Could this be the beginning... of the end? Is It 'The End Of The Road' For KISS? The KISS Catalog corporation has filed a trademark application to apply the term "End of the Road" to as-yet-unspecified "entertainment services," including "live performances by a musical band." Needless to say, KISS fanboys are already going berserk on social media. "OMG! It's the final FINAL tour! I know a guy who knows a guy who knows Gene's pool boy's cousin, and HE sez he heard that it's gonna be ALL the surviving members on stage, past and present, including Vinnie Vincent and Ace and Peter, and they're gonna play one big show that lasts for seventeen hours and blah blah blah..." (I exaggerate slightly for humorous effect but that's pretty much what some of the posts sounded like.) Of course, this could just be the KISS guys staking a claim on that tour name to keep it "on hold" so nobody snipes it till they're truly ready, but I guess we'll see.
There's no way I'd believe that anything is a final tour for KISS. Heck, the Rolling Stones had a Farewell Tour about 25 years ago and they're still at it. I think they're now on their "No, Really, We're Not Kidding This Time, This Is Our 'Final Goodbye' Farewell Tour, Part VII". And that's the Stones , not KISS. I'd believe that the Stones are hanging it up way before I'd believe that KISS is. With Gene, I'd never believe anything aside from "I'll market this however will make the most money, and then we'll move on to the next thing." At that, I love KISS and Gene (and the Stones) and I wish they'd continue forever.
As usual though, there's a big difference between announcing a farewell tour when you're in your late 40's, and when you're about to hit 70.
I figured that eventually all four would be replaced by lifelike android duplicates, ala "Kiss Meets the Phantom." ...unless it's happened already (looks around nervously)...
Its remarkable that the band is still doing a full show in full costumes at their ages with Paul 66yrs & Gene 68 yrs.
I could see this End of the Road thing as a 3-5 year plan to really drag it out. At that point Paul and Gene will be over 70 years old.
Never discount the possibility that it’s the end of this version of KISS and KISS 2.0 will be unveiled and they’ll see how that goes. It’s been discussed many times, but it’s a talking point.
I don't get the need to trademark such a generic and long-used term? Does it mean they can sue any other bands who try to stage an "End of the Road" tour? Like I could maybe see it if it were a new phrase ("So long - it's Gene good to know you" or "Music from the Elderly"?)... but then I am not a lawyer.
I've heard this repeated a few times but the Stones have never declared any tour as the final one, ever. Heck, at the end of the '82 tour Mick even said, "We'll see you next year!" even though it took seven for them to get back on stage. That the Stones ever went on a farewell tour is a falsity I see repeated too many times. It wasn't true 35 years ago, 25 years ago, or last week. Now as for The Who.............
Their '80's? Maybe. Maybe KISS will be the rock and roll version of the Temptations and the Coasters. Guys will will quit or die, they'll get replaced by younger guys, the cycle continues and we'll be watching KISS through the next millennium. Well, I won't be watching, but . . . .
Yes: I suppose it's conceivable that they will wind down the big production concerts, which will make the cruises an even hotter ticket. There does seem to have been a settling of old scores and burying of hatchets, recently, though, don't you think? Vinnie Vincent is now effectively back in the fold, Ace is helping Gene deliver his vaults all over the world. Not sure about Peter, though....
Surely the franchise could be kept going forever? Just get four young dudes to dress up as Kiss and keep the pantomime going.
Eh. They should have hung it up quite a while ago. As far as a KISS 2.0, if it does happen, I seriously doubt it will be more than a Vegas thing.
And I almost think they never will, cause I don't see the Glimmer Twins living the retired life (Charlie, maybe).
I believe I read an interview once with Gene where he discussed the possibility of replacing himself and Paul and just holding the licensing. This already happens in Blood Sweat and Tears, Foreigner (occasionally), Blackfoot and The Guess Who. I'm sure there are others. And I'm sure KISS would be bigger than any of these. Maybe even go the Trans-Siberian Orchestra route and have multiple lineups doing the stage show.
