Former Skid Row singer Sebastian Bach recently revealed why he cringes at Gene Simmons’ “Burning Up With Fever” while sharing his thoughts on the 1978 KISS solo albums during an appearance on the Shout It Out Loud Podcast.
During the interview, Bach was asked, “Where do you stand on the ’78 solo albums? There’s a lot of a lot of opinions on those.” In response, he discussed his appreciation for the individual releases while highlighting the specific intro that bothers him.
“Well, I love them. I love them,” Bach said. “I don’t tell KISS how to be KISS. I think Gene’s is very… Okay, there’s one part I don’t like is the beginning the song ‘Burning Up with Fever,’ where they start with this acoustic thing that goes [mimics the intro]. What producer said that sounds great? I don’t understand that at all. Not a big deal, but yeah, I always cringe when I hear that.”
He then shared his enthusiasm for Ace Frehley’s solo record, praising its energy and melodic elements.
“I love Ace’s,” he continued. “Love Ace’s album, ‘Rip It Out.’ Blows my mind. ‘Rip It Out’ rips. I also love the song on there, which is the last song on side one called, ‘What’s on Your Mind,’ which I think is a beautiful great song. And the way he plays the lead at the end, I don’t know what but it I got chills in my arms. I don’t know what it is about Ace’s sense of melody that just hits me right in the heart. Like that that little tiny little lead part would like just make my knees shake. I loved it so much. I have no idea why. I don’t know why. So, I love ‘Wiped‐Out.’ I think it’s hilarious. Anton Fig’s drumming is just outrageous. I love ’Snow Blind.’”
Bach also defended Peter Criss’s solo album, explaining that he appreciates the drummer’s distinct musical background.
“I love Peter Criss’s solo album,” Bach added. “I always have since I was a little kid. ‘You Matter to Me,’ I love that song. I don’t need to hear the same kind of music all the time. I don’t if Peter is coming from his jazz Gene Krupa soul background, that’s fine with me. I’m not telling Peter, ‘You should make this record cuz I think you should make this record.’ F*ck off with all that. I want Peter Criss to tell me what a Peter Criss record is.”
Finally, he expressed his admiration for Paul Stanley’s solo release, particularly its opening track and ballad.
“I love Paul Stanley’s album,” he concluded. “’Tonight You Belong to Me,’ the beginning intro is just incredible to me. That beginning the way that album starts. I love the ballad ‘Hold Me Touch Me.’ I think it’s a great song. Well, I love I’ve always loved ballads. I have great memories of that from 1978 and nobody’s going to tell me any different.”
Bach’s reaction makes sense in the context of the original 1978 release, when KISS put all four solo albums out on the same day as part of a label-backed experiment to keep the band moving forward. The records arrived together as a single, coordinated project rather than a staggered series of releases, which is why fans still compare them side by side.
The four albums by Gene Simmons, Paul Stanley, Ace Frehley, and Peter Criss all reached stores on September 18, 1978. Gene Simmons’ solo album was one of the four KISS solo records released that day, and it included “Burning Up With Fever,” the very song Bach singles out for criticism.
Ace Frehley’s album was produced by Frehley and Eddie Kramer, featured Anton Fig on drums, and was certified platinum after shipping more than 1 million copies. It was also the strongest performer of the four solo albums, helped by “New York Groove,” a cover of a Russ Ballard song that reached No. 13 on the Billboard Hot 100 and gave the record its commercial center of gravity.
Paul Stanley’s solo album was also released on September 18, 1978, alongside the other three KISS records, while Peter Criss’s album completed the set, with each member presenting a separate record under the KISS banner. The simultaneous rollout was intended to give all four members room to explore their own musical identities while keeping the group intact.
Bach’s comments fit a long-running fandom that has followed him throughout his career. A poster for “KISS with special guests Skid Row” was actually printed, and Bach later said Skid Row should have opened for KISS. That history underscores how closely Bach has tied his own career to the band he has admired for years.
