KISS documentary latest. Gene Simmons: “I am a capitalist pig. I will charge you for everything I do!” Also noted that “Ace and Peter refused to be involved.”

Posted by: Metal Sludge in KISS KORNER October 5, 2013 64 Comments 1,620 Views

“I am a capitalist pig” Gene Simmons

Gene Simmons: “I am a capitalist pig. I will charge you for everything I do!”

Ace Frehley and Peter Criss have snubbed Paul Stanley and Gene Simmons by refusing to appear in the official Kiss movie, You Wanted The Best You Got The Best, which has just entered production.

The erstwhile guitarist and drummer, co-founders of the veteran US band but ex-members since 2002 and 2004 respectively, have declined to be interviewed for the project, which is being directed by Alan G Parker, who among other movies was responsible for last year’s acclaimed Hello Quo!

“Gene and Paul were shocked at first, but now they don’t seem to be,” comments Parker. “There’s been so much bitchiness down the years, and so much said about and done to Ace and Peter that they interpreted the request to be in the movie as a favour to Gene and Paul. Because of that they won’t go anywhere near it. The negotiations were interesting to say the least.”

It was Tommy Thayer who saved the day. As the producer and editor of several past Kiss projects before officially joining the band, having recalled that a Kiss documentary was filmed and shelved a dozen years ago, the ex-Black N’ Blue guitarist presented Parker with several hours of chat with the Spaceman and The Catman. In addition to the current line-up of Kiss (completed by drummer Eric Singer), former guitarists Bruce and Bob Kulick have both participated and there were positive meetings with the family of Eric Carr, the group’s drummer who died of heart cancer in 1991. With five more interviews to be shot, Parker hopes to show the finished film to the band in February or March, followed by a spot at the Cannes Film Festival in May and a worldwide opening in the autumn of 2014.

Gene Simmons, who visited the Classic Rock office this morning (Monday 30th September), having sung the American National Anthem at Wembley Stadium before last night’s game between the Minnesota Vikings and the Pittsburgh Steelers, says that Kiss are allowing Parker complete artistic freedom.

“The results won’t be sugar-coated,” insists the bassist, who expects to tour the UK with Kiss in the early part of 2014. “Alan has one hundred per cent freedom to present us the way he sees fit, and if that makes us look like capitalist pigs then so be it. It’s exactly what I am – I will charge you for everything I do.”