The latest issue of Rock Candy magazine is dedicated to celebrating KISS’s remarkable 50-year contribution to the world of rock. The magazine features a massive 20-page KISS special with exclusive interviews with founder members Gene Simmons and Paul Stanley. The interviews delve deep into all aspects of KISS’s career, with Simmons being particularly candid about the often-fractious relationship he and Stanley had with guitarist Ace Frehley and drummer Peter Criss.
Simmons shared an anecdote about Ace missing an important band meeting to play a card game, which left the band with no other option than to look for alternative band members. He also highlighted the issue of drugs and alcohol that affected both Criss and Frehley, leading to the eventual decision to remove Criss from the band. The band brought in Eric Carr as a replacement, but their concept album “Music From The Elder” failed to resonate with fans and was a commercial failure.
Simmons admits that Frehley had reservations about the album and repeatedly emphasized the importance of the band sticking to their rock roots. However, Frehley struggled with substance abuse issues, ultimately driving him away from the band. Simmons also dispelled the notion that Frehley left solely because of “The Elder.”
The latest printed issue of Rock Candy is an exciting read for KISS fans and features interviews with other renowned rock bands such as UFO, LOVERBOY, Ron “Bumblefoot” Thal, and Rick Wakeman. The magazine is a 100-page, full-color bi-monthly publication created in the UK that covers the sights, sounds, and smells from the golden era of hard rock music in the ’70s and ’80s. It is the brainchild of esteemed UK rock journalists Derek Oliver, Howard Johnson, and Malcolm Dome, all of whom were frontline writers for the legendary Kerrang! magazine during its golden era.