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ON THE day that his first album in 18 years was released, founding KISS drummer Peter Criss has joined Cheap Trick in moving to clarify his thoughts about president Donald Trump and the Kennedy Center Honors.

Criss, 79, released an eponymous album on Friday featuring guest appearances from John Five, Billy Sheehan, Paul Shaffer and others. On December 7, he was present with fellow surviving founders Gene Simmons and Paul Stanley in receiving the honours from Trump.

Cheap Trick performed “Rock’n’Roll All Nite” at the ceremony and have issued a statement stressing their involvement did not amount to an endorsement of Trump.

“We were asked to perform at this year’s Kennedy Center Honors ceremony to pay tribute to our lifelong brothers in KISS, and to support artists and the arts,” the band said on its social media channels.

“We agreed to do it for those reasons, and no others.”

Now the Catman himself has given his own statement on the issue of the president, telling Billboard: ““Look, it was an honour. How many chances to go you get to go to the White House and get a medal?

“I’m not a politician. I’m not a political guy. That’s how I answered the questions; ‘I’m not political. I’m just proud to be here. Am I a Trump supporter? I’m a supporter of the president of the United States. I’m proud to be an American, and only in America can four guys like us, from the streets, be in the White House getting such a great award.’”

READ AND HEAR INTERVIEWS WITH DOZENS OF ARTISTS VIA OUR PATREON PAGE. EAVESDROP AS WE CHAT TO THE BIGGEST NAMES IN ROCK AND METAL – FROM 1987 TO THE PRESENT!

Features:

AC/DC

Ace Frehley

Aerosmith

Alice Cooper

The Angels

Angry Anderson

Avantasia

BB Steal

Black Star Riders

The Bombers

Bonham

Candy Harlots

Cinderella: Fred Coury

Cinderella: Jeff LaBar

Cinderella: Eric Brittingham

Cinderella: Tom Keifer

D’Mont

Danko Jones

Dave Ellefson

Dead Daisies

Dead Flowers

Def Leppard

Disneyland After Dark

Femme Fatale

Georgia Satellites

Gotthard

Guns N’Roses

Hard-Ons

Heaven

Inglorious

Jane’s Addiction

Jane’s Addition (1989)

Johnny Diesel and the Injectors

Johnny Diesel and the Injectors (1989)

Joe Perry

KISS (1989)

KISS (1990)

Kings Of The Sun

Living Colour

Metal Church

Metallica

Mike Tramp

Mr Big

Motorhead

Nick Barker and the Reptiles

Poison

Ratt

Richie Sambora (1992)

Rhino Bucket

Rose Tattoo

Roxus

Screaming Jets

Silverchair

Slaughter

Steve Vai

Stone Rider

Stryper

Tom Keifer (1991)

Vinnie Vincent

Vivian Campbell

Winger

Yngwie Malmsteen (1990)

Audio interviews:

Buckcherry

Burnt Out Wreck

Chuck Billy

The Casanovas

Bob Catley

Danko Jones

Duff McKagan 1989

Gotthard

Jason Newstead (1988)

Joel Hoekstra

Eric Martin

Kelly Nickels

Kurdt Vanderhoof

Rikki Rockett (1989)

Ugly Kid Joe

Donnie Vie

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Steve Mascord

Author Steve Mascord

Steve came up with the name of Hot Metal magazine in 1989 and worked for the magazine in its early years. He is HM's editor and proprietor in 2022.

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