KISS called it a career at the end of 2023 with two sold-out shows at Madison Square Garden in New York. Many fans have speculated if the band might return for a one-off, residency or some other special occasion.
However, on an episode of the “Stories To Tell With Richard Marx” podcast, KISS singer/guitarist Paul Stanley is sticking to the band’s point that their live career is, in fact, over.
“There are people who are touring constantly because they’re empty and because they need that audience positive response,” Stanley said. “Years ago for me, probably decades ago, that may have been the case. At this point, it’s been incredibly gratifying. The last tour was just a chance to really take in how valuable and how much this meant to me. But I couldn’t keep doing it any more than Michael Jordan could.”
“I’ve always been more than a musician or performer — I’ve been an athlete — and you realize that you can only do that so long. I’ve been blessed to do it into my 70s, which if you told me that 50 years ago, I’d say you’re out of your mind. So, yeah, I miss it, but I don’t crave it. I think the people who really crave it are the ones who don’t find other means for gratification either from other people or self-gratification, whether it’s, for me, painting or my family or friends.”
Stanley continued: “To do shows where there’s that kind of love and gratitude from an audience, well, guess what? It’s love and gratitude from me. And that’s that reciprocity takes it to a whole different level. And will anything ever replace that? No. I have the memories of it. And is there a void? Of course. That’s life.”
“It’s actually been a year, December 2. So, I was actually in New York this year on December 1 and 2 and passed the Garden on both of those nights we had been playing. And, yeah, there’s something almost feeling like a fantasy, like an out-of-body experience. You’re looking at something and it’s hard to relate to that you were there. I look at videos of me on stage a year and a half ago and I go, ‘Wow.’ And I also have to go, ‘That’s not gonna happen again.'”
