PETER CRISS says receiving Kennedy Center Honor is a dream: “I never thought I'd be doing something like this”
09-12-2025
The three living original members of KISS — guitarist/vocalist Paul Stanley, bassist/vocalist Gene Simmons and drummer Peter Criss — reunited on the red carpet at the Kennedy Center Honors on Sunday, December 7 in Washington D.C., less than two months after the death of their longtime bandmate, original KISS guitarist Ace Frehley.
Stanley, Simmons and Criss were all clad in black tuxedos and medals as they made their entrance at the John F. Kennedy Center For The Performing Arts for the 48th annual Kennedy Center Honors, which was hosted by U.S. president Donald Trump and also honored songwriter George Strait, actors Michael Crawford and Sylvester Stallone and singer Gloria Gaynor.
Asked what it has been like spending time in Washington D.C. for this year’s Kennedy Center Honors, Criss said: “A dream. I’m a big history kid, so we got here early. I wanted to see where Lincoln was assassinated, which was very heavy. I had tears. We went over where he passed. Then we went to the archives, which no one’s allowed. And I saw Declaration Of [Independence], all these amazing things, all this great stuff. I’m a big history kid, so it’s been cool.”
Peter continued: I’m a kid from the streets of Brooklyn. I never thought ever I’d be doing something like this. And it’s been such a good year. I have a new album coming out December 19th. My birthday’s the 20th. I’m turning 80, and here I am at the Kennedy Center. Wow. So it’s been a really ‘wow’ year for me. I’m a very Catholic kid, so I’m gonna go to church all week next week when I get home… God couldn’t have given me more stuff, for a kid from the streets of Brooklyn. I can’t believe I was in the White House. Holy mackerel, the White House.”
The drummer went on to say: “I wish my parents were here to see it. And we lost our guitarist five weeks ago, Ace. He had a horrible accident. I wish he was here.
“It’s a dream. It’s almost surreal,” Peter added. “The Oval Office I was in last night with the president. I have not slept. Last night I finally laid my head, I slept nine hours, which was a miracle because I have insomnia, and I couldn’t believe today that I was gonna be sitting here and meeting all these [people].”
Asked what it has been like attending the Kennedy Center Honors without Frehley, Stanley said: “Well, it’s still a celebration, and we can mourn him and celebrate what we’ve accomplished. I’m really the child of the American dream. We came here with nothing. Our parents were people who fled during World War II and aspired to something great, worked hard and never expected a handout. And we’re the result of that. So it’s an honor to be here.”
(Video courtesy of the official The White House channel on YouTube)
When KISS‘s Kennedy Center Honor was first announced, Simmons told TMZ: “KISS is the embodiment of the American Dream. We are deeply honored to receive the Kennedy Center Honor.”
Stanley added: “From our earliest days, KISS has embodied the American ideal that all things are possible and that hard work pays off. The prestige of the Kennedy Center Honors cannot be overstated and I accept this on behalf of the long legacy of kiss and all of the band members who helped create our iconic band.”
Frehley, meanwhile, called the Kennedy Center Honor “a dream come true that I never thought would materialize.”
Criss kept his statement simple, saying: “I feel so blessed. This is the greatest honor of our career.”
During his first term, Trump seemingly paid no attention to the Kennedy Center, often skipping the honors ceremony. He has since vowed to transform the marquee arts center, first ousting its leadership board, then filling the board of trustees with his loyalists.
In September 2020, Frehley called Trump “the strongest leader that we’ve got.” Two years earlier, the original KISS guitarist also expressed his support for America’s 45th president during an appearance on the “Juliet: Unexpected” podcast. At the time, he said about Trump: “Whether you love him or hate him, if you’re an American and you’re a patriot, you should get behind your president. He was elected. We live under the Constitution of the United States, and you’re supposed to support your president. Love him or hate him, you’re supposed to support him, or go move to another country.
“Being American, we have the right to free speech, and I’m all for everybody putting their two cents in on everything,” he added. “But when musicians or actors get really verbal and jump on a bandwagon against our government, I don’t agree with that.”
Throughout its 47-year history, the annual Kennedy Center Honors Gala has become the highlight of the Washington cultural and society calendar. On Sunday, December 7, in a star-studded celebration on the Kennedy Center Opera House stage, the 48th class of Kennedy Center honorees will be saluted by today’s leading performers from New York, Hollywood and the arts capitals of the world. Seated in the Box Tier of the iconic Kennedy Center Opera House, the honorees will accept the recognition and gratitude of their peers through performances and tributes. The 48th Kennedy Center Honors Gala concludes with a post-performance party in the Grand Foyer.
The Kennedy Center Honors recognizes and celebrates individuals whose unique artistic contributions have shaped our world. Recipients have each had an impact on the rich tapestry of American life and culture through the performing arts. Whether in music, dance, theater, opera, motion pictures, or television, each Kennedy Center honoree has a unique place in the fabric of our nation and their influence has inspired audiences from all walks of life.
The honoree selection process includes solicitation of recommendations from former honorees, the artistic community, the Kennedy Center board of trustees, and the general public. This year’s selected honorees were chosen based on the recommendation of the Center’s special honors advisory committee.
In a six-minute video, KISS‘s Paul Stanley and Gene Simmons unbox the “Alive!” 50th-anniversary super deluxe box set, taking fans on a walk down memory lane on the making of the record that catapulted the band into worldwide success.
KISS‘s “Alive!” turns 50 in 2025 — a golden jubilee for the iconic live album that catapulted the band and revolutionized live albums for the music industry from end-of-career obscurity into career-defining mainstream success. Often revered as one of the greatest live albums ever by countless music journalists, “Alive!” is celebrated with a Super Deluxe 180-gram 8-LP + Blu-ray Audio boxset showcasing 120 total tracks amplified with 88 unreleased tracks. LPs 1 and 2 feature the original album newly remastered by Bernie Grundman from the original 1975 stereo analog master tapes. LPs 3 through 6 showcase two full-length concerts from the 1975 “Dressed To Kill” tour — RKO Orpheum Theatre in Davenport, Iowa on July 20, Second Show and Wildwood Convention Hall in Wildwood, New Jersey on July 23 — newly mixed by legendary producer and engineer Eddie Kramer from the original multi-track analog tapes as KISS performed in 1975, with no overdubs. Bonus tracks on LP 7 and 8 include five rehearsal tracks at the Davenport gig including an impromptu jam and an additional six songs from Cleveland Music Hall, Cleveland, Ohio on June 21, 1975, all newly mixed by Eddie Kramer from the original multi-tracks. The Blu-ray Audio disc features “Alive!” newly mixed by Eddie Kramer from the original album multi-track analog tapes in Dolby Atmos and 5.1 surround along with the newly remastered stereo in 192kHz 24-bit and 96kHz 24-bit PCM stereo set to a brand-new visualizer featuring a treasure trove of unreleased live photos.
The Super Deluxe explodes further with an extensive array of bonus kollectibles including:
* 100-page hardcover book with extensive liner notes by Ken Sharp featuring new interviews from Paul Stanley, Gene Simmons and many notable “Alive!”-era KISS team members plus tons of unreleased photos and rare imagery.
* “Alive!” 1975 press kit featuring
– Press Release
– Four Black & White Glossy Photos 7.5″x10″
– Marketing Slick Sheet
– “Alive!” Tour Program
– “Alive!” Back Cover Fan Banner Poster
– Album Cover Lenticular
– T-shirt Iron-on
– Four Live Color Glossy Photos
– Peter Criss Drum Head Litho
– Wildwood Concert Poster 20″x28″
– Cleveland Concert Mini-Poster 10″x17″
– Cobo Arena Concert Main Floor Ticket Stub
– Wildwood Concert Ticket Stub
– Cleveland Concert Ticket Stub
– Cobo Arena Concert Backstage Pass
– New Year’s Eve – Nassau Backstage Pass
– Four Double-Sided Coasters
– Four Guitar Picks
– Bumper Sticker 8″x2.5″
– “Alive!” Die-Cut Double-Sided Mobile
– Gotham Rock City News Volume 4 Newspaper – Track-by-Track interview with Eddie Kramer of nearly all tracks appearing on the collection
“Alive!” (Remastered)
LP One – Side A:
01. Deuce
02. Strutter
03. Got To Choose
04. Hotter Than Hell
05. Firehouse
LP One – Side B:
01. Nothin’ To Lose
02. C’mon And Love Me
03. Parasite
04. She
LP Two – Side C:
01. Watchin’ You
02. 100,000 Years
03. Black Diamond
LP Two – Side D:
01. Rock Bottom
02. Cold Gin
03. Rock And Roll All Nite
04. Let Me Go, Rock ‘N Roll
Live In Davenport, Iowa – RKO Orpheum Theatre – July 20, 1975 – Second Show*
LP Three – Side E:
01. Deuce
02. Strutter
03. Got To Choose
04. Hotter Than Hell
LP Three – Side F:
01. Firehouse
02. She
03. Ace Frehley Guitar Solo
04. Nothin’ To Lose
LP Four – Side G:
01. C’mon And Love Me
02. 100,000 Years
03. Peter Criss Drum Solo / 100,000 Years
LP Four – Side H:
01. Black Diamond
02. Cold Gin
03. Let Me Go, Rock ‘N Roll
Live In Wildwood, New Jersey – Wildwood Convention Hall – July 23, 1975*
LP Five – Side I:
01. Deuce
02. Strutter
03. Got To Choose
04. Hotter Than Hell
05. Firehouse
LP Five – Side J:
01. She
02. Ace Frehley Guitar Solo
03. Nothin’ To Lose
04. C’mon And Love Me
LP Six – Side K:
01. 100,000 Years
02. Peter Criss Drum Solo / 100,000 Years
03. Parasite
LP Six – Side L:
01. Black Diamond
02. Cold Gin
03. Let Me Go, Rock ‘N Roll
Bonus Live
Rehearsals – Live In Davenport, Iowa – RKO Orpheum Theatre – July 20, 1975*
LP Seven – Side M:
01. KISS Jam
02. Room Service
03. Strange Ways
04. Rock Bottom
05. Watchin’ You
Live In Cleveland, Ohio – Cleveland Music Hall – June 21, 1975*
LP Seven – Side N:
01. She
02. Ace Frehley Guitar Solo
03. Nothin’ To Lose
LP Eight – Side O:
01. C’mon And Love Me
02. 100,000 Years
03. Peter Criss Drum Solo / 100,000 Years
Blu-ray Audio – Alive!
Disc Five:
[Dolby Atmos* / Dolby True HD 5.1* / 192kHz 24-bit & 96kHz 24-bit PCM Stereo]
01. Deuce
02. Strutter
03. Got To Choose
04. Hotter Than Hell
05. Firehouse
06. Nothin’ To Lose
07. C’mon And Love Me
08. Parasite
09. She
10. Watchin’ You
11. 100,000 Years
12. Black Diamond
13. Rock Bottom
14. Cold Gin
15. Rock And Roll All Nite
16. Let Me Go, Rock ‘N Roll
* Previously unreleased
