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KISS' GENE SIMMONS: Why We Fired ERIC CARR On His Deathbed

November 18, 2002

During a recent question-and-answer session with fans attending his Tongue Tour in Australia, KISS bassist/vocalist Gene Simmons explained the reasons behind the group's decision to fire drummer Eric Carr a short time after he was diagnosed with cancer in 1991.

"This is still a very emotional subject," Simmons said. "At first, when Eric was coughing up blood, he was referred to the KISS medics, and at first it did not seem to be serious. It wasn't until Eric had open-heart surgery that the tumors were found. Myself and Paul were the only people with Eric at the time, and we allowed Eric all the time in the world to recover and rejoin the band. Unfortunately, the cancer spread and we then knew he only had a matter of months to live. We sat down with Eric and told him that the band still had to move forward, which is when we then recruited Eric Singer and told Eric Carr he had been replaced. Eric was definitely upset with the decision, and when Eric was then released from hospital and we were doing the 'God Gave Rock and Roll to You' video, Eric asked if he could be a part of the video which we obliged to. Eric struggled to meet the video demands and did end up completing it, and unfortunately, a few months later Eric died."

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