A fan criticized Paul Stanley on X (formerly Twitter) following the live debut of Stanley Simmons, the new project fronted by Evan Stanley and Nick Simmons, arguing that the group “hasn’t paid their dues.”
The Kiss frontman fired back, replying (according to Rock Feed): “You clearly don’t want to accept that your own lack of talent is the reason you continue to fail at everything. If your father was famous you would still get nowhere because you are too busy looking enviously at others instead of looking at yourself and realizing the obvious.”
Stanley Simmons, the project led by Evan Stanley and Nick Simmons, sons of Kiss icons Paul Stanley and Gene Simmons, have made their official live debut on Monday night (May 4) at the House of Blues Voodoo Room in San Diego, California, stepping onto the stage in front of a live audience for the very first time.
The debut marked an important early milestone for the duo, who have been steadily building interest around their new musical venture. While still in its early stages, Stanley Simmons has already lined up a short run of additional California dates this month.
Upcoming shows include May 10 at The Siren in Morro Bay, and May 13 at Ventura Music Hall in Ventura.
Alongside their live launch, the band is preparing to release their debut album, Dancing While The World Is Ending, arriving on August 28. The record will feature 12 tracks and follows the release of two early singles, “Body Down” and the title track.
A third single, “Temporary Love,” is set to drop today, on May 8. Evan Stanley described it as a particularly meaningful track, noting: “It’s the first song Nick and I ever wrote together.”
Dancing While The World Is Ending track listing:
- “Body Down“
- “Dancing While The World Is Ending“
- “Starve The Beast“
- “Running Just A Little Too Long“
- “Cellophane“
- “Cold“
- “Lilith“
- “Dystopia Boogie“
- “Temporary Love“
- “Real Life“
- “Love Real Slow“
- “Sing Myself To Sleep“
The unexpected partnership began in December 2024, sparked by a spontaneous Instagram reel that saw Evan Stanley and Nick Simmons sharing a microphone for the very first time. Reflecting on the impromptu performance, the pair described an immediate creative connection.
“We were shocked,” Evan Stanley and Nick Simmons recalled. “The chemistry was instant. The way our voices locked together… it was undeniable.”
By February 2025, the childhood friends had started writing original material. Though they approached the initial writing sessions with no concrete expectations, the undeniable results led to the official formation of Stanley Simmons.
As the project progressed, the duo cultivated a unique sound heavily focused on storytelling, organic musicianship, and personal expression. Their early home recordings eventually caught the attention of renowned producer Rob Cavallo, known for his work with legendary rock acts like Green Day, Fleetwood Mac, Paramore, My Chemical Romance, and Dave Matthews. The acclaimed producer not only agreed to helm their debut full-length album but also assumed a management role for the newly formed duo.
During a recent appearance on “The Drew Lane Show,” Paul Stanley shared his enthusiasm for the collaboration between his son and the son of his longtime bandmate, Gene Simmons.
”Nick and Evan have basically known each other their [whole] lives, but didn’t really get close until the last year where they said, ‘Oh, let’s try singing or writing. Their album, which I’ve heard, is frigging phenomenal. I mean, it’s as good as anything I’ve heard in the last three or four decades. It’s that good. So it’s terrific, and it’s organic,” Paul explained during the interview.
He also dismissed accusations which have been directed at Stanley Simmons for supposedly leveraging their famous parents for an early advantage in the music business, saying: “The idea of nepotism — if you suck, you’ll fall on your face. I don’t think there’s anything wrong with taking advantage of having some sort of familiarity. But ultimately, most people who trade on that fail because it’s not enough. So, I think Stanley Simmons, it’s just fantastic and I can’t wait for them to start playing live.”
As for whether Evan and Nick seek advice from their fathers about their music careers, Paul said:
“I think they ask — I know Evan asked me my opinion of things. And I always preface it by saying, ‘It’s just my opinion, and you have to go with what you believe.’ And he does. I said, ‘I can give you my point of view.’ And I think it’s great that anyone asks somebody else’s opinion, and uses that to their advantage, but to rely upon me to make decisions — I’m not qualified to make decisions about what [he should do]. Only he is.”
