GENE SIMMONS: PETER And ACE Were Kicked Out Because They Were 'Drug Addicts And Alcoholics'

August 3, 2007

Joseph Hudak of TVGuide.com recently conducted an interview with KISS bassist/vocalist Gene Simmons. A couple of excerpts from the chat follow:

TV Guide: Your family life is conventional, but your relationship with Shannon [Tweed] is anything but. Do you consider your relationship with her an open one?

Simmons: All relationships are open. Don't believe there's any difference between a monogamous and a polygamous relationship. Those are all just big words, like "gymnasium." Human beings will do whatever the hell they want to do. [But] they lie about it, because they think they have to answer to somebody. I want Shannon to stay with me only because she wants to, not because she has to.

TV Guide: Your son Nick has said he genuinely likes hanging out with his parents. That must make you proud.

Simmons: Very proud, but it's not the cornerstone. The cornerstone is never to negotiate with children. This permissive society has created monsters and they're called "kids." Nick and [daughter] Sophie behave and are charming and polite because they're not allowed not to be!

TV Guide: You have such an aversion to drugs and alcohol. I expect the kids have been duly warned.

Simmons: Oh, they know the rules. Ever see that movie "Holes"? If I catch them once, they'll find themselves in a camp out in the middle of the desert, digging holes.

TV Guide: Did that strict stance ultimately affect your relationship with original KISS members Ace Frehley and Peter Criss?

Simmons: Absolutely. They were thrown out of the band because they were drug addicts and alcoholics. Period. It's difficult enough to agree with someone who is straight, much less having to deal with Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde. This whole culture is obsessed with drugs and alcohol and smoking, and I will have none of it.

TV Guide: Would you play with them again? Or is that era of KISS over?

Simmons: It's difficult to talk about that because... they're damaged. Even if you're straight, can you play your instrument well enough to get up there and physically go through it? You're talking about 30 years of abuse. Everybody cares about Ace and Peter. I love them to death. But I don't want them to die on tour.

Read the entire interview at TVGuide.com.

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