Gene Simmons, Paul Stanley Address Rumors That Eddie Van Hal

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kisslolo
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Gene Simmons, Paul Stanley Address Rumors That Eddie Van Hal

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Gene Simmons, Paul Stanley Address Rumors That Eddie Van Halen Wanted To Join KISS

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Gene Simmons has always boasted that Edward Van Halen asked if he could join Kiss in 1982. This crazy-sounding rumor has always baffled many. Would Eddie really want to join KISS at the time Van Halen’s fame was skyrocketing and Kiss’s fame was waning?

In the new issue of Guitar World magazine (April 2014), Kiss guitarist Paul Stanley and bassist Gene Simmons celebrate their upcoming Rock and Roll Hall of Fame induction with a pair of revealing interviews about their 40 years in Kiss. Guitar World was sure to ask both Gene and Paul about this Van Halen rumor during their separate interviews.

Paul’s answer:


Guitar World: There have always been rumors that around the time of Creatures of the Night, Eddie Van Halen had asked to join Kiss.

Paul Stanley: I never heard that. Eddie did come down to the studio during Creatures, and he spoke to me on the phone during that period. There was real dissension in the band at that time, that much was clear. But as far as I’m wanting to join Kiss? No, not that I know about. Doesn’t mean it didn’t happen, but I never heard it. But you have two interviews here.

Gene’s answer:


Guitar World: Speaking of all the guitarists who passed through Kiss’ ranks in the ’80s, is it true that Eddie Van Halen wanted to join the band around the time of Creatures of the Night?

Gene Simmons: That is true. And he was very serious. He was so unhappy about how he and [David Lee] Roth were – or weren’t – getting along. He couldn’t stand him. And drugs were rampant. And so he took me to lunch, to a diner right across the street from the Record Plant. Vinnie Vincent, who was not yet in Kiss, tagged along, too. Sneaky guy. And Eddie said, “I want to join kiss. I don’t want to fight anymore with Roth. I’m sick and tired of it. ” But I told him, “Eddie, there’s not enough room. You need to be in a band where you can direct the music. You’re not going to be happy in Kiss.” I talked him out of it. It didn’t fit.

Guitar World: If Eddie had joined at that time, he would have been in makeup.

Gene Simmons: Yes. But he was about the same size as Vinnie Vincent. Little guy.

Is Gene making a bigger deal out of it then it was? Was Eddie dead serious, or did he just want a shoulder to cry on? If Gene said yes, would Ed have really left his band? It’s hard for us to imagine.

Whatever happened between Eddie and Gene in 1982, there were a few interesting things going on in the late seventies between the bands. Here’s what we know happened around 1977:

1) Gene flew Van Halen to New York City and produced a demo of 10 songs for the band. He tried to help them get a record deal.

2) The Van Halen brothers recorded three songs with Kiss: “Christine Sixteen,” “Love For Sale,”
and “Tunnel Of Love.” A three-track recording exists, but remains unreleased and uncirculated.

3) Before Van Halen was signed, Gene repeatedly tried to recruit Eddie for Kiss (just the opposite of what Gene says happened in 1982). This was expanded upon by David Lee Roth in his autobiography , and by Wally “Cartoon” Olney, a close friend of the band’s in the early days .

As for Eddie wanting to join Kiss in ’82, we have yet to hear Eddie’s side of the story

http://www.vhnd.com/2014/03/11/kiss-vh-rumors/
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Re: Gene Simmons, Paul Stanley Address Rumors That Eddie Van

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Eddie Van Halen Responds to Gene Simmon’s Claim About Supposedly Wanting To Join KISS

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Kiss’s Gene Simmons claims that he once had to talk Eddie Van Halen out of leaving Van Halen and joining Kiss. Gene has repeated this story a few times over the last 20 years, but we’ve never heard what Eddie Van Halen has to say about this story…until now!

The Van Halen News Desk has dug up a rare interview in which Eddie was asked about this rumor! This interview, embed below, was conducted by Alan K. Stout of The Times Leader. Alan states, ”It’s not everyday that a guy who, as a kid, wore a Van Halen t-shirt to school all the time and wore a “VH” necklace gets to chat at length with the guitar legend. But that’s what happened to me at The Times Leader back in the spring of 1995.”

It’s a typical Balance era interview until the interviewer pops the off-the-record question (at the 15:45 mark). Here’s the transcription of the Kiss – related segment:


Interviewer: I have this book [Kiss's coffee table book] KISSTORY, and there is a passage in there about you.

Eddie: Wow!

It said back around ’82, you had dinner or lunch with Gene and Paul in L.A., and Ace [Frehley] had just quit, and you weren’t happy, and they talked about bringing you into the band. Is that true?

Not that I know of.

[Laughs] I didn’t think it was!

Unless I was so fucked up I don’t remember…? They might have asked me…?

I thought that’s a fascinating Eddie Van Halen story that I don’t think anybody knows.

Not even me! Wow. No, I don’t have a clue. They might have just asked me in passing, and I just kind of laughed it off, probably.

[Laughs] Yeah! I didn’t think it was something that was being seriously talked about.

If it happened I’m sure i would have remembered.

[Laughs] Funny story.

Thats hilarious. Maybe they did ask me and I just thought they were joking…?

So, there you have it. Eddie’s answer was about what we figured it would be. What do you think is the real story? Gene insists this happened. Paul Stanley was just asked about this rumor, and said he never heard anything about it before. Eddie has never publicly said anything about ever wanting to join Kiss. Who do you think is telling the truth? And who’s telling a different kind of truth?



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Re: Gene Simmons, Paul Stanley Address Rumors That Eddie Van

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They asked Gene recently and the Eddie one is old, he may wish to remember more these days, less to hide and ask that.

I never knew that Vinnie was there, what happened Vinnie?

The issue that Eddie would have had being in Kiss you experienced.
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Re: Gene Simmons, Paul Stanley Address Rumors That Eddie Van

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I'd known about the lunch date for a while. I even think Vinnie mentions it in an interview.

Eddie in makeup??? No way! Not with the buck teeth he had back then!! H'ed be too easily recognised.
Promises made, crying in vain, all empty. Never accepting the blame and not letting go of the shame. A river of tears, as months turn to years, all wasted. On someone not willing to change.Now only a shadow remains! :(
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