Ex-KISS rocker Vinnie Vincent slams ‘whining’ fans as he doubles down on $225 price tag for new single

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Vinnie Vincent defended his choice to charge upwards of $225 for his new single amid fan backlash.

I’ve been a fan for years, and I understand why the 73-year-old guitarist is sticking to his guns about the price. He was a part of KISS – a really important one, even though it was between 1982 and mid-1984 – and he’s clearly confident in what he’s offering. He’s definitely not backing down, and honestly, I respect that.

He dismissed the complaints about the high price of the limited edition CDs, describing the criticism as constant complaining and whining, and explained his reasoning for the cost.

Earlier this month, the musician shared on Facebook that he would be offering his new song, ‘Ride the Serpent,’ as a rare and collectible item.

The vinyl record came with a signed cover featuring the tracklist written by hand by the guitarist, and it sold for $300.

He announced he’s only making 500 copies of the single. They’ll cost $225 for fans in the US and $300 for international fans.

He expressed gratitude to his supporters and responded to his critics with detailed explanations on Facebook about the associated expenses.

‘I understand the bitching, the moaning, the whining about price,’ he wrote in a response to a fan.

He justified the expensive price, explaining it was a difficult situation, but he needed to charge that much to safeguard his own financial well-being.

I also need you to understand that my music is highly sought after, and there’s a real risk of it being stolen from me. I can’t and won’t let that happen.

He admitted he didn’t want things to be this way, but expressed gratitude for the situation nonetheless. He described it as a difficult choice, hoping they would eventually understand the challenging position he was in.

He also told a fan that releasing his album as expensive individual songs helps prevent illegal bootlegging and safeguards his work.

I’ve been following this creator for a while, and honestly, he recently got really frustrated with some of the comments he was getting. He said people were leaving these really entitled, demanding messages – he described them as ‘whining, immature people who expect everything to be handed to them for free’ – and that’s why he had to turn off comments. It was pretty clear it was getting to him.

He replied to a fan, saying he was simply too exhausted to argue with someone who felt entitled to special treatment. He emphasized that no one, and certainly not him, owed them anything.

‘If they want my music they can pay for it or wait a long time because they can get it bootlegged.’  

This news follows a recent controversy involving his former bandmate, Gene Simmons, who received criticism for charging fans $12,000 to act as his personal assistant and roadie for just one day.

I was absolutely thrilled to hear about this! A fellow Simmons fan, a 52-year-old man, and his 13-year-old son spent a substantial amount – over ten thousand dollars – to get the chance to be his assistants at a concert. It’s amazing to see that level of dedication!

The very first thing they did was get Simmons some lunch, and that was just one of the many things they did for him that day.

The fans defended the experience in an interview with the New York Times. 

Gene Simmons, thought to be the richest member of KISS with an estimated fortune of $400 million, also started offering meet-and-greet packages for at least $6,500 back in March when he first revealed these expensive options.

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2025-12-29 23:18