Gene Simmons is thinking wistfully. He wonders how he could have done things differently regarding two former KISS bandmates, Peter Criss and the late Ace Frehley. Per People, at the KiSS Kruise in Las Vegas on November 16, Simmons, 76, mused about what might have been.
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Per the outlet, he said, "If I have any regrets, my hand to God, it's that I sometimes — and I think we all go through this sometimes — wish we were smarter and better at trying to help Ace [Frehley] and Peter [Criss] have better lives."
Simmons Admits That Distractions Prevented Them From Facing Challenging Issues
He explained that there was sometimes a kind of don't-rock-the-boat mentality. "Let's just continue doing the tour because you want to get through it for selfish reasons because it's working, and the chicks, and the money, and you don't want to ruin anything. Meantime, somebody who might be your brother is ruining their life by bad decisions."
He Advocates a Tough Love Approach
Simmons, the KISS co-lead singer and co-founder, weighed in on the tough love strategy. "Tough love is a good idea in my opinion, with your children, with the people you love, with the people you care about, with the people you work with...in the long run you're going to be helping that person hopefully change their life."
What Happened to Criss and Frehley?
Peter Criss, 79, was a singer, the original drummer, and a co-founder of KISS. Per the bio on his web site, he exited KISS in 1980 and went solo. The band members got together 15 years later for a Reunion Tour. followed by a Farewell Tour. "After the Farewell Tour, Peter briefly re-joined the band and appeared on the KISS Symphony: Alive IV album and DVD."
Ace Frehley died on October 16, 2025 at the age of 74. He passed away from accidental blunt trauma head injuries caused by a fall, according to People. At the time, his family issued a sorrowful statement. "We are completely devastated and heartbroken. In his last moments, we were fortunate enough to have been able to surround him with loving, caring, peaceful words, thoughts, prayers and intentions as he left this earth."
