View Full Version : Former Kiss Guitarist Vinnie Vincent Sues the Band
Brian Damage 08-24-2009, 11:07 AM Former Kiss guitarist Vinnie Vincent has sued the band several times since he left the group back in 1984 -- but this time he's thrown a cable network into the mix.
Vincent is suing the band, along with A&E Television Networks, for using his image without his permission. According to a lawsuit filed earlier this month, Vincent claims his image was used in a DVD boxed set called "Kissology Volume II." In addition to that, Vincent claims his image was used as part of the "roast" episode of A&E's show "Gene Simmons Family Jewels."
Vincent also claims Simmons defamed him on an A&E show called "Private Sessions," though he doesn't specify what defamatory statements were made.
Vincent is seeking unspecified damages.
http://www.tmz.com/
ABlairican Pie 08-24-2009, 07:02 PM Give it up, Vinnie. You had your shot with KISS and you blew it.
catlover79 08-24-2009, 07:08 PM I don't even remember this guy. :crazy: :lol:
ABlairican Pie 08-24-2009, 07:30 PM I don't even remember this guy. :crazy: :lol:
Vinnie Vincent was the guitarist who replaced Ace Frehley in 1982 and had his own makeup design, the Egyptian Ankh (a symbol for life), he was the "Ankh Warrior", but this was in the final days of KISS' makeup phase. On their 1983 album, 'Lick It Up', he appeared on the album and had contributed most of the songwriting and very decent guitar playing, but he became rather arrogant and egotistical, and was fired/left the band after that album and tour. One of the problems Gene and Paul had with him was that he spent too much time showboating and playing guitar solos too lengthy for the songs, and had to cut him off. He supposedly "saved" KISS after Ace left, but he had too many personality clashes with the rest of the band. He was replaced by the late Mark St. John in 1984.
One of the problems with Vincent was that, as he said in a guitar magazine interview, he saw no reason for a band to have a rhythm guitarist. So you can imagine his "trying to cover all the bases" musically got in the way of Paul Stanley's role as rhythm player. The band did hire him back for songwriting on 1992's 'Revenge' album, but old problems re-surfaced, and he was fired once and for all after that album. Gene cited Vincent's lack of professional ethics as the reason.
Vinnie Vincent's real name was Vincent Cusano. He was given the stage name Vinnie Vincent by Gene Simmons, and kept it. After being booted out of KISS in 1983, he later formed the Vinnie Vincent Invasion, with members who went on to form "hair" band Slaughter. The Vinnie Vincent Invasion played over-the-top MTV-style metal in their videos and had a few hits, but the members who formed Slaughter were so deeply irritated and practically livid at the thought of Vincent that they found it even hard to mention his name in interviews.
So if you don't remember him, he's probably not worth remembering! :lol:
catlover79 08-24-2009, 07:32 PM ^ Thanks for the info. It doesn't seem like he's very well liked!! :eek: :crazy:
JamesG 08-24-2009, 07:41 PM ABlairican maybe you might know this...
Did Vinnie play at all on the album Creatures of the Night? I know that Ace Frehley appeared on the original album cover though he was already out of the band and did not play a single tune on it.
Was it uncredited session members or was Vinnie in at this point?
Some years later the album was re-issued with the KISS members wearing no make-up with Gene, Paul, Eric, And Bruce.
ABlairican Pie 08-25-2009, 09:21 PM ABlairican maybe you might know this...
Did Vinnie play at all on the album Creatures of the Night? I know that Ace Frehley appeared on the original album cover though he was already out of the band and did not play a single tune on it.
Was it uncredited session members or was Vinnie in at this point?
Some years later the album was re-issued with the KISS members wearing no make-up with Gene, Paul, Eric, And Bruce.
From what I'm reading, it appears that Vinnie Vincent has songwriting credits under his original birth name, but he seems to only have appeared sporadically
with the band while Ace was still with them during 'Creatures Of the Night'. He was on the album, though uncredited, while Ace's tenure with them was fragmenting. Ace appeared on the album cover and the video to "I Love It Loud". When Ace Frehley finally left, Vinnie was chosen as his replacement, though his time with the band was rather tumultuous, and did not stay long.
JamesG 08-26-2009, 12:37 AM From what I'm reading, it appears that Vinnie Vincent has songwriting credits under his original birth name, but he seems to only have appeared sporadically
with the band while Ace was still with them during 'Creatures Of the Night'. He was on the album, though uncredited, while Ace's tenure with them was fragmenting. Ace appeared on the album cover and the video to "I Love It Loud". When Ace Frehley finally left, Vinnie was chosen as his replacement, though his time with the band was rather tumultuous, and did not stay long.
Thanks for the info.
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