KISS Hit With New Backing Track Accusation

Three years after Gene Simmons shot down accusations that claimed KISS uses pre-recorded backing tracks during live performances, an apparent mistake during a recent concert has caused the issue to resurface again.

A video taken during Monday’s show in Antwerp, Belgium, shows drummer Eric Singer begin a “drumroll/breakdown a measure late,” according to Austin Ogonoski, who posted the clip on YouTube. The error appears to put Paul Stanley’s vocal track “out of sync with what the band is actually playing,” he says. As a result, the refrain “everybody’s gonna leave their seat” can be heard “when nobody is at a mic,” per Ogonoski.

The accusation first surfaced in 2019 when fans noticed singer Paul Stanley’s voice — which struggled to reach high notes in recent years — had miraculously improved. The controversy came after Simmons slammed bands that used backing tracks in live performances.

Would you rather hear a band use backing tracks to sound great, or not use them and sound terrible?