Check out an excerpt from Paul Stanley's speech
The original Kiss lineup, featuring Gene Simmons, Paul Stanley, Ace Frehley, and Peter Criss, was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame last night. Despite putting recent personal conflicts aside and taking the stage together, the members decided not to perform at the ceremony.
Introduced by Rage Against The Machine guitarist Tom Morello, each member of Kiss spoke about the importance of the band and their career. Paul Stanley, who spoke last, took the opportunity to criticize the Hall of Fame institution, urging public participation in the voting process. Here's an excerpt from his speech:
“I believe that the spirit of Rock and Roll is to follow your own path, no matter what the critics or other people say. I think we’ve done that for 40 years. We’re here tonight being introduced by the same things that criticized us before.”.
People are talking to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and they're saying they want more. They want to be part of the process, the voting, the nomination. They don't want to be served by a handful of people. It's the public that pays for the tickets, that buys the albums. The group that nominates the musicians doesn't do that.
I am here today for the people who have inspired me and for the people I have inspired. God bless you all. This is a great night.”
Watch excerpts from the ceremony below (without subtitles), on HBO:
