PAUL STANLEY Says He 'Stands Behind' His Claim That ACE FREHLEY And PETER CRISS Are Anti-Semites (Video)

KISS guitarist/vocalist Paul Stanley says that he stands behind his claim that former KISS members Ace Frehley and Peter Criss were anti-Semites who felt that the band was being "unfairly manipulated by money-grubbing Jews."

Stanley — who, like fellow KISS co-founder Gene Simmons, is Jewish — has accused his former bandmates of hating Jews.

"Ace and particularly Peter felt powerless and impotent when faced with the tireless focus, drive and ambition of me and Gene," Stanley writes in his new book, "Face The Music: A Life Exposed". "As a result, the two of them tried to sabotage the band — which, as they saw it, was unfairly manipulated by money-grubbing Jews."

Asked by Artisan News if his words in the book were taken out of context by news outlets in reference to Frehley and Criss being anti-Semites, Stanley replied (see video below): "Unfortunately, I can't say it's taken out of context."

He continued: "It's very clear that there are a lot of people who are anti-Semites. There are a lot of people who, underneath the surface, have a resentment towards the resiliency or the determination of Jews.

"If you wanna hang your inadequacies or your failures on somebody, it seems that, 'Hey, it's his fault.'

"So, no, I stand behind what I said and I have no agenda and I'm not saying anything to be vindictive, I'm not saying anything to be malicious. I'm just stating the facts."

Criss has denied that he is a raging anti-Semite, telling TMZ.com that he supports all religions and that his favorite aunt was Jewish.

Speaking to VH1 Radio Network's Dave Basner on Monday (April 7),Frehley stated about Stanley's latest claims: "We say good things about each other and we say bad things about each other [in our memoirs], but it is what it is. It's rock and roll. I mean, if all we did was pat each other on the back for every book, people would say, 'That's a boring book.' They want to hear the dirt. I've got plenty of dirt."

All four members of the current lineup of KISS will attend the band's Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame induction ceremony. They will be accompanied at their table by guitarist Bruce Kulick, who played in KISS during from 1984 to 1996. Frehley and Criss also will be in attendance.

Simmons and Stanley have chosen to have current KISS members Tommy Thayer and Eric Singer dress up as Peter Criss' and Ace Frehley's respective "Spaceman" and "Catman" personas (designs owned by Simmons and Stanley).

Frehley left KISS after the band's 2002 "Farewell" dates, saying afterwards that he took the word "farewell" seriously.

Criss claimed that his contract with KISS wasn't renewed in March 2004.

Both charges have been disputed by Gene Simmons and Paul Stanley.

The 29th annual Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame induction ceremony will take place on Thursday, April 10 at Barclays Center.

The television broadcast will premiere on HBO on May 31.