Gene Simmons compares Kiss's original line-up to 'a cancer'

Co-founder slams Ace Frehley and Peter Criss, ending hope of reunion should Kiss join the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame

Kiss tell their rock'n'roll tale in their own words

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Not even rock'n'roll's greatest honour could persuade Gene Simmons to reform Kiss's original line-up. Describing his former bandmates as "a cancer", Simmons dismissed the idea of a 40th anniversary reunion, should the band be accepted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.

Kiss are one of 16 nominees for this year's hall of fame inductions, vying for a place alongside Nirvana, NWA, Chic, Deep Purple and many more. But even if they do get selected for the gala in April, don't count on a reunion with Ace Frehley, their original lead guitarist, or Peter Criss, who first played drums.

"No," Simmons recently told "When you have a cancer in your system, it's best to cut it out as fast as you can. It used to be a part of your body [but] then it turned into cancer so you gotta cut it out."

"Both of these guys had three chances to be in the band and three times they fucked it up," Simmons claimed. "They were every bit as important as we were at the formation of the band and they would have been the ruin of the band had they continued in it ... How many chances in life do you get? When you stick your hand in the fire, you get burned the first time."

Kiss original line-up Simmons Stanley Criss Frehley
First Kiss: the band's original line-up of (from left) bassist Gene Simmons, guitarist Paul Stanley, drummer Peter Criss and guitarist Ace Frehley. Photograph: Sportsphoto Ltd/Allstar

Neither Frehley nor Criss have played with Kiss in about 10 years. Both were intermittent members over the group's first three decades, and donned the facepaint for an original line-up tour in 2000-01. "When they were in the band they were both on junk, or crack or alcohol," Simmons alleged. "I believe that both Ace and Peter are happier now."

Neither Frehley nor Criss have responded to Simmons's latest comments.