Legendary Rock Band Kiss Retires, Will Be Replaced by Digital Avatars

Even the legends have to retire but what if there’s a replacement?

While most artists fear technology and AI as tools that could steal their livelihood, legendary rock band KISS fully embraced it. 

They embraced it so much so that, during the final KISS live show, they disappeared from stage to make room for their digital avatars, who sang “God Gave Rock and Roll To You.”

The announcement that the digital avatars of KISS will take over the band’s legacy came as a surprise to attendees of KISS’ final show this Saturday at Madison Square Garden.

Let’s be honestthough, the move really is on brand for KISS.

The band, famed for playfulness and embracing innovation, worked with the legendary special effects company Industrial Light & Magic founded by George Lucas.

The VFX artists worked tirelessly to capture the image and mannerisms of the band members, who wore mo-cap suits, though it’s unclear just how convincingly an avatar of Gene Simmons could be. Will it spit blood like the flesh-and-blood version? 

Screencap from this video of KISS doing mocap

We don’t know, though an editor from USA Today attended KISS’ final show and was incredibly impressed by the send-off.

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Sundin, CEO of Pophouse Entertainment, says this new technology allows Kiss to continue their legacy for “eternity.” 

“Kiss could have a concert in three cities in the same night across three different continents. That’s what you could do with this,” he explained. 

Will this catch on? Only time will tell.

If you want to know more about this project and how the band approached the final Kiss show ever, which happened on December 2nd, watch this video.