KISS Star Peter Criss Explains Why He Is Retiring

04-19-2017
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Original KISS drummer Peter Criss has explained why his upcoming dinner concert following the New York KISS expo will be very last live performance in the U.S.

The special show is scheduled for June 17th at the Cutting Room in New York City, following his participation in the Expo which will be running from June 9th and 11th.

Criss will also be staging his very last Australian live performance next month and explained the reasons why he is retiring in an interview with The Rockpit. He told the Australian outlet, "You know what, I'm seventy one, that scares me when I say that (laughs), but if you're around me I'm like a fifteen year old kid, I really am. But I've had an amazing career in music; I was around in the 60's and 70's which was about the best time to be a musician.

"I actually saw Janis Joplin, Jimi Hendrix and Jim Morrison and The Beatles when I was young. I've seen the greatest of the greats perform; I grew up at a time when music was so cool. There was Bob Dylan, and things were changing - things were becoming amazing for musicians in the world. So I played clubs for 15 years, then I started the band with the guys.

He continued, "I'm a big Bee Gee fan, I was watching the salute to Barry (Gibb, the last surviving Bee Gee), I've been a big fan since they started and I love that he got up there and performed and I see now all these guys from the Rolling Stones, Paul McCartney, Rod Stewart and we're all in our 70's now, and I hate to say it but were dying out and that's so real, there's less Rock and Roll in the world. Less music in the world and it's kinda sad.

"So I'm 71 I'm in the best health I've been in for a while and I thought if I'm gonna do it I gotta do it now. I had male breast cancer and I beat it and that's really changed my life, and my wife also beat cancer too, so I went out I signed autographs, I wrote a book and the fans man, and you don't get this up on stage in front of 70,000 people it's just thank you, goodnight and you're gone, so you never really hear from the fans at that level, so when I connected again I got to hear their stories and they'd ask me if I'd play again or sing again, there was so much love.

"And when I looked around everyone was slowing down or retiring like Eric Clapton, and I wondered what I has left. I think there are a couple of books, maybe a comedy, and I have an album I've been sitting on for nine years now! And I want to finish that properly.

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