‘I Was Wondering If It Was My Time’: Paul Stanley of KISS Shares Tour Update Following Serious Case of the Flu

Paul Stanley is recovering after missing three of KISS’ final eight gigs on the End of the Road farewell tour.

“Toronto and Ottawa… ” I’ve tried everything to go onstage and participate in the fantastic 2 1/2 hour celebration we’ve planned, but the sickness has made it impossible. “I, along with Gene, Tommy, and Eric, could not be more disappointed and sincerely apologize,” Stanley wrote on KISS’ Facebook page on Wednesday.

During a pre-show soundcheck Q&A on Saturday in Indianapolis, the KISS maestro, 71, spoke up about his recent illness and his comeback to the stage.

Stanley took the stage at the Gainbridge Fieldhouse, dressed all in black, in between songs with KISS founding member Gene Simmons and current bandmates Tommy Thayer and Eric Singer, to answer questions and discuss his recent illness, which prompted him and the band to cancel three recent shows in Ottawa, Ontario on Nov. 21, Toronto on Nov. 22, and Knoxville, Tennessee on Nov. 24.

“I’ve done shows with cracked ribs, shows with a 102 [degree] fever,” Stanley stated in a fan-recorded video on YouTube, before admitting that the virus had him seriously doubting his health: “I was wondering if it was my time.”

Stanley, on the other hand, informed the audience that he was feeling better.

“I’m here, and it’s awesome,” he said.

Since the beginning of the End of the Road World Tour in January 2019, KISS has performed across North America, Europe, Latin America, Asia, and Australia.

KISS will conclude the tour on December 1 and 2 in New York City’s Madison Square Garden.

According to a press statement, the band picked New York City for its “final shows ever” to respect its heritage, having formed as a group in the city in the 1970s.

“New York City gave birth to KISS.” On the 23rd Street. “Fifty years ago,” the band said in a news release. “It will be a privilege and an honor to finish touring at Madison Square Garden, 10 blocks and 50 years from where we first started.”

The End of the Road tour, however, may not be the last time KISS performs live. Members of the band have stated that they are still open to one-off gigs, festivals, or a Las Vegas residency.

Singer and bassist Simmons, 74, told Chaoszine in July 2022 that the band was having such much fun performing — they were then on the second European leg of the tour — that they wanted to add “another 100 cities.”

When asked when they plan to retire, Simmons stated he wasn’t sure.

“We’ve never previously retired. It’s our first time. It’s similar to creating a painting or writing a book. When someone asks, ‘When is it going to be finished?’ “You’re in the middle of it; you have no idea,” he continued.

He stated that the band was “happy” to continue.

“The staff is pleased. “Everyone is content,” he declared at the time. “So we’ve decided to add another 100 cities before calling it quits.” I’m not sure how long that will take.”