Three veteran rock stars forced off the road by the COVID-19 crisis are offering words of encouragement to their fans.
“Be as safe as you can for your sake and the sake of everyone around you,” Paul Stanley of KISS told Rolling Stone. “This isn’t a time to be casual or make unqualified judgements. There’s far more to this than simply looking at recovery or mortality percentages.
“We’ll get through this.”
KISS postponed three shows in the U.S. and are not scheduled to kick off the next leg of the End of the Road World Tour until April 24.
Stanley, 68, said he is “checking in on friends and trying to keep things as normal and fun for my family.”
Bandmate Gene Simmons said he is passing the time by binge-watching TV shows and going for hikes with his Canadian wife, Shannon Tweed.
The 70-year-old urged fans to heed the advice of health professionals.
“I would like to wish everyone good health and remind them that ‘the only way is the lonely way.’ Stop hanging out with everybody. Stay at home, if you can,” Simmons said. “This too shall pass, but it will take a long time. It could last months and months. So get used to FaceTime, binge-watch your favourite shows, workout at home. And stay away from everybody else.”
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Cooper, 72, postponed seven shows in Canada between March 31 and April 19 until the fall due to COVID-19.
In an email to Rolling Stone, Cooper urged rock fans to support bands who will have a more difficult time weathering the storm. (For tips, click here.)
“My band has been around a long time and are lucky enough to have the resources to survive through this,” he said, “but maybe fans should buy some merch or music from younger newer bands that can’t tour right now and don’t have the reserves that we have.”
Cooper also shared words of hope. “We’re all in this together. Whether you’re entertainer or fan, rich or poor, male or female, old or young,” he said. “And we’ll get through this together. And when we do, we’ll be back on the road, doing what we love to do.”