GENE SIMMONS Says He 'Had Nothing To Do With' KISS's 'End Of The Road' Trademark Application

Gene Simmons says that he "had nothing to do" with KISS's recent attempt to trademark the phrase "The End Of The Road." An application from KISS was filed on February 8 to the United States Patent and Trademark Office, which — should it be accepted — means that the band could use it in connection with "live performances by a musical band." As it stands now, no official farewell tour has been announced.

During a question-and-answer session as part of the KISS bassist/vocalist's "Vault Experience" event this past weekend in New York City, Simmons was asked about the "The End Of The Road" application and what it means for the band's future.

"I had nothing to do with that," Gene said (see video below). "I really don't know who stuck it on there, and I don't know if it's a fan or somebody in the band. I would tell you the truth. I literally don't know anything about it. KISS is playing some big outdoor shows in Spain in July. Around there, the GENE SIMMONS BAND is playing, headlining some festivals and stuff like that. We're very lucky. I have a ball doing it, playing obscure songs like 'I' and 'She's So European', stuff we've never played before. So I get to have a great time. But as regards to your [question], I have no idea."

Simmons's KISS bandmate Paul Stanley recently confirmed that he was behind "The End Of The Road" trademark application, telling journalist Michael Cavacini: "It's not the first trademark that's been filed. I thought it was a terrific name, and I was surprised nobody had used it before. I wanted to make sure that when we used it, and there will be a time that we do, I imagine — I wanted to be sure that we own it and it's ours. When we wanted to go out and do the 'Hottest Show On Earth' tour, Ringling Bros. came to us and said, 'You can't do that.' It set off a light and bell for me. We've always had slogans or sayings that are synonymous with us, and this was another. Everything does end, in one form or another. When it's my time, I want to go out in style, and I want to go out guns blazing. So, when I came up with this idea, I thought let's make sure we tie this up."

KISS had once before publicly announced its plans to call it quits nearly 20 years ago. Stanley later said that the band's tumultuous "Farewell Tour" in 2000 was nothing more than an attempt by the group to "put KISS out of its misery" after years of ego clashes and disagreements over songwriting credits between the band's original members.

Stanley has repeatedly said that the band could one day continue without him and bassist/vocalist Gene Simmons, explaining in an interview: "Once the original [KISS lineup] was no more, it just became clear to us that, in some ways, we're much more a sports team. We don't fall into the limitations of other bands, because we're not other bands. So, yeah, at some point, I'd love to see somebody in the band in my place, and it's because I love the band."

Back in January, Stanley said that he wasn't sure "about the idea of KISS coming to an end. We've built something that's so iconic, and I think it transcends any of the members so I can certainly see me not being there, seriously." He also spoke about his reasons for wanting to spend less time on the road. "I don't want to go leave home," he said. "I have a family and I have children and, honestly, I think my primary responsibility is to be a dad, and I don't want to miss out on that. And certainly, as we got older, we know that life is finite and I pick and choose what I want to do at this point."