Paul Stanley has admitted Gene Simmons used to drive him “crazy”.
The KISS guitarist has opened up about his 50-year friendship with his fellow band member, revealing some things the group’s frontman used to do would “bother” him, but Paul accepted they were his own issues he needed to overcome.
Asked what he’s learned during his working relationship with Gene, he said: “[That’s an] interesting question. Yeah, we’re very different, but we certainly share a pride in what we do, a work ethic.
“Maybe because our parents came from Europe where I think that that’s important stuff, is that pride in the work you do and to work hard for your money.
“Other than that, I think one of the things that took me a long time to learn – and I think Gene, by the way … I mean, he’s family to me; he’s a brother.
“I remember there were things about him that used to drive me crazy. Then I realised that that’s not his issue; that’s my issue.
“When people do things and it bothers you, you need to figure out why it bothers you, not expect them to change. It’s not about them. And things that used to bother me about Gene, I just had to kind of figure out, ‘Wait a minute. That’s my issue that bothers me. And why does it bother me?’ “
Paul, 70, admitted he ended up “putting a lot of that stuff aside” because he knew he was never going to make his 73-year-old fellow KISS co-founder change.
According to Blabbermouth.net, he said on this year’s Kiss Kruise: “Because he can only be the best he that he can be; he’s never gonna be me, and I’m never gonna be him. So it’s just a matter of putting a lot of that stuff aside.
“We’re not gonna change anybody else, so we need to figure out why it bothers us.”
In September, Gene admitted he doesn’t have “friends”, aside from Paul, and prefers his own company.
He said: “Even today, as I sit here, other than Paul, and we only get together when we do stuff for the band.
“How do I say this without sounding inhuman? I don’t have friends.
“Yeah, if friends means, ‘Gee, I don’t know what I’m going to do this afternoon. Hey, you want to come over and hang out?’
“I’m more interested in what I want to do, and I don’t want to pretend that I’m interested in what you want to do because I am not.”
Paul and Gene co-founded rockers KISS in 1973 alongside Ace Frehley and Peter Criss.