PAUL STANLEY Says JIMI HENDRIX Was 'Arguably The Greatest Rock Guitar Player'

In a new interview with Germany's Rolling Stone, KISS frontman Paul Stanley was asked what he thinks about the fact that rock and roll music — a genre rooted in black traditions, and many of whose earliest stars were black — has come to be understood as the natural province of whites while soul music is regarded chiefly as a black musical genre. He responded (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "Well, I think that it's narrow, and it's a generality. Arguably the greatest rock guitar player was Jimi Hendrix. And there's loads of terrific white — for lack of a better word — 'soul' singers.

"I think it's a very broad statement," he reiterated. "And I think that generalities don't do justice to the exceptions of the generality. In a different era, Dusty Springfield was an amazing R&B singer and super well regarded by everybody, for example, at Motown. So there's always going to be people who, I think, pull it off beautifully.

"So black, white… I don't think music has a color," Stanley added. "I think it comes down to, do you understand the intent? Do you understand what's behind it? And if you do, you can do it truthfully."

Stanley will release the debut album from his SOUL STATION project on March 19 (postponed from previously announced March 5) via Universal Music Enterprises. A collection of nine classic soul covers and five original tracks, "Now And Then" features the band's acclaimed version of THE FIVE STAIRSTEPS' "O-o-h Child" as well as SOUL STATION's take on THE SPINNERS' "Could It Be I'm Falling In Love".

Stanley's bandmembers include Rafael "Hoffa" Moreira (guitar and backing vocals),Sean Hurley (bass),Alex Alessandroni (musical director, keyboards),Ely Rise (keyboards),Eric Singer (drums and backing vocals),RayYslas (percussion),Gavyn Rhone (backing vocals),Crystal Starr (backing vocals) and Laurhan Beato (backing vocals) and Jon Pappenbrook (lead trumpet).