Gene Simmons shared his side of the story concerning why the reunion of the original Kiss line-up in 1996 eventually petered out, during an interview with 101 WRIF.

While the return of the original full-makeup and massive-stage lineup – Paul Stanley, Ace Frehley, Gene Simmons, and Peter Criss – looked like a triumphant reset from the outside, one by one, Frehley and Criss would exit. Ultimately, leaving Stanley and Simmons to carry on with two replacement members, Tommy Thayer and Eric Singer.

Simmons would also discuss what it was like when Kiss was honored at the 48th Kennedy Center Honors in Washington, DC, in 2025, and how it was bittersweet since Frehley had passed away less than two months earlier.

Gene Simmons Explains the Breakdown of Kiss’ Reunion

The original Kiss line-up would reunite in 1996 for the “Alive/Worldwide Tour”, before continuing on two further jaunts, the “Psycho Circus World Tour” and “The Farewell Tour” (the latter of which proved not to be Kiss’ farewell tour). And Simmons was willing to explain why it didn’t last longer.

“Some of it was…initially, like you’re on your best behavior when you get back together with your ex,” Simmons said (transcribed by Ultimate Guitar). “And then familiarity breeds contempt. I’d like to say that it was all wonderful and anything, but history tends to repeat itself.”

“I couldn’t wait to restart their relationship with the two guys that helped us make everything possible. But you got to be on top of your game. You can’t go out there and be in the Olympics and do the bad stuff. Because the 50,000 folks who came to see you at the concert had to work hard for their tickets. So this idea that you can get up there and not do the best you can, and I’m trying to use nice language, is unacceptable.”

Ace Frehley and Peter Criss Shared Their Side of the Story

However, over the years, both Criss and Frehley told their side of the story of what went wrong, which contrasts Simmons’ recollection.

“People started doing a lot of the same things that they were doing around my first departure [in 1982],” Frehley explained in 2009. “Making decisions without me. Originally, it was put together in the spirit of we were all gonna kind of do this together, and the next thing I know, I’m feeling like a hired gun, and I don’t have any say in anything. And that’s not fun. The four of us invented KISS and brought it to the world. It just wasn’t fun anymore.”

Criss would add in 2012, “To have put something together, through blood, sweat, and tears, and then one day to be told: ‘If you don’t do what I want, there’s the door,’ it really blows your mind. You started this thing like GM, and you were a CEO, and now you’re washing floors. It’s that kind of feeling. It was tough, being how I am, and doing things my own way. Now, I was sort of having to walk the line. It got really uncomfortable. It wasn’t fun anymore.”

During the 101 WRIF interview, Simmons shared his thoughts about Kiss’ entry into the Kennedy Center Honors, which took place on December 7, 2025.

“Well, it was emotionally uplifting,” Simmons admitted. “Y’know, the American dream and everything…the saddest part was even though Ace found out, because the White House called, he found out about the awards and he couldn’t believe it. He was looking forward to it. But I got to tell you, the saddest part is he just didn’t make it. He passed away before the Kennedy Center Honors. [Frehley passed away on October 16, 2025, after a head injury] And that’s the saddest part.”