Former KISS guitarist Vinnie Vincent recently responded to fan criticism regarding the pricing of his upcoming music release. He addressed the controversy in a heated statement shared on Facebook.

The statement came after a fan questioned the high price point of Vincent’s new single “Ride the Serpent.” The fan suggested it might deter people from enjoying his music due to economic hardships.

“First of all, consider the analogy to caviar or fine art. Not everyone can afford it. That simple,” Vincent said. “Second, I resent your ‘personal life’s needs … prices alleviate my burdens’ insult. Who the fuck are you to assume such a theory because you can’t afford or don’t want to pay or don’t agree with my price?”

Vincent continued his defense of the pricing strategy. He rejected the fan’s suggestion for industry-standard pricing.

“Fair market price? Lol. That was yesteryear. Welcome to the new agenda,” he continued. “Artists can and will set their own standards and rules for the purchase price of their art, when they’ve had their fill of being ripped off. If you don’t agree with the price, don’t buy it. It’s that easy.”

The guitarist also criticized what he sees as entitled fan behavior in the current music landscape.

“Independent artists now have to navigate a Mad Max wasteland of survival and are the directed victims of massive ripoffs, reduced to beg and pander for likes and subscribes from self-entitled brats who want their work for free or for next to nothing,” Vincent said. “Yet these are the same whiners who have no problem paying someone $500 for a brick from a house he demolished or $1,000 for a sweaty pair of used socks. But you bitches cry and whine like fucking babies when VV sells something at a price you don’t like. Grow the fuck up! My price protects me from people like ‘you’ who will buy cheap from the theft of bootleggers.”

Vincent announced “Judgment Day Guitarmageddon,” which will be released as limited collector singles with only 1,000 copies per song. The controversy surrounds this announcement.

Vincent’s aggressive stance on pricing reflects his complex history with the music industry. It also reflects his tumultuous relationship with KISS, the band that launched his career into the spotlight.

Ultimate Classic Rock reported that Vincent announced his plan to release “Ride the Serpent” at the jaw-dropping price of $225 per single. The former KISS guitarist has structured his release as extremely limited collector’s items. Only 500 copies are designated for US distribution and 500 for international markets per song.

Vincent’s tenure with KISS was notably brief but impactful. Q105.7 noted that prior to Bruce Kulick’s 1984 arrival, KISS’s lead guitarist slot had been a revolving door. Vinnie Vincent barely lasted two years as founder Ace Frehley’s replacement. Despite his short time with the band, Vincent contributed to some of KISS’s most commercially successful material during the early 1980s.

The guitarist’s current pricing strategy appears to stem from years of frustration with traditional music industry economics. Nostalgia Central documented that guitarist Vinnie Vincent joined up in time for the ‘Creatures’ world tour in 1983. This marked a pivotal moment in KISS history when the band was experimenting with their sound and image.

Vincent’s decision to bypass traditional distribution methods and set premium prices for his music represents a growing trend among veteran artists seeking greater control over their work. His approach reflects the broader challenges facing musicians in an era where streaming services and digital piracy have dramatically reduced traditional revenue streams for recording artists.