Back in September, the rock band Jane’s Addiction took the stage in Boston for a concert at the Leader Bank Pavilion. Part of the band’s ongoing tour, singer Perry Farrell appeared to grow agitated with the group and eventually took his frustrations out on Dave Navarro when he decided to punch the musician. With crew jumping in to stop the fight, Jane’s Addiction decided to cancel their upcoming show and eventually the remainder of the tour. With apologies issued to fans and fellow band members, KISS frontman Paul Stanley opened up about the cardinal rule for any group.
Videos by American Songwriter
Appearing on Steve-O’s Wild Ride! Podcast, Stanley discussed the heated exchange between Navarro and Farrell. Having spent decades in the spotlight, traveling the world with Kiss, the rockstar knew about the frustrations that can take over a band. He told Steve-O, “Cardinal rule—you don’t hit. And you don’t bring your problems on stage. You leave your ego—well, that’s more difficult. But you leave your anger and your resentment at the bottom of the stairs. And we would go on stage and have a great time sometimes playing and then walk off stage and not be talking to each other.”
[RELATED: Paul Stanley Hypes KISS Avatar Show and Promises Fans Will “Love” It]
Paul Stanley Recalled How KISS Handled Clashing Opinions
Proving just how much he cared about fans over his own emotions, Stanley insisted each concert is about the fans. “The audience doesn’t deserve that. The audience paid.” He continued, “People get one chance to see you, possibly on a tour. It doesn’t matter about last night or about the night after — that’s their night, and for them to see you not interacting with your bandmate, that’s kid s**t. That’s disrespectful to the people who paid.”
Using his own past as an example, Stanley claimed KISS struggled with clashing opinions more than once. But knowing the job was to give fans one hell of a show, he noted, “There was a few times [in KISS’s touring days] where there were two people who wouldn’t be talking to two other people. You go up on stage and rock out and have a great time and then you walk off stage and you don’t have anything to do with them. It’s your job.”
(Photo by Michael Tullberg/Getty Images)
Leave a Reply
Only members can comment. Become a member. Already a member? Log in.