KISS’ Paul Stanley Reveals Song He Wants Played at His Funeral: “I’d Like to Leave Them Either Crying or Laughing”

At 71 years old, frontman Paul Stanley has spent the majority of his life with KISS, helping them sell millions of records and become one of the top hard-rock bands of all time. Although the band performed their final show at New York’s Madison Square Garden earlier this month, they announced a new concert coming in 2027 featuring a digital version of themselves. As he marked the end of an era, Stanley recently touched on a few topics with Classic Rock, such as the best and worst records he helped make and which song he would like performed at his funeral.

When it comes to the worst record ever produced by KISS, Stanley didn’t hesitate to point to Music from The Elder. The musician also placed Unmasked on the list of worst albums to come from the band. His reasoning: “Unmasked was tepid and had no balls to it. Actually, the band at that point probably had no balls to it either. The Elder was a misguided attempt at impressing people who we shouldn’t have been trying to impress—the critics.”

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As for the best record to come from KISS, that honor went to an album focused on bringing their concert to every fan. Knowing that not every fan of KISS got the opportunity to see them perform live, Stanley said, “We constructed the ultimate KISS album and the ultimate live album in KISS Alive! We wanted to immerse you in the audience at a KISS show—to hear the noise of people around you, for the explosions to be as loud as if you were there.”

Paul Stanley Names Greatest Album Of All Time

When the subject of which song he’d like to have played at his funeral came up, it appears the singer wants a song that would be reflective of his lifestyle. “Maybe it would be a good kick in the ass if I had ‘Wild Thing,’” he said. “I’d like to leave them either crying or laughing.” 

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As for the greatest albums of all time, that honor didn’t go to KISS. As Stanley explained, “The first Led Zeppelin album is a must. I love The Temptations and Otis Redding. And The Beatles’ Rubber Soul is so eloquent in its simplicity. The emotion in it makes it extraordinary.”

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