Paul Stanley hasn’t toured in a little over a year since KISS brought their End of the Road tour an end in December 2023. Appearing on the debut episode of the Stories To Tell With Richard Marx podcast, he says it’s been an adjustment.
“There are people who are touring constantly because they’re empty and because they need that audience positive response. Years ago for me, probably decades ago, that may have been the case. At this point, it’s been incredibly gratifying. The last tour was just a chance to really take in how valuable and how much this meant to me. But I couldn’t keep doing it any more than Michael Jordan could.
“I’ve always been more than a musician or performer — I’ve been an athlete — and you realize that you can only do that so long. I’ve been blessed to do it into my 70s, which if you told me that 50 years ago, I’d say you’re out of your mind. So, yeah, I miss it, but I don’t crave it. I think the people who really crave it are the ones who don’t find other means for gratification either from other people or self-gratification, whether it’s, for me, painting or my family or friends…”
While KISS continue to work on a five-part documentary about the farewell tour, they’ve just announced, in conjunction with Precious Sounds, two limited-edition 50th anniversary releases of their 1974 song “Strutter” on playable gold records.
The first is pressed from eight ounces of pure .999 24-karat gold and is limited to five copies worldwide. The A-side contains playable grooves, a rim engraving with each record’s unique edition number as well as the KISS logo adorned with Swarovski crystals. The B-side celebrates the original Casablanca single label etched into the gold with proof-quality finish.
It’s packaged in a luxurious coffee table display case bound in sustainable faux leather with gold foil accents and a Swarovski crystals KISS logo. The two-drawer case is hand-crafted to preserve this everlasting record for a lifetime. One drawer houses a protective sapphire crystal glass capsule and the other holds an exclusive book signed by Gene Simmons and Paul Stanley. Other accessories in the set range from the gold-accented pen utilized to sign the respective book, a laser-engraved and numbered metal certificate of authenticity, a custom-made cork record mat for optimal playback, and a microfiber cleaning cloth. Each pressing is made-to-order and will set you back $50,000.
The more affordable option, limited to 500 copies, is the Gold-Plated Edition. It comes in a custom display case with a crystal glass window, a booklet, a silicon record mat, a micro-fiber cleaning cloth, and its own hand-numbered certificate of authenticity. Orders will be limited to two copies per customer at $2,500 each.
Complete details at ShopKISSOnline.com.
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