KISS‘s Paul Stanley has opened up about the illness that forced the band to cancel three recent shows.
The glam rock band are currently on the final leg of their extensive last run of concerts, dubbed the ‘End Of The Road World Tour’ and are due to bow out with a performance at Madison Square Garden in New York on Saturday (December 2).
However, three gigs had to be pulled after Stanley came down with the flu. They resumed the tour at the weekend in Indianapolis once he had fully recovered.
During the pre-show soundcheck and Q&A session, Stanley revealed the extent of just how serious his condition was. “I’ve done shows with cracked ribs, I’ve done shows with a 102 [degree] fever,” said Stanley. “I was wondering if it was my time.”
The three canceled shows were supposed to take place in Ottawa, Toronto and Knoxville on November 21, 22 and 24 respectively and are not expected to be rescheduled.
Stanley announced the cancellation on X/Twitter, posting a photo of himself attached to an IV drip. “’ve done everything possible to get onstage and be a part of the incredible 2 1/2 hour celebration we planned but this flu has made it impossible. I along with Gene, Tommy and Eric couldn’t be more disappointed and send our deepest apologies.”
Toronto And Ottawa… I’ve done everything possible to get onstage and be a part of the incredible 2 1/2 hour celebration we planned but this flu has made it impossible. I along with Gene, Tommy and Eric couldn’t be more disappointed and send our deepest apologies. pic.twitter.com/6RmgbeiqoV
— Paul Stanley (@PaulStanleyLive) November 22, 2023
Earlier this month, KISS announced that they would be livestreaming their final show on a pay-per-view basis and is set to stream exclusively on PPV. The livestream will begin at 8pm ET, meaning that fans can watch the show in real-time. No further details about the show have been shared, although the band said that it “promises to be a massive event”.
Stanley’s bandmate Gene Simmons has also recently said that the tour is the “end of the road for the band, not the brand”.
During a new interview with 519 Magazine, Simmons explained that the group’s imminent retirement doesn’t necessarily mean the end, and teased some other potential KISS-related projects.
“This tour is the end of the road for the band, not the brand,” he told the outlet. “KISS is a universe of its own – movies, merchandise, maybe even Broadway. The band will end, but the KISS experience… it’s immortal.”
