Excerpt from Sean Delaney's new book "The 5th Kiss"
*STAR*
It was really eerie. I watched in horror as Gene actually pulled the
plug on his life support.
Eric Carr's parents later protested and threatened to sue in court, but
fighting Gene and the record company would be like fighting City Hall.
It just was a sad event we all chose to forget.
Strangely enough a few tracks from Genes early solo album were playing
in the background. At first I didn't know where the music came from, but
Gene had brought a portable stereo into the room with him. Typical Gene.
No one else gets the spotlight, even when death is involved.
We all watched in sadness as Eric slipped away. Gene almost had a smirk
on his face as if to say "aha! I am free of any medical bills" It was
hardly the case. Sure Kiss paid for Eric's health insurance, but it was
an insurance premium bill, not Eric's actual medical bills. A small
premium to pay for life if you ask me. I really believed Eric died of a
broken heart. Gene fired him via telephone and it crushed
him. Gene could have at least had the class to do it in person. And
always on his mind was the cost of health insurance. If Gene had gotten
his way only he and Paul would have had coverage. He was just that much
of a bastard.
Gene never was a kind person. He never took a liking to me. In fact
still to this day he hardly gives me any credit. He used to stand there
like a lifeless stiff in the costume. I was the one who told him to
prance around all hunched over.. Make yourself into a sort of a
'Frankenstein" monster. Stick out your tongue, rolls your eyes, twist
your head. At first he was very reluctant, even defiant that he would
never do such a thing. Stupid!, stupid he always said. If it weren't for
Bill's persistence he would not have done what I asked. And to this day,
these are still the motions that define his character. Without them he
would just be another stiff in a costume. Gene you need to give credit
where credit is due please!
Funny enough it was Ace and Peter who took a liking to the characters.
Ask Gene and Paul today and they will say 'Ace and Peter" were always a
couple of reluctant fuckups to everything we did. Not always the case.
Ace had for years fantasized about being a Superhero, and now in the
costume it was his chance. Peter loved experimenting with his makeup and
tried several versions of the "cat man" over the years. Gene and Paul
were actually the reluctant ones. Some days I would just throw my hands
up in the air and ask myself "How can these two (Peter and Ace) put up
with Gene and Paul's constant control issues"? If we had listened to
Gene, Kiss would be standing around like stiffs with dark sunglasses on;
"looking cool" as Gene put it. No fire breathing, no blood, no smoking
guitar and no Superhero image. That's right folks. Nothing! Who do you
think idealized and built that lighted staircase they walked down? It
was me.. I built every friggin' step on those stairs with hand tools
from my garage!
Back to Eric. Eric Carr was a swell guy. Always happy to do whatever
Gene and Paul asked. But, he was always treated as a second class
citizen. How a band could survive together with that type of harmony,
i.e. or lack there-of it is beyond me. When Gene and Paul ate in the
finest restaurants on the bands budget, Eric was out getting a sub
sandwich with his own pocket cash. When Gene and Paul rode around in
Limos they never invited anyone else. Peter and Ace had to provide much
of their own transportation, and as far as Eric was concerned it was up
to him to make the shows. Many times I drove Eric to the gigs in my
station wagon because he didn't have enough cash to hire a taxi. How
Gene expected anyone to show up on time for every event under these
circumstances is beyond me.
When Eric snagged his costume and it tore, Gene refused to pay for the
stitching repair out of the groups touring budget. He told him, "you
should have been more careful". And when women were involved it was Gene
who dominated, or at least tried to. Whenever a woman was interested in
Eric, Gene just had to have her. He was not going to let one female pass
through his clutches. He even did the lowly thing of telling one fan "
Oh him, (Eric) he is just a roadie". Anything to get laid. I would look
at him and laugh when he was eye-balling a girl who was interested in
me. Gene knew better. Back in those days I pumped iron as much as 4
hours per day. I would have broke gene in half like a pretzel stick if
he tried to move in on my girl; and he knew it too.
Chapter 18- Live to fight another day.
I had finally had it. It was too much to deal with. Eric, Ace and Peter
were all gone. Bill was on his way out too. It was just a matter of time
before I called it quits. Gene's grip on the band got tighter and
tighter. Paul was even feeling it. He vacationed more and more to get
away from Gene and the band. The song writing suffered to. This was a
period of some of Kiss's worst albums.
Gene figured kids were dumb enough to buy anything with KISS stamped on
it. So why pump a lot of money into a good album when we can just sell
them anything. We can even make more money. That was bottom line with
Gene: MONEY. Bill came forward with a few wonderful ideas. Lets make a
stage with a theme to match the album. Give the fans another big stage
show, something to really see!. Nope Gene said too expensive. Then Bill
suggested some new modified up to date costumes, we need a new look NO
again was Genes reply, our old costumes are good enough. In fact I used
to run those costumes to the dry cleaner on a regular basis. They were
becoming tattered rags they had so much wear for the worse on them. It
got to a point where Gene refused to pay the dry cleaning bill on Eric's
body suit. I used to fill the hotel sinks with water and a few drops of
detergent. I would wash the costume so it would be more pleasant for
Eric to wear. Gene was just that cheap.
Once we were eating in a small deli on New York's east side. Gene had a
large deli sandwich of which he only ate half of. One of our stage crew
was with us and he was a sizeable man. He had finished his own lunch and
asked Gene if he could eat the other half of the sandwich since he
didn't want it. Gene replied no, I am taking that (sandwich) with me for
later Well, the sandwich sat and the waitress finally carried it away.
Gene never really wanted it for later. When it came time for the bill,
Gene notified us he had no money on him. Well, the crew member ended up
buying Genes lunch. Later that afternoon Gene opened his wallet to
reveal he had quite a bit of money on him. He did things like that so no
one could have anything for free.
My breaking point in the band was right after Ace had left. YES Ace did
leave under his own power. Gene likes to think he fired Ace, but that's
really farthest from the truth. I was there. Ace had gotten fed up with
Genes control issues. Ace liked Bill's ideas about a new stage, new
images, and some time off.. Ace wanted time off to write quality songs,
or have some hired help with the songwriting. Ace thought KISS was
getting stale. Gene never let anyone have any say in matters, and Ace
felt he had at least 25% opinion in band decisions. Ace just got fed up
and left. On his way out he reminded Gene of the money he was owed for
that quarter.
You see Gene kept the bands money in a pool. The band got paid
quarterly. Gene and Bill BOTH had to sign the checks so funds could be
released. If Gene didn't sign, Bill's signature only was not good enough
to cash the check. I recall Ace was owed somewhere near one million
dollars. It was for his services to the band up to and not after the day
he quit. Gene refused to pay him. It was wrong. To this day Ace has a
rift with Gene over that money. Now anyone can see why there is so much
friction between them.
Well, my day of reckoning finally arrived. Gene was in a bad way in
Denver. I was running all around trying to get things set up for the
show. Gene was being a real tyrant. He got particularly mad at Eric who
had arrived about 20 minutes late for sound check. It wasn't Eric's
fault really. The cabbie made a wrong turn and got stuck in traffic.
Gene couldn't accept that for an answer. In fact had Eric been allowed
to ride with Gene and Paul like a human being he would not have been
late, nor would he have needed a taxi.
This really rubbed me the wrong way. In fact Gene was being a jerk to
everyone. Bill was nowhere in sight so Gene was running wild with his
mouth. At the time I was holding a piece of the stage lighting rig in my
hands. It was a large piece of hollow pipe. I was doing double duty
helping with the lighting. In a sort of joking way I said to Gene Why
don't you pick on someone your own size Gene replied, excuse me I asked
again. Why don't you pick on someone your own size Gene got very red in
the face. Everyone in the crew stopped what he or she was doing. They
were shocked that someone would talk to the mighty Gene Simmons that
way. Gene looked at me and replied you are just a roadie and your
opinion around here means nothing to anyone Well, I had the pipe in my
hands. The first thought through my head was one swing Simmons and I
would knock your head right off your shoulders Instead I gently laid the
pipe down and walked over to him. You see I stand about 3 inches taller
than Gene and I am quite a bit wider. I always practiced bodybuilding
since my college days. Gene was very thin and somewhat frail back then.
I got face to face with him and said why don't you shut me up then At
that point everyone in the crew was watching us. I could see Gene was
afraid of me. He started to mumble something and I inched even closer to
him. He stopped dead in his tracks. He got even redder in the face,
turned from me and walked backstage. That was that. It felt good. I felt
like a David in a David and Goliath movie. That afternoon, I put all my
tools away, left the lighting where it was on stage, packed my bags and
walked out. I had worked the entire last week and two days of this week.
I was owed for 6 days labor which I completed in a professional manner.
After many requests I was not given my last paycheck. Gene refused my
calls and at one point Bill did also. I am sure Gene told Bill not to
take my calls. So I was shorted out of the pay that was owed me. Now I
know how Ace had felt.
==^==
OK, Gene haters! Don't hold back!!
And remember, Sean Delaney is dead. This book is a posthumous release.
Rock Guitar Seattle
(*STAR*) wrote:
>
>OK, Gene haters! Don't hold back!!
>
>And remember, Sean Delaney is dead. This book is a posthumous release.
So Sean wanted to avoid getting sued and waited to release it until
after he was dead??
Y'know I had heard some pretty bad stories about Gene over the years
from friends of mine in the music biz, but never *read* anything to
corroborate them. Now I have...
He really *is* a motherfucker, isn't he?
GotPlan
===
AJ IS A RACIST
"Wrong. I hate to say as myself, I'm more far SUPERIOR IQ than many people
around here in RMAK!!!You attack me as English skills is no excuse and you are
insults." - WESLEY
"My conscious is clear"-AJ,KISS...@WEBTV.NET
Matthew J
Hidell
solo album playing at the time?
That seems a little far fetched. I don't put anything past Gene, but
Delaney is a terrible writer. I didn't really get a sense of what was going
on.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
http://www.savethechimps.org/
Kissfucco
THIS WHOLE STORY IS ALL B.S.
DONT BELIEVE THIS CRAP.
THINK ABOUT THIS.
SEAN DELANEY AND BILL AUCOIN DID
NOT WORK FOR KISS IN 1991 WHEN ERIC DIED.
ENOUGH SAID!!!!!
Byron Fogle
everything that was happening to him
#2 Bill also gave Sean his stories since Bill is not interested in the
headaches that come with a Kiss book (Gene's threats)
most is true some is a little exaggerated though
"Kissfucco" <kiss...@aol.com> wrote in message
news:20030918215323...@mb-m06.aol.com...
Byron Fogle
it's an excerpt from Sean's book that someone got a hold of somehow
"GotPlan" <got...@aol.com> wrote in message
news:20030918211209...@mb-m01.aol.com...
Arrogant
> NOT WORK FOR KISS IN 1991 WHEN ERIC DIED.
>
> ENOUGH SAID!!!!!
That's exactly what I was thinking. It's all bullshit.
guitarious jamicus
|That's exactly what I was thinking. It's all bullshit.
Of course it's bullshit, Gene would never leave half a sandwich uneaten!
*STAR*
>WRITTEN STORIES TOO
I got it from someone else, Mr. RMAK Spell Check. And maybe so, you do
make poorly thought out flames.
GotPlan
FUCK YOU
GotPlan
>|That's exactly what I was thinking. It's all bullshit.
>==================================
>
>Of course it's bullshit, Gene would never leave half a sandwich uneaten!
PLUS SEAN DELANEY WAS GAY, SO HE WOULDN'T BE FIGHTING WITH GENE OVER WOMEN
AJ
I believe everything said in those excerpts. Some of it, especially the
issue of Carr's final days, has been echoed by others. Gene IS an
asshole.
You will believe anything. Are you people really that fucking gullable?
Tattoo Vampire
> I got it from someone else, Mr. RMAK Spell Check. And maybe so, you do
> make poorly thought out flames.
If that is actually an excerpt from the book, then whoever edited the
thing needs to be fired. No editor worth anything would allow such sloppy
writing to make it into the final proof.
GotPlan
>You will believe anything. Are you people really that fucking gullable?
"GULLABLE"?
Hidell
Coming from the guy who believes Saddam Hussein was behind 9/11, this post
has shown me the true meaning of irony.
Don't worry though, Kroeger. Gene still cares about you.
No, really, he does.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
http://www.savethechimps.org/
*STAR*
oooooo, what's the matter, spellchecker? Hit a nerve, did I? Damn,
that's a truly lame response. Go to a flame group, get your ass burned
and learn a few lessons, little boy. You're nowhere near the big leagues
yet.
<YAAAAAAWWWWWWNNNNNNN>
GotPlan
GO TO HELL
Always Believe!
*STAR*
AWWWW, can't do any better than that, huh? I guess when you're so
obsessed with hatred for AJ that you've got to have him in your sig for
every post, there isn't much time to spend on becoming a better flamer.
Nope, you've got to display how bad you hate someone, and it's most
surely eating you up like a cancer. Or is it that you secretly wish you
could be like him? You're the true racist anyway. Unless you can stop
with that, you'll never try to build your flaming skills up, spellcheck.
Don't even bother to respond to this post, either, you bore the hell
outta me.
GotPlan
DUDE YOU'RE A STUPID LITTLE FLAMER, YOU FUCKING CHILD MOLESTER
KLOWNBAND
The part about Gene being afriad to steal his girls is funny since Delaney was
a peter puffer.
GotPlan
>Sean Delany was a homo and a drug addict.
>
>The part about Gene being afriad to steal his girls is funny since Delaney
>was
>a peter puffer.
>
LEARN TO SPELL, FATMAN
guitarious jamicus
The part about Gene being afriad to steal his girls is funny since
Delaney was a peter puffer.
He picked a peck of pickled peckers?
AJ
Coming from the guy who believes Saddam Hussein was behind 9/11, this
post has shown me the true meaning of irony.
*First off, I don't believe that nor have I ever claimed that. Get your
lies straight and comprehend what you read.
GotPlan
*WRONG AGAIN, I DON'T HAVE AOL