After selling KISS-branded bags full of air, it’s not that much of a stretch to imagine that someone might want to interview the band about their merchandising. Billboard did that, talking to Paul Stanley, but strangely didn’t bring that up in the interview. That being said, it’s still a pretty interesting interview, with Stanley giving credit to the band’s original merchandiser, Bill Aucoin, for coming up with the idea of heavily merchandising the band. The band now have 125 global licenses. When asked what his favorite merchandise item is, Stanley points back to a tried and true item, the band’s many T-shirt designs.
And while Ace Frehley has suggested that he might rejoin the band at some point in time. Stanley quickly put the kibosh on those rumors when asked if it was something that might happen:
No. And that’s not coming from any place of animosity. I sang on Ace’s most recent album and did a video with him. I have the connection and the reconnection and to celebrate the good things we’ve done together is terrific. The band as it is—I’ve played with Eric Singer for I think 25 years and Tommy’s [Thayer] been in the band probably 15 years at this point. I have no thoughts of re-visiting the past. With that said I am happy to enhance or do whatever i can for anyone who has helped put me where I am, but that doesn’t include getting hitched again to somebody I unhitched from.
There you have it. At least Ace’s solo career is going well. With his last two albums debuting in the top ten, he doesn’t even really need KISS at this point.
