KISS won't rock and roll all night when they are inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in April, the band said in a statement. The veteran group is unable to agree on which lineup should perform during the April 10th ceremony in New York, and has decided not to perform.

The dispute concerns whether original members Ace Frehley and Peter Criss would join Gene Simmons and Paul Stanley in a live performance, or whether the current lineup of Stanley, Simmons, Eric Singer and Tommy Thayer would play instead.

In a message on their website, KISS said: "To All Our Fans In Regards To The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame: out of respect, Ace and Peter's recent statements demand a quick response to you, our fans.

"Our intention was to celebrate the entire history of KISS and give credit to all members including long time present members Tommy Thayer and Eric Singer, and additionally Bruce Kulick and Eric Carr all who have made this band what it is, regardless of the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame's point of view.

"Although KISS has moved forward far longer without them, Ace and Peter are at the very foundation of what we have built and this would all be impossible had they not been a part of it in the beginning. It is over 13 years since the original lineup has played together in make-up and we believe the memory of those times would not be enhanced. Contrary to claims made through the media we have never refused to play with Ace and Peter.

"We have spent 40 years dedicated to building KISS without quitting or wavering as the band has moved forward with huge tours and platinum albums through different important lineups for forty years, to this day. KISS has always been a band unlike any other. That is why we started KISS. That is why we continue KISS. Being unlike other bands also means making choices and decisions unlike other bands. This is understandably an emotional situation where there is no way to please everyone.

"To bring this to a quick end, we have decided not to play in any line-up and we will focus our attention on celebrating our induction into the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame. We are excited and are looking forward to seeing you all on the KISS 40th Anniversary worldwide tour."




The dispute was brought to a boil when Ace Frehley called into Eddie Trunk's syndicated radio show to say that Simmons and Stanley had rejected a reunion with the original four members for the induction. "They just shot down any type of reunion with us," Frehley said during the broadcast. "It's very frustrating. It's what the fans wanted, it's what the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame wanted, and it's not gonna happen. You don't want to do something for the fans after 40 years of them supporting you?"

Peter Criss, said he wanted to let fans know there would be no reunion before they bought tickets for the induction ceremony, which range from $120 to nearly $600. "This is disgraceful, and I feel bad for the fans who were looking forward to the four of us being inducted together," he said.

KISS began in 1972, and the original lineup played together until 1980. They reunited in 1996 until 2000 but the band has continued with replacement members for Frehley and Criss.

Source:	kissonline.com
Band profile:	KISS