KISS’s PAUL STANLEY And GENE SIMMONS Talk About Importance Of Great Songwriting On ‘Track Star’ Podcast

Paul Stanley and Gene Simmons of KISS appeared on the Track Star podcast with host Jack Coyne to discuss the craft of rock and roll songwriting, drawing on decades of experience across American and British rock, punk and Motown. The pair reflected on how different artists and musical movements approach songwriting, and how bands balance artistic craft with the demands of live performance and public expectation, reinforcing a message they have long championed: that the song itself is paramount.

The episode features a curated track listing spanning acts such as The Beatles, The Crystals, The Who, New York Dolls, The Velvet Underground, Slade, Sweet, T. Rex and Smokey Robinson & The Miracles, alongside KISS's own "Then She Kissed Me" and Ace Frehley's "New York Groove". The podcast appearance follows Stanley and Simmons's induction into the Songwriters Hall of Fame on 11 June, recognising KISS songs including "Rock And Roll All Nite" and "I Love It Loud", and comes after other recent honours including the 2025 Kennedy Center Honors and their 2014 Rock and Roll Hall of Fame induction. The band, which played its final live shows in December 2023, sold its entire catalogue and brand to Pophouse Entertainment in 2024, with Stanley and Simmons still involved in developing related projects such as a biopic and avatar show.