GENE SIMMONS Says It's 'Disgusting' That IRON MAIDEN Has Not Yet Been Inducted Into ROCK AND ROLL HALL OF FAME

KISS bassist/vocalist Gene Simmons says it is "disgusting" that IRON MAIDEN has yet to be inducted into the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame.

Even though artists are eligible for the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame 25 years after the release of their first album or single, iconic hard rock and metal groups like MAIDEN, JUDAS PRIEST and MOTÖRHEAD have yet to be recognized by the institution, which inducted GUNS N' ROSES in that band's first year of eligibility.

IRON MAIDEN was on the ballot for Rock Hall induction this year, but failed to receive enough votes to make the class of 2021.

Having been eligible for induction for a decade and a half, IRON MAIDEN is one of the biggest bands on the planet. Since the arrival of its self-titled debut album, MAIDEN has released a further 15 full-length studio records, and sold over 100 million copies.

After BLABBERMOUTH.NET tweeted on Wednesday that MAIDEN was snubbed by Rock Hall this year, Gene shared the tweet and included the following comment: "RR Hall of Fame is a sham not to include MAIDEN. Disgusting!"

Simmons is not the only member of KISS to argue that IRON MAIDEN deserves to be in the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame. Last month, Paul Stanley tweeted: "Regardless of whether it matters to them, MAIDEN not being in the @rockhall of Fame is INSANITY. Regardless of who is writing in or not, the Committee must induct them. They have helped spawn an entire genre of music. What else do you need to do?? @IronMaiden"

Rock Hall rules state that artists become eligible a quarter century after their first records were released, but the Hall also claims that other "criteria include the influence and significance of the artists' contributions to the development and perpetuation of rock 'n' roll," which is, of course, open to interpretation.

Eligible for induction since 1999, KISS didn't get its first nomination until 2009, and was finally inducted in 2014.

Just two weeks after KISS's induction, Stanley once again slammed the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame, saying that the organization "hates" the band and that the Hall Of Fame had "no choice" but to induct KISS after the group's fans demanded it.

Immediately following the event, Stanley's feud against the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame turned personal against the Hall's co-founder, Rolling Stone owner and publisher, Jann Wenner. Most KISS fans were expecting that with the honorable way all four co-founding members acted towards each other during the band's induction, that the controversy between Stanley — who rejected the Hall's insistence that only the four original co-founders be inducted — was put to rest.

During his brief acceptance speech, Stanley couldn't help but take a few shots at the Hall and its voting committee, who had passed over inducting KISS every year since 2000, saying: "Here we are, basically inducted for the same things that we were kept out for. The people are speaking to the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame, and what they're saying is that they want more. They don't want to be spoon-fed with a handful of choices. The people buy tickets, the people buy albums, the people who nominate do not. Let's not forget that these are the people who make it all possible. We just benefit from it. I am here tonight because of the people who inspired me, but I am also here because of the people I inspired. So God bless you all. It's a wonderful night."

Stanley's two tweets from two days after the induction took a decidedly unforgiving and personal twist, first saying: "Our treatment at the RRHOF confirmed my worst suspicions. Wenner and the rest are spineless weasels."

He went on to post: "Jann Wenner & his RRHOF made sure to treat us as uninvited guests. No passes. No schedule and on. We were great and he remains a small man."

Paul told The Pulse Of Radio that ultimately what the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame and what KISS choose to celebrate are two very different things. "I certainly want to celebrate what we continue to do and what we have developed. What the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame decides they want to celebrate is purely up to them. But it doesn't dictate how I picture this, 'cause as far as I'm concerned, we've always been in the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame. Not a private club, not a place with a self-appointed board, we've been in the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame because of the millions of fans who believe that's where we belong."

DEEP PURPLE was eligible for the Rock Hall since 1993 but didn't get inducted until 2016.

PRIEST was on the ballot for Rock Hall induction last year, but failed to receive enough votes to make the class of 2020.

Having been eligible for induction since 1999, PRIEST was previously on the ballot for the 2018 class of the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame, but was ultimately left out of the inductee list.