John Lydon discussed why he thought KISS wasn’t much outside their makeup while talking with SPIN.
When the host questioned whether he thought there were similarly musical acts in the rock scene that lacked personality, the former Sex Pistol was attacking Hollywood for having “no personality.” Lydon responded:
Many of the heavy metal performers who perform live while decked out in tights and makeup lack personalities. To them, it’s an image, and that’s crucial.
The singer did, however, omit one performance from his criticism:
One of my all-time favourites is Alice Cooper. It was amazing how he transformed it into a theatrical piece. Even now, as a young adult, I still adore it. I’m there whenever I see him perform live.
Alice appeared to be an exception, but KISS wasn’t as fortunate:
However, there are many people who are trying to sell you a false, fake, and commercial image. I’ve got a friend in KISS. Everyone is okay. You know, [but] without the makeup, there ain’t much going on.”
However, for the Sex Pistols frontman, the news didn’t seem favorable. In a chat with SPIN, John Lydon mentioned that a possible reunion wasn’t impossible. Before he closed the door on his former band, former bassist Glen Matlock had criticized John, asserting that the frontman’s political views had made it impossible for the band to reunite.
