From Newsgroup: rec.music.artists.kiss

KISS is still in that weird post farewell zone where the band is "done," but there's somehow KISS related news every other week anyway.

The most immediate thing is Gene being out playing shows with his solo band and leaning into KISS material in a way that feels a little looser than the last few years of the big tour machine. What caught my eye is that he's been slipping in a couple of songs that were written by Ace Frehley, which is not something you would have bet on in the past. It doesn't magically mean everyone's best friends again, but it is a real change in tone. It feels less like a locked down brand presentation and more like Gene doing whatever he thinks will land with a room full of hardcores. That kind of unpredictability is honestly what a lot of people miss.

Then there's the whole avatar future, which is still hanging out there as the big next chapter. There hasn't been a clean, satisfying "here's the date, here's the venue, here's exactly what you're paying for" announcement yet, but the general direction hasn't changed. The project is being built like a major long lead production, and the talk still points to 2027 as the first real public shows. The thing I keep coming back to is that the success of this is going to come down to whether it feels like a KISS show or like a tech demo wearing KISS makeup. If it captures the sense of danger and spectacle, people will accept the format. If it feels sterile, it's going to get roasted no matter how good it looks.

The other fun side story lately is the "KISS dynasty" angle. Evan Stanley and Nick Simmons have been getting attention for making music together, and the funniest part is that it's not them trying to cosplay their dads. It's basically the opposite direction musically, more harmony driven and mellow. Some fans will dismiss it because it isn't loud enough, but it's probably the smarter move. If you're the kid of Paul Stanley and Gene Simmons, the only way to win is to not play the exact same game.

So it's a very KISS moment in 2026. Gene is still out there doing Gene things, the avatar future is looming but still not fully tangible, and the next generation is doing their own separate thing.

Curious what people here actually want next. Would you rather see more small scale Gene and Paul appearances that feel human again, or do you want them to stay off stage and put all the energy into making the avatar show the biggest spectacle possible. And on the Ace written songs showing up again, does that feel like a meaningful shift to anyone, or just a setlist decision that people are over reading.
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