Simmons says no to original Kiss lineup reunion - but it could still happen

A lot of Kiss fans wonder if the original members could ever get back together, and Gene Simmons says no -- or was that a maybe? According to blabbermouth, Simmons told the U.K.-based Classic Rock magazine, "I personally don't want to (have a reunion). I love (original lead guitarist) Ace (Frehley) and (original drummer) Peter (Criss), always have, and because of my tough love thing, I've never been shy about saying they've been drug addicts and alcoholics, and they've destroyed themselves."

But later in the interview, while answering a different question, Simmons said, "And by the way, no matter what I said earlier, I reserve the right to change my mind about Ace and Peter any time I choose. 'Never say never' is true. How much did you say you want to pay us to get back together? How many hundreds of millions? People say you can't be bought. F***ing-A right you can. Even God passes the hat around at the end of the sermon."

In a previous interview, Simmons said he knows some people want to see original bandmembers together, but that the concept is inaccurate: "There's no question that there's a core of fans -- five-10 percent, my sense is -- who believe in original members. And yet, when you look at original members, the Beatles are not original members -- Ringo (Starr) is not an original member; the Stones -- barely. You know, they've had so many members come and go, but it's the Stones, and AC/DC's aren't original members, and Van Halen, and Journey... you go down the list of every -- almost every band you can think of."

The last time the original band performed together was in the spring of 2001, on the Australian leg of their Farewell tour. Frehley left the group after those dates, and he said he took the word "farewell" seriously. Criss claimed that his contract with Kiss wasn't renewed in March 2004. Both charges have been disputed by Simmons and fellow bandleader Paul Stanley.