KISS’ Paul Stanley Explains Why It’s ‘Not Feasible’ to Tour Beyond ‘End of the Road’ Run

We’ve seen retirement tours end up not being the final run before, but KISS’ Paul Stanley insists there’s a very good reason why their “End of the Road” run will in fact be the end of the road for the band – it’s simply not feasible to continue.

The vocalist reveals that the physical demands of putting on a show at their age is one of the main reasons the time has come to conclude their touring career.

Stanley tells Rolling Stone, “We’ve come to the conclusion that we can’t continue [as a touring band]. It’s not feasible. If we were wearing jeans and T-shirts, we could do this into our eighties or nineties, but we’re carrying around 40 and 50 pounds of gear for a couple of hours. There’s an age factor, which makes it more real for people who may have doubted the idea of the ‘end of the road.'”

The singer/guitarist reveals that the band was 120 shows into their “End of the Road” run when the pandemic hit and they intend on finishing out the run, though dates have shifted due to the touring shutdown of the past year.

But having the idea of this being a final tour, Stanley says he’s enjoyed giving the band and fans a night where they can share what has been built together. “I don’t see it as bittersweet. I see it as sweet,” says Stanley. “And will there be tears? Sure. But oh, my God, look what we’ve been given. And from what the fans say, look what we gave them. It’s unlike other bands.”

At present, the “End of the Road” tour is set to resume on June 2 in Antwerp, Belgium, with a European run taking up most of the summer. The U.S. will see the band return stateside starting Aug. 18 in Mansfield, Mass. Check out all dates and get ticketing info here.