Peter Criss Reveals What Drove Him to Farewell Shows

PETER Criss doesn’t like talking about his feud with former KISS bandmates Paul Stanley and Gene Simmons. He’s maintained a dignified silence while fellow ex-member Ace Frehley has traded insults with the pair in recent years.

But it’s clear the founding drummer feels he has unfinished business with his fans, following his unceremonious exit from the group. And those fans are now being rewarded with final appearances, one in Melbourne and one in New York.

“I really want to bow out my way,” Criss says.

“I love the boys — I’m glad I started the band with all four of us together, no doubt about it — but everyone knows that when we left this thing it wasn’t the best. And even though we got in the Hall of Fame, even that wasn’t the best (Stanley and Simmons refused to perform at the induction with Criss and Frehley).

“So it really annoyed me, and I said, I wanna go back and I wanna really perform. I wanna do two more shows and then I’m ready to retire.”

It’s testament to the level of KISS fandom Down Under that the Victorian capital was chosen for one of the two final shows. Since the height of “KISSteria” in 1980, Australia has been a stronghold for the band and its members, past and present.

And the band’s 2003 performance with the Melbourne Symphony Orchestra became the album and DVD KISS Symphony: Alive IV.

But Criss doesn’t know why Melbourne in particular is a standout.

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