PAUL STANLEY: 'I Don't Expect Anything From Anyone Else That I Don't Expect From Myself'

Writer/photographer John Harrell recently conducted an interview with KISS frontman Paul Stanley for a cover story in the Japanese magazine Burrn! A few excerpts from part two of the chat follow:

Burrn!: So life is exciting to you. You've got a new beautiful wife, baby on the way, new solo record, your first one since 1978 and not many people can say all that, Paul.

Paul: "Well, life is what you make it. In life we can either choose to be a victim and complain about our position or we change it. We can either complain about things that happened in the past or we can move on. I'm a big believer in you determining your life and that philosophy means that I don't put boundaries or limitations on what I can do in my life, whether it's professional or personal. So that's the attitude that has always been part of KISS and that's my attitude in life."

Burrn!: Your shows are always on time; you guys are truly professionals.

Paul: "Why would you do something as disrespectful to the fans as not play when you're supposed to?"

Burrn!: Do you think it got Axl anywhere when GUNS [N' ROSES] used to go on at four in the morning instead of 9:00 p.m.?

Paul: "You know, I don't think that fans accept that anymore. There is nothing cool in essence about flipping off your fans. People paid hard-earned money and you're there to entertain them so I don't buy for a minute that it's cool, that it's rock and roll. You know all of those things are cartoon parodies of rock and roll. It's pathetic and it's done by people most of the time that either don't last or sooner or later the fans and the public catch onto."

Burrn!: It's incredible that this band KISS doesn't grow old or people tire of it and maybe for some of the reasons that I just mentioned.

Paul: "It's timeless and honestly as long as I can be out there having fun and looking like I'm having fun and the audience is having fun, I'll be there. When that's not the case anymore I pray that somebody else will take my place."

Burrn!: Getting back to Tommy [Thayer], it must be less anxiety to know that the person to your left is going to be great, wonderful, play the parts right and actually be on time.

Paul: "It is. A band doesn't only owe the fans that kind of respect, it owes each other that kind of respect as well and at this point there is no reason to tolerate less from somebody. If somebody doesn't show up on time repeatedly it's not going to keep happening because it's an insult to the other members. Again, I'm not talking about other members, I'm talking about me. I owe everybody in the band that respect. I don't expect anything from anyone else that I don't expect from myself."

Burrn!: The respect that you give to your fans is incredible like the KISS Army. Come on, that's one of the reasons why you guys are up there I think.

Paul: "Without them we're nothing but at the same time they always have to understand that part of being a KISS fan means that you allow KISS to be KISS because the reason we started the band was so that we could be the band that 'we' wanted to be."

Burrn!: I think the professionalism that you guys carry over just is so much more because you don't use bad language onstage, you don't spit, you guys are complete showmen and it all works.

Paul: "Anybody can get a rise out of an audience by cursing. The skill and trick is to get it without."

Burrn!: Hey what is the nuttiest thing that has ever happened to you onstage? Is there anything that sticks out in your mind that was outrageous and completely crazy aside from Gene's hair catching on fire?

Paul: "There is some great stuff that is a little bit questionable in terms of subject matter that has been really, really fun. I mean there are no secrets about what goes on with rock bands backstage but I have to say that there have been a few times in the course of an actual show that I will remember fondly (laughs)."

Burrn!: Anything you want to share with the readers?

Paul: "Uh, no."

Burrn!: If KISS was not invented in 1972 and it was instead a brand new band today in 2006 would KISS work?

Burrn!: "(pause) Yes."

Burrn!: And why is that?

Paul: "Because the heart and soul is right and the heart and soul is valid. There is no substitute for commitment and conviction to what you do and when you couple that with great songs you can't lose. The reason that I never got into the punk movement was because I don't think commitment or belief in what you're doing is enough on its own. To stand on a box or to stand onstage playing a loud guitar you know horrendously but doing it with conviction still stinks. So I think why KISS would always succeed is because there is no mistaking genuine dedication, devotion and commitment to something and coupling it with talent."

Read the entire part two of the interview at KissOnline.com.