Say what you want about Kiss. You might love them, or you might detest them, but one thing will always be true about the band: they’re a pop group, and they always have been.
Granted, it might be considerably heavier than your usual brand of pop music, considering how it appealed primarily to a rock and metal-loving audience, but their appeal ran far deeper than just within these two circles. You don’t go on to become one of the biggest bands in the world without playing into the hands of the mainstream, and a certain amount of accessibility has to be dealt to listeners in order for you to generate mass appeal.
One thing that the band perfected in this regard was the art of the pop concert spectacle. It’s always the biggest stars who are afforded the budget to put on the most grandiose live performances, and while those at the top of the charts who deal out the most commercially appealing music are likely to deliver unforgettable stadium shows, Kiss knew how to push the boat out just as much in this regard.
Something that a lot of today’s pop stars are celebrated for most is the high production value of their stage show, and Kiss were arguably one of the first to start this trend. Going the extra mile with pyrotechnics, confetti cannons, elaborate set design and costumes, and a dazzling light show, everything outside of the music they played had to be just as extravagant as the music itself, and there’s no denying that a lot of today’s trends in designing and choreographing shows on this scale was pioneered by acts like KISS.
Given that, it’s hardly a surprise that vocalist Paul Stanley has revealed himself to be a massive fan of modern pop music, and keeps himself in the loop with what’s going on in the modern age. In an interview with Guitar Thrills, he elaborated on his admiration for today’s pop vanguard, and expressed a fondness for a handful of acts who he believes are carrying on the tradition and doing everything within their power to keep pop music invigorating.
While he claims to be a big fan of rappers like SZA and Post Malone, he went on to say that Billie Eilish makes “very sophisticated music”. However, there’s one artist who he seems to rate head and shoulders above the rest, stating: “Taylor Swift is a force of nature.”
You might think that an act like Swift is a little far outside of Stanley’s wheelhouse, but he would go on to acknowledge that variety in his music taste is what keeps his passion alive. “When people go, ‘I only listen to one kind of music,’ that’s like saying, ‘I only eat hamburgers” which will leave you malnourished whether it’s food or music,” he claimed. “I never understood that mentality, it’s very limiting. Variety is key to making art and enjoying it. The more you embrace variety, the more exciting things are. I don’t care if it isn’t what I would make. If it sounds good, it’s good. If you like it, then it’s good. There is no good or bad. There’s a lot of great music out there.”
It might be hard to picture ‘The Starchild’ as a Swiftie, but he’s clearly enamoured by everything that the country-pop star offers as a complete entertainment package. She has the songwriting ability, the presence as an individual, and the sheer confidence to deliver on the biggest stage, and that’s surely enough to earn the respect of someone like Stanley.
