KISS Singer Paul Stanley on the Band's Famous Makeup

KISS frontman Paul Stanley sat with WSJ's Lee Hawkins for an exclusive interview about his life and career. In this clip, Stanley shares the origin of the famous KISS makeup.

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[sirgerry]

@MRTTMT you're right, because Bruce is a real musician before an entertainer, and 85-to-96 Kiss was musically the best there has been, now it's all about the show, I'm afraid...

[MRTTMT]

Yes wearing the make up is all about the money,the same way it was all about the money when Ace & Pete sold it.Tommy's just doing a job. And Bruce's exact words were, he was glad he was never asked ,because he wouldn't want to do it,but given the chance he would not be sure of what he would say. There's not too many guitarists that would turn down the gig..

[KISSARMYHQHD]

@EricCarr5091 I wasn't aware Bruce was ever even asked to wear the makeup ! ? And these originals fans better throw Psycho Circus away because it's more Tommy on there than ACE . More Kevin than Pete as well .

[EricCarr5091]

@shinnox That's where we have the biggest differrence: you are hung up on the makeup issue and I am not. KISS is making new music now and Tommy is an integral part of band. He fits the classic KISS sound perfectly. I hear this $ argument a lot from the older fans and it is crap. There is lots ofs tuff on sale out there, but people don't have to buy it if they don't want. It's called freedom of choice... Bottom line: KISS still delivers the goods for me, so I am in!

[shinnox]

@EricCarr5091 i never said kiss cant exist without ace and peter. but dressing up other ppl and them and cashing in on their nostalgia filled past is WRONG and thats what theyre doing. ive loved kiss all my life and it really hurts me as a fan to see them doing this. its all about the $. i dont have a prob with singer. great drummer. revenge is my fav kiss album. but tommy doesnt deserve to be in. at least bruce respected the fans enough to say he wouldnt be in the makup kiss

[shinnox]

@EricCarr5091 thats exactly my point. they didnt sell the rights in the 80s. gene stated that fact in an interview bc everyone was asking "why was aces makeup different on the kiss my ass cover?" and he answered:"not everyone always plays on the same team. ace was one of those individuals. lawyers and other knuckleheads complicate things. luckily peter came through" peter even said in an interview on eddie trunk he lost the makeup bc of contracts he signed during the reunion

[KISSARMYHQHD]

@shinnox I think I agree on that "for just" . Fact is, like I originally said . In a nutshell ACE still makes money off the spaceman image . I'm not talking sound recording royalties, which even Criss still enjoys . Ace is on a ongoing percentage while Pete sold the catman character outright . ACE made the better deal . Maybe that's why we see Pete bitch so much. It's marketed as spaceman because spacetommy sounds funny .  Like I said he allows KISS to use it . Not a lawyers mistake

[shinnox]

@KISSARMYHQHD correction, he dont get royalties for just the makeup character, he gets royalties when they use actual pictures of HIM in the makeup. which is why they are marketed as "spaceman" nowadays. since early 2010 kiss removed the previous packaging and branding designs that used ace and peters actual faces with the makeup.they were changed to resemble tommy and eric so they dont gotta pay out the cash.

[KISSARMYHQHD]

@MRTTMT I found the date and source of the Frehley interview where he explains the contract .

[KISSARMYHQHD]

@shinnox so ? Guess who gets $ when Tommy dresses as the spaceman ? You were saying ? I love ACE and I feel he has the rights to do as he pleases . He also says in many interviews that it doesn't bother him, he just hates to see some fans upset, exactly as I feel . Google NRK , the date, Ace Frehley . I believe you stand corrected . I don't just shoot off comments w/o basis . the year would be 2009