Founding member Ace Frehley is displeased with his former band’s plan to live on as digital avatars, which he shared in a recent interview with Rock Antenne’s Thomas Moser.
“I don’t get this avatar thing that they’re gonna do,” Frehley told Rock Antenne. “I mean, I saw some of it on a video on YouTube last night. It kind of looked like it, you know, was geared towards children. And it’s not rock and roll.”
He added, “I get up on stage without backing tracks, plug my guitar into a Marshall, and go. That’s it. It’s always been that way and always will be.”
At the end of their last show at New York City’s Madison Square Garden on December 3, KISS unveiled a video of their avatars that ushered in their new era as a virtual band.
“Kiss army! Your love, your power has made us immortal,” declared Paul Stanley’s onscreen clone. “The new Kiss era starts now!”
The group has not yet provided any further details relating to their plans for the avatars. The founding guitarist stated that he was not impressed by the band’s plan to enter the metaverse and was not sure how the virtual experience would be showcased to the fans.
“I wish ’em well with it ’cause I’m gonna get money if they do it,” he joked.
He also noted he receives royalties from the band for his iconic Spaceman character design donned by himself and who replaced him after he left the band in 2002, Tommy Thayer.
“They’re recording some stuff with dots on their face like in the movie Avatar,” he continued. “I think the whole thing is pretty silly. It’s definitely not real rock and roll.”
Moreover, Frehley said he was “happy” Kiss had ended the End of the Road Farewell tour, “because I’m not gonna be compared to them anymore.”
Frehley released “10,000 Volts,” the title track to his upcoming solo album in late November.
“The world is congratulating me on my single, my phone never stops ringing,” he told Rock Antenne. The full album is scheduled for release on Feb. 23, 2024.
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