Kiss bassist Gene Simmons has offered a brief response to former guitarist Ace Frehley’s recent “gloves are off” statement.

Last month Frehley branded his ex-colleague an “asshole and a sex addict” in an outburst that followed Simmons’ comments about why an original lineup reunion would not be a major part, if any, of the band’s current farewell tour. Frehley also claimed Simmons had tried to hit on his wife last year, and that “slanderous” references to the guitarist’s substance abuse issues had cost him “millions of dollars.”

In a new interview Simmons told the L.A. Times: “I'm not gonna say anything in print other than I love Ace and Peter [Criss] and I thank them forever — they're every bit as important as Paul [Stanley] and myself for launching the band. I’m not going to make any guesses of why the emotions are so volatile, but it's happened before.”

Frontman Stanley previously told Billboard he was refusing to be “sidetracked by anything” including Frehley’s statements, adding: “I have no comment about that.”

In the new interview Stanley also reflected on the changes in the band’s touring practices over thee decades. “About 25 years ago when we first were approached with the idea of having a plane, we were totally against it because we thought that it was excessive and symptomatic of everything we didn't want to do or be. But it allows you to do more shows; you actually work harder, but the grind is easier.”

 

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