World of Tanks Modern Armor is gearing up for another Metal Fest event, and in 2025, it will feature none other than KISS, the iconic band that donned rock star personas and set the live music scene ablaze. The nature of those personas is fascinating, and why they continue to live on through created fantasy worlds.

As part of our larger interview, rock legends Gene Simmons and Paul Stanley spoke with us about their gaming experiences and the numerous times KISS has been featured in the industry. As you might imagine, it’s a lot!

Simmons has “dabbled” in games over the years and reminds us that KISS is no stranger to the world of video games. He has also been featured several times throughout gaming history, even as himself. Here’s what he had to say when asked about his relationship to gaming:

Whenever I think of Guitar Hero, that Legends of Rock cover art is emblazoned in my mind. KISS is the very definition of the “rock band” vibe that the original incarnation of the Guitar Hero series was going for.

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“I often work for much less money than I should, because of the names involved.”

Session veteran Tom Denander suggested that missing credits are becoming a major issue for his line of work, noting how he often works “for much less money than [he] should, because of the names involved.”

Lately, there’s been a lot of doom and gloom about the state of rock — and music played on actual people on actual instruments in general — but this industry veteran feels like it’s due for a big comeback. Aged 57, the Swedish-born guitar prodigy Tommy Denander has seen it all and done it all, including appearances on over 3,500 records, including over 100 with gold or platinum certifications, as well as eight LPs that topped Billboard charts.

“Real music is coming back” is the short of the answer Denander gave Guitar World when asked about the state of the music industry in a new interview. At the same time, the guitarist isn’t oblivious to the pitfalls industry pros can come across, and he says that missing out on songwriting credits has become a prominent one:

“Something that’s more important these days than in the ‘good old days’ – it’s when credits are missing. It happens more often now, and it pisses me off big time. It happened with Paul Stanley, and he was pissed because I’d been in the album press release that he put together himself. He said an idiot messed it up for the product.”

“Then Ace Frehley ‘forgot’ that I wrote the music to a song on his latest album. I missed credit on, like, 25 variations of vinyl and all the CD and digital versions. It’s corrected now, but I lost a lot of media, and PR was lost.”

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Paul Stanley’s art at Butler Institute of Art offered these limited edition signed catalog books for a show in September 2023.  

Order now at KISSArmyWarehouse.com!

Lastly, Rock and Roll Hall of Famer Ace Frehley brought his space-age guitar wizardry to the stage with a mix of solo staples and timeless KISS classics.

Frehley opened with KISS’s 1977 “Shock Me” — on which he originally sang lead vocals — and 1974’s “Deuce.”

Technical difficulties marred his set, from what Frehley said were sound dropouts to equipment glitches.

“I got to hear the rest of the band. Don’t blow my f—ing ears out with guitar,” he said as fans erupted with laughter.

“This is what happens, you come here, everything’s supposed to be right, and it’s all f—ed up. We’ll do our best to entertain you guys.”

Indeed, the former KISS guitarist, who left the band for the second time in 2002, powered through his set with humor, grit and plenty of six-string fire (when he could hear himself).

Frehley dedicated 1987’s “Rock Soldiers,” a defiant anthem from his solo years, to veterans and military members in the crowd, and turned to his drummer, Scot Coogan, to lead on vocals for a raucous rendition of KISS’s 1997 single “Love Guns.”

Fans didn’t seem to mind the shift in vocals, seemingly feeling bad for Frehley, who held his own on guitar (the mic not so much).

Yes, despite the hurdles, Frehley’s guitar work remained undeniable, and he turned a night of frustration into perseverance, leaning on his catalog and band.

His solos cut through the noise, reminding fans why he and the other original members of KISS — Gene Simmons, Paul Stanley and Peter Criss — will receive Kennedy Center Honors in December.

By the end of the night, the concert by the three groups was less about perfection and more about witnessing a rock survivor prove, once again, that spacemen never let up.

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ISS has announced its upcoming KISS Kruise event in Las Vegas. The announcement has ignited controversy among fans regarding the notable absence of drummer Eric Singer from the non makeup KISS reunion performance, as KISS’ official Instagram posted.

The band’s official announcement focused on promoting the Las Vegas activities schedule for the event.

“It’s time to start mapping out your perfect KISS weekend. KISS KRUISE: Land-locked in Vegas activities schedule is officially LIVE!” the band announced.

Fans quickly expressed disappointment and frustration over Eric Singer’s unexplained absence from the lineup.

Eric Singer Snub Upsets Fans

“I love this band but now… I don’t care of this event,” one fan commented. “Moreover, Eric Singer is disappeared without any explanation… For me, the end of the road is definitely behind us.”

The backlash extended to band leaders Paul Stanley and Gene Simmons’ handling of the situation.

“I love how every interview over the last 20 years was Gene and Paul forcing the narrative that Eric and Tommy are SO important and part of KISS,” another fan wrote.

“Then, when it doesn’t matter anymore, Eric’s tossed aside with no care or explanation.”

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Gene Simmons recently shared details about a television opportunity he turned down in the early 1980s. He revealed his decision was purely financial in a statement posted on X (formerly Twitter).

The KISS frontman explained how he chose touring over a potential TV series after consulting with his business manager about the financial implications.

“ABC, in the early 80s offered me a TV series called GROTUS,” Simmons said. “I was going to do it until the business manager told me how much more I’d make on tour.”

“So I went on tour and didn’t do the series,” he continued. “Oh well.”

This revelation sheds light on the calculated business decisions that have defined Simmons’ career. The timing was particularly significant during a period when KISS was experiencing substantial commercial success.

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