During a conversation with Gibson, Black Sabbath guitarist Tony Iommi looked back on when KISS opened for Black Sabbath on the “Sabotage” tour in 1975/76.
Tony added:
“KISS, on the other hand; I don’t know what happened there, because we didn’t sort of really get on with them.
“And I remember seeing the sign outside: ‘Black Sabbath and KISS.’ It was on this board, got those letters that you stick on, and we found the P and took the ‘K’ off, and put ‘Piss’ on it. [Laughs]
“And we used to see them at the airport and we never knew who they were because they’d have all that makeup on, we couldn’t tell if that was the crew or the band. You’re sort of looking, ‘Is that the band?’. For a while, it was a bit funny, but as time went on, it got well, got okay.”
In the past, Tony said about KISS:
“I don’t particularly like KISS. They’re not my type of band at all. Their stage show was done long before by Arthur Brown.”
52 comments
That’s shit*y behavior by Iommi. It’s not like he’s talking about Good Charlotte. KISS had a lot of bumps in their career but they sure came up with some good songs. Iommi’s a great guitarist but his personality leaves a lot to be desired.
Do you Really believe everything you read.
Sorry KISS is just a garage band that was lucky to come out of the 70’s! They would never get a deal now.
Kiss is one of the most influential band. Randy Rhoads said it best covering Black Sabbath during the Blizzard of OZ and Diary tour. He is nothing special.
Rhodes said Iommi was nothing special? The guy invented a genre of music.
Now? It was the 70’s! Can’t compare any of the crap from today. Good thing they “got lucky through relentless hard work” they brought us Van Halen
Must be all your years in the industry giving you that insight… Lol
You’re right but no rock band gets a deal now.
Main stream bubblegum rubbishall that circus crap to get attention . Just like Lordi 👍
There will never be such an iconic band ever again I think u have no idea what I r talking about and remind me of all the people who gave me a hard for being a kiss fan do u know how many people they influenced omg
KISS has sold over 100 million albums worldwide. Not bad for a “garage band”. 🙄
Iommi is allowed his opinion. I agree Kiss is lame.
YOU KNOW? KISS BLOW SABBATH FROM THE MUSIC BUSINESS BACK IN THE DAY.
LISTEN TO “ALIVE!” AND YOULL SEE WHO IS SABBATH’S DADDY.
That album wasn’t live. They back tracked the audience. Kiss didn’t create heavy metal so not sure who’s “daddy” they are.
i HEARD THAT. TELL THEM WHO THEIR DADDY REALLY WAS, IF IT WASN’T FOR SABBATH THEN WHO BALL’S WERE KISS REALLY SWIMMING IN .
Well inwill tell you this yes all the live albums are live albums with studio Fixes . Peter’s drums and vocals on all the live albums are 100% true and as they was recorded no fixes.. and if you don’t like what I said look up Eddie Kramer he did all the work on kiss alive . The alive albums are 100% live recordings. Every one have a good day stay safe and keep rocking.
Uh, no.
Sorry Bro! I disagree, yes I was a huge Kiss fan when I was aaaa 10; of course kids at that age loved them, lights, makeup , bla bla bla; but as far as music, forget about it! Sabbaths music was real, kiss music was fabricated garbage to be honest. Sabbath invented the metal genre; Iommi is a wicked guitarist who came out with sounds that nobody heard before. Kiss were big because of their stage show and makeup, not their music… their music is and was lame!
Love Sabbath top 3 but Kiss was way more eclectic on every album and they were not limited to power chord rock. Tommi is one of my favorites but they never grew musically. Where KISS was more pop, hard rock. Kiss could write a top 10 hit and They were better writers. Kiss has way more interesting chords. And they influenced more bands than Black Sabbath. Kiss the Beatles and Led Zeppelin. Black Sabbath did not influence country stars, 80s hair bands, Funk stars. Kiss has had more influence on American Culture with stage show. So Tom can have an oppion but I take KISS any day.
Yeah because the members of Kiss were always extremely supportive of their peers and never had anything negative to say about other bands… lmao
The guys in Kiss didn’t even like each other.
Talk to or ask almost any band who has opened for KISS…. They were always treated with great respect by the band and their crew. Same can’t be said for Sabbath who tried to bully KISS’ road crew, didn’t allow them soundcheck, kept pushing them further and further to the front of the stage, and so on. That was a lesson took from opening for Sabbath – to never treat any of their openers the way they used to get treated.
Kiss sucks. Iommii is dead right. Cope.
Wrong. Iommi sucks
So does yours, Im sure
NOPE. Iommi is spot on. Kiss sucks
Agreed. Hes God in music for me but Kiss has alot of great riffs and songs
He’s just saying it wasn’t his thing kiss isn’t for everybody
Don’t diss honesy ,Tony is a great man ,for it
Kiss has an impressive stage show, the musicianship has a lot to be desired. Very basic.
Alice Cooper! (*_*)
Kiss? overrated bar band that cashed in on a stage show which is kind of hard to watch when you are listening to albums…
It probably didn’t help that KISS were blowing them away every night of the tour, as Ozzy has often stated.
Pretty sure he stated once, while not a member of Sabbath, in reference to their stage show and use of pyro. It’s also hardly shocking that the member who went solo and m started doing things dressing up like a werewolf would say something like that
LAUGH OUT LOUD. Ozzie is cucked by a fe-MALE JEW. Kiss is a JEW band. Nuff said. THEY SUCK.
Correct! Geezer even said he was terrified of Gene, so they did as much as they could to sabotage KISS
KISS is Black Sabaths Daddy…#FACTS
FOOL! Kiss are the bay city rollers on steroids. Just a bubble gum band with bozzio the clown outfits
And who is your daddy Floyd, go back to Mayberry and cut some hair.
Kiss blows always have always will
Says a JEW. LOL. Kiss is nothing but the Jewish bozzio the clowns.
I think you’re gay for Jewish cowboys.
Nothing says “I’m an idiot” better than a racist who can’t spell Bozo.
KISS died when Ace & Peter were kicked out of the band. Black Sabbath lives eternal, even without €Zz¥ ★
Kiss sucks that’s all
Black Sabbath sucks
In the late 60’s Tony Iommi was at the circus. He came across a clown that he didn’t like. He punched the clown so hard he broke it into four. That’s the day Kiss was born.
True story. I was there.
Okay lads,while I love both bands for different reasons just for the record Black Sabbath have sold 75 million albums to date while Kiss have sold way in excess of 100 million to date upon last checks.In summary, I totally agree Sabbath we’re far superior in terms of talent. Kiss have spawned a legacy of fans to date hence the Kiss army!Say what you will chaps but the formula works (for both bands by the way).
It’s called America we are all entitled to our opinion. I happen to love both bands as they each have their own strengths. I’d say based on all time record sales and fan bases KISS and Sabbath are super successful and loved by millions. Both bands have already been around for several generations will live on and be loved for generations to come and that says everything.
Truth be told both inspired countless other artists I’m a fan of both but neither are really ‘all that’
Cant we just Kiss and make up people.
I can’t believe that this conversation is even a conversation. Kiss and Sabbath can not be compared with each other in any way. Two entirely different planets. Kiss had a gimmick, appealed to young audiences especially after the 1st 3 records. Sabbath was Deep and way more diverse.