Elvis Presley’s stepbrother reveals the king’s opinion on Kiss

The Elvis Presley stepbrother Billy Stanley revealed in an interview with Artists on Record (Transcribed by Ultimate Classic Rock) what was the opinion of The King on the American Hard Rock band Kiss. According to Stanley he saw the band, bought the famous live record “Alive!” (1975) and cranked it up at Graceland’s basement. At some point Elvis entered the place and asked him what he was listening to and praised the band’s guitarist Ace Frehley.

Elvis Presley’s stepbrother reveals the king’s opinion on Kiss

“I got it cranked up, playing air guitar. Elvis comes down [and asks] ‘What are you listening to?’ ‘It’s a band called Kiss.’ … And I showed him the album cover and he said, ‘Uh … OK.’ He sat down on the couch, looking at it, and he said, ‘OK, I get it!’”

“He said, ‘So play that song again that you was just playing.’ It was ‘Let Me Go Rock and Roll.’ I played it, I actually played it two times for him, and I was surprised when he said, ‘Play it again.’ (So) I played it again. I said, ‘What do you think?’ He said, ‘Well, I understand the whole thing.”

He continued:

“You know, Kiss – keep it simple, stupid. And they got the makeup so they can walk around when they get off the stage. Nobody sees them and knows who they are or anything like that.’ He said, ‘Good idea.’”

“He said, ‘Billy, listen to it. All it is is a ‘50s groove. But that guitar player.’ I said, ‘That’s Ace.’ He said, ‘That guy’s got some X-rated guitar licks. I really like him.’ … Before he walked out of the room he said, ‘I get it – it’s three chords and a cloud of dust [and] that’s how you do it. And you leave them wanting more. I’m sure that’s how they do it in their live performances,” Billy Stanley said.

Elvis Presley died in 1977 at the age of 42 when Kiss had released only six studio albums out.