got on the phone and called Ace and Peter,” Simmons explained of what happened right when they found out about the induction. “‘Hey, congratulations. It was an honor to stand alongside you then and we’ll be proud to stand alongside of you at the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame to accept the award.’ And they were gracious and happy and God bless, and all of that, and we went off our separate ways. And then we found out the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame will only be honoring the original lineup with Ace, Peter, Paul and myself, and we said, ‘Oh okay, then we won’t be playing there. We’ll just accept the award. Thank you very much.’ And they go, ‘What are you talking about?’ and I said, ‘Well, you have a group like the Eagles who continue to be our contemporaries…and every member that has even been in the Eagles has been inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. But you’re only gonna honor the first lineup that was together for seven years? We’ve been around forty years. Tommy and Eric have been in the band 20 years — two and a half times longer than Ace and Peter. You’re going to slap them in the face and we’re supposed to get you a sandwich and make sure you burp at 9 o’clock at night and get up on stage and do it? No, that’s not going to happen.’”

 

Simmons then went on to draw a comparison to fully illustrate his point. “So imagine you’re being invited to be inducted at an award ceremony and you get to bring only the first person you ever went out with in your life. The one, your beloved right now? She can’t come, or he can’t come. They get to stay home, They don’t get honored. ‘And while you’re there, can you get me a sandwich?’ Really? That’s not going to fly.”

 

Okay, first off, I’m not sure what the sandwich thing is about. Maybe he was just hungry. Yes, Simmons has a point that it would kind of be a bummer for longtime members to be excluded. But he also has to know that the band is being honored for what they did when they ruled the rock world back in the 1970s, a time when the band included Criss and Frehley. Those are the four people everyone wants to see on stage together, just like when the original lineup reunited back in 1996. In any event, you can listen to the full audio below, in which Simmons drops another bombshell. Apparently, he’s been offered a role in the new Entourage movie!

 

http://music-mix.ew.com/2014/03/12/gene-simmons-kiss-hall-of-fame/

 

 

i agree with Gene. ALL the members of Metallica, Red Hot Chili Pepers and the Eagles got in ducted. so why can't Eric Singer, Tommy Thayer, Eric Carr, and Bruce Kulick be indicted to?

it stopped being the 'Rock n Roll' HOF when they started inducting rap groups. where's Deep Purple? where's Foghat? where's Boston? where's The Doobie Brothers? they're getting passed up for Public Enemy, Beatie Boys, Run DMC. f--- the R'N'R HOF. they should just rename themselves the Music HOF.

 

KISS has been slighted for the past 15 years because some people that run the place had something against them, and now when they finally are allowed their rightful place, the RNRHOF gives them another jab and does not extend them the same courtesy as it did to many other bands. Personally, I think Gene and Paul should be commended for even showing up to accept the award.

 

 

All of those groups were assets to the Rock N' Roll genre by helping it to crossover to an urban audience, making it more diverse. That's the reason rap groups like that are inducted, and they deserve to be.

 

 

Whatever the case, the article is pretty right, It's an acknowledgement of what KISS was when they were on top of the Rock world, after the 70's, their star pretty much started to fade as that era and it's music became a thing of the past. But if all other rock groups has each and every single member included in their inductions, I don't see why KISS couldn't be one of them.

 

rap/hiphop has absolutely NOTHING to do with the Rock'N'Roll genre.

 

 

Neither does Madonna, or M.J. ABBA, etc. It's a museum get over it.

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Their music was pretty forgettable--for them, it was really about the look and the live concerts--but Gene does have a point.

1. Not to my parents o.o

 

2. Is that really a bad thing?

 

 

It can be for them it felt like they cared more about the way they looked/acted on stage then the actually singing at times (not that they sang horribly)

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Their music was pretty forgettable--for them, it was really about the look and the live concerts--but Gene does have a point.

1. Not to my parents o.o

 

2. Is that really a bad thing?

 

 

It can be for them it felt like they cared more about the way they looked/acted on stage then the actually singing at times (not that they sang horribly)

 

tbh...if I go to a live concert the performance is way more important, to me atleast, than the singing.

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Their music was pretty forgettable--for them, it was really about the look and the live concerts--but Gene does have a point.

1. Not to my parents o.o

 

2. Is that really a bad thing?

 

 

It can be for them it felt like they cared more about the way they looked/acted on stage then the actually singing at times (not that they sang horribly)

 

tbh...if I go to a live concert the performance is way more important, to me atleast, than the singing.

 

 

I feel both should be about the same

 

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Kiss is probably the forefathers of the shitty 80's glam rock movement. Not sure how many of those bands are in the HoF. Also, wasn't Nirvana eligible for the Hall for about 5 years now? I think their first album came out in 1989 and it's like 20 years from your first album before you can be eligible.

No, it has to make 25 years to be eligible, not 20.

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Def Leppard's Joe Elliott calls Rock and Roll Hall of Fame 'faceless prats'. [frontman of British rockers claims institution only backs 'cool' bands, and questions the gains of being nominated]

 

 

Joe Elliott, frontman of long-standing British heavy metal band Def Leppard, has laid into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, the US institution that celebrates legends in rock music 25 years after the release of their first record.

 

"I imagine the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame as this board table with six Mr Roboto's sitting around, faceless tuxedo-wearing prats," he told The Hollywood Reporter. "There are two hats. They pull out the one, 'Def Leppard, Bon Jovi, Kiss, Mötley Crüe, *Censored* that. No.' 'Leonard Cohen, John Cougar Mellencamp, Bruce Springsteen, Tom Petty, REM, the Pixies, we want all them in because they're cool. We don't want Ratt, we don't want Poison,'" he said, referring to successful glam-metal bands he saw as being overlooked.

 

"I was really happy when I saw Johnny Rotten tell them to go *Censored* themselves," he added, referring to the Sex Pistols frontman who referred to the rock institution as "a piss stain" when they were inducted in 2006. "That's what I would do ... even if I did get talked out of it by the other guys in the band. But I don't care. I don't gain anything from it ... When you get inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, the next day you wake up in the same bed. You don't get tours thrown at you to open for Led Zeppelin or find out Paul McCartney wants to write a song with you. It's rubbish. There's no gain from it."

 

His comments come after Kiss, Def Leppard's tourmates this summer, protested that members from throughout the band's career should be inducted into the Hall of Fame, rather than just the founding four. Since then, a rather philosophical debate has begun about the nature of band members, with the Hall of Fame arguing that replacement Kiss members are merely "the persona of characters" created by their makeup-wearing forebears, rather than musicians in their own right. Kiss have attacked the Hall's "questionable credibility" and "nonsense and half truths", accusing them of favouritism.

Def Leppard become eligible for the Hall next year, 25 years after their 1980 debut On Through the Night. They sold over 100m albums worldwide via their brand of hard and glossy rock music, with hits including Love Bites and Pour Some Sugar on Me.

 

Regarding the tour, Elliott said: "We're not in competition with Kiss, but we're not stupid. They're gonna play their top tunes; we'd be *censored*ing stupid not to. We don't want to come across as, 'Well, you just handed it to them by playing B-sides that came out in Holland and Japan to an American audience.' I don't care what the critics think. If you can't handle the responsibility of a hit record, don't write one."

Elsewhere in the interview, Elliott is also gearing up to release a side project of Mott the Hoople cover versions, and he reveals that he's "a huge Nick Drake fan ... He has a weird voice and his song structures are bizarre, but I like that naivety."

 

 

http://www.theguardian.com/music/2014/mar/27/def-leppard-joe-elliott-rock-and-roll-hall-of-fame-kiss

 

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