It seems like quotes from Kiss‘ Paul Stanley and Gene Simmons that put Ace Frehley and Peter Criss in a positive light are few and far between nowadays. Perhaps the greatest example of his was when Stanley said during an appearance on The Howard Stern Show, “If you saw people on stage who looked like Kiss but sounded like that, maybe we should be called Piss.”
However, there is no denying the significant contributions from Frehley and Criss in the ’70s, which many would agree was Kiss’ peak period. After all, it was the Criss-sung hit “Beth” that was a massive hit, and Frehley’s 1978 solo album is widely considered the best of all four members.
But by the close of 1982, both Frehley and Criss had exited the group, resulting in Simmons and Stanely being the only constant original members spotted in the group from their formation to what was billed as their last-ever performance in 2023.
During an interview with Billy Corgan on The Magnificent Others, Stanley offered rare praise for his former band mates’ early contributions and even admitted being recently impressed by vintage footage.