PAUL STANLEY On Playing KISS Songs With Orchestra: 'It Would Be Stunning'

KISS frontman Paul Stanley has all but confirmed the rumors of a special KISS concert to be performed with an orchestra in Australia (possibly Melbourne) next March. Speaking to Undercover, Stanley said that if the concert does happen, "it would be an event to remember and it would be stunning. What could be accomplished by a band with our sonic prowess and an orchestra would leave most people lobotomized sonically".

Stanley also addressed the reports of an indefinite "extension" to the group's previously-announced Farewell Tour, which a lot of people had thought would signal the end to the touring life for the band.

"Without being cryptic or trying to sidestep it, what the future holds will be revealed in due time," Paul said. "It is gratifying to know that going out on a worldwide farewell tour what we were met with by most people was, 'Don't go, don't leave.' When we finished the farewell tour it was really interesting having people coming up to me all the time saying 'I loved the farewell tour. When are you doing the 30th anniversary tour.' It gives you a chance to reassess and rethink things. So many people with the best of intentions call it a day and then for whatever reason find they aren't really finished. Certainly that has been on the front burner and something we have been talking about quite a bit."

Here are some of the other select quotes from Stanley, taken from the same interview:

On the status of the long-planned Alive IV album:

"Kiss Alive IV unfortunately got tangled in a lot of red tape and bureaucracy things that I think can sometimes suppress what rock and roll is meant to be about … Impulse and instinct. Unfortunately it is mired in all sorts of bureaucracy and red tape. Life goes on and I also believe that everything happens as it should and when it should."

On the recent compilation The Very Best of Kiss:

"What happened was as far as the record company is allowed to do, they are well within their rights to put that out. Since they were going to put it out we decided rather than have something come out with our name on it and our images and us not being in some sort of control of it, we opted to get involved with it. We had involvement in the packaging and the tracks and the sequencing. That being said we stand behind it 100%. It is a great primer or sampler for someone who hasn't had the overview of the band. Also, the way it is sequenced it is a great CD to put in your car. It works quite well."

On whether they will be working with an independent label or a major on their future releases:

"As I said earlier, so much gets bandied about. I hear so much about projects that are really in their infancy, and more often than not, will never see the light of day. But because they have been leaked or spoken about I am queried on it. Truthfully, at this point, everything is in an early stage and there is really nothing to speak of. Suffice to say, I am far from being done making music."

On the possibility of another solo album:

"That too is possible. In the healthiest way possible I have always thought of KISS albums as my solo albums. I think when I go into the studio my thought is always (with a few exceptions) has always been to reflect myself. That is perhaps why it wasn't surprising when people heard the first solo album I did, they said, 'Gee, that sounds like KISS.' Well, there's a reason for that. One way or another there will certainly be more music."

On being one of the most successfully merchandised bands in the world:

"We get these accolades as brilliant businessmen. It is very easy to take credit for that and I'm not comfortable with that. All we have ever done is given people what they ask for. There is no great credit to deliver what people request. If you go to McDonalds and you ask for a double cheese and fries and that's what you get, you don't say to them 'brilliant, you gave me what I asked for.' That's really all our philosophy as far as merchandise is. Who are we to deny anybody what they like purely because we are 'artistes.' I say that with quotation marks and an e on the end. To me it is a challenge and a great part of this band. Really, quite honestly, does anybody want to have an EAGLES condom?"

To read the whole interview, click here.