Fans hoping for an easy, affordable way to grab Vinnie Vincent’s new music are in for a surprise. The former KISS guitarist is releasing “Ride the Serpent,” the first single from his long-awaited album Judgement Day Guitarmageddon, as a limited-edition CD priced at $200—and he’s not backing down on the cost. Each disc will only ship if all 1,000 copies are sold, making it a high-stakes purchase for collectors and die-hard fans alike.
Vincent has emphasized that this release plan is designed to prevent “premature pirating,” but the price has drawn some criticism. One fan voiced their concerns on Facebook: “I fear though, that this price will deter people from truly enjoying your beautiful art in this horrendous economy, especially if it will be this way for each single.”
The fan added, “I was hoping your new music would be released as a whole, for a fair industry standard retail price of 18.99 (or so)… it’s a bit much for us devoted fans who are struggling to justify our electric bills and other utilities needed to feel ‘normal’ and still have a monetary amount of cash to barely save after we put gas in the car once the bills are paid.”
Vincent replied bluntly, framing his message as both directed and general: “First of all, consider the analogy to caviar or fine art. Not everyone can afford it. That simple. Second, I resent your ‘personal life’s needs … prices alleviate my burdens’ insult. Who the f**k are you to assume such a theory because you can’t afford or don’t want to pay or don’t agree with my price? … Oh but you expect a fair market price of 18.99.”
He went on to address the modern challenges facing independent artists: “Fair market price? Lol. That was yesteryear. Welcome to the new agenda. Artists can and will set their own standards and rules for the purchase price of their art, when they’ve had their fill of being ripped off … that’s (if) there are any or many artists of value left, aside from the standard list. If you don’t agree with the price, don’t buy it. It’s that easy.”
Vincent also called out entitled fans and highlighted the harsh reality for creators today: “Independent artists now have to navigate a ‘Mad Max wasteland of survival’ and are the directed victims of massive ripoffs, reduced to beg and pander for likes and subscribes from self-entitled brats who want their work for free or for next to nothing. Yet these are the same whiners who have no problem paying someone $500 for a brick from a house he demolished or $1,000 for a sweaty pair of used socks. But you b**ches cry and whine like f**king babies when VV sells something at a price you don’t like. Grow the f**k up! My price protects me from people like ‘you’ who will buy cheap from the theft of bootleggers.”
He even suggested critics stick with his older music: “Frankly, I have no interest in whether you buy my works at my price or not. In fact, I recommend that you stay with your KISS records. Because that’s where you belong. My music is not for you.”
Vincent also encouraged artists to reclaim power in the industry: “If artists had any f**king balls they would unite, form a coalition and shut down all free goods giveaway and stop the suck-up pandering to social media fans and bring it all back to where it began.”
Ultimately, Vincent underscored the value of his work: “My price is my compensation for my talent and the music that fans want and wait for. And lastly, it’s worth every f**king penny. It’s the best designer drug on the market — an endless high of pure fire running through your veins.”
