Paul Stanley slams Nikki Sixx for his Gene Simmons attacks

KISS’s Paul Stanley has hit out at Nikki Sixx for his continued verbal attacks on Gene Simmons.

In a charged social media post, Stanley, who was first to criticise Simmons for his controversial Prince comments, ordered Sixx to “shut up” and pointed out The Demon’s apparent influence on Sixx.

Stanley wrote: “Jesus Christ Nikki Sixx! Would you please shut up, find another way to be in the news and get off your self inflated pedestal.

“Regardless of some things Gene Simmons has said that I may take issue with, his influence on musicians (you included) is undeniable and will continue.

“More importantly, his work, generosity and monetary contributions to numerous causes and charities for those less fortunate makes your ongoing rant, in the scheme of things, the unimportant but annoying squeak it truly is. Move on.”

Unsurprisingly, within minutes of Stanley’s post, Nikki Sixx was on the offensive again hitting back at “good old Paul.”

He wrote: “Looks like good old Paul doesn't like that someone called out his buddy Gene again... I will give him a standing ovation for calling out Gene himself publicly and then trying to hold my feet to the same fire but you can't save him. If the press wants to run with a story they got legs and we all know they need fresh content. I have to admit calling the next Kiss album "Move On" would be a clever idea though... Love to the Starchild.

“We all give to charities and support our troops etc because that the right thing to do with our success. Telling a depressed kid to kill themselves etc etc etc etc is not...So don't confuse issues.”

The whole saga started last week when self professed “big mouth” Simmons said Prince’s death was “a choice” and described it as “pathetic that he killed himself”.

This prompted Paul Stanley to apologise on Simmons’ behalf on social media saying he was “embarrassed” by the “cold clueless statements” made by his band mate.

In response, Simmons' wife Shannon Tweed hit out at Stanley for his criticism, writing: “We ALL have our failings but true friends don't point at them & throw you under the bus! Especially partners of 40 years!”

Stanley then defended himself against Tweed, responding: “’Partners of 40 years’ says it all. Don’t confuse walking under the bus with being thrown under. My apology was right.”

Then, just when we thought it was all dying down, and despite a lengthy apology from Simmons in the wake of a widespread backlash, Nikki Sixx weighed in guns blazing.

He blasted: “.@genesimmons recent heartless and uneducated remarks about Prince’s death shows why he’s not my hero anymore or anybody’s. #FromHeroToZero”

Adding fuel to the fire over the weekend, he said on his Sixx Sense radio show: “When you're in Gene's position, you should have a little bit more than a narrow-minded, bullying sense of what's happening on the earth. And he said that if you're depressed, kill yourself. He is pro Trump, he is pro a lot of things that I think are negative.

"I think that (Gene’s) an overrated, lucky guy that dresses like a clown. (He) wrote some good songs, hasn't in a long time, and loves to brag about himself.

"I like my heroes to be humble. I like my heroes to have compassion. And I like my heroes to be open to change. I don't like my heroes to be egotistical assholes. Gene Simmons, you're no longer my hero."

We await the next instalment with a due sense of dread and anticipation. We need a lie down...