Vinnie Vincent was not one of the KISS members recently honored at the newly-renamed Trump-Kennedy Center, but that isn’t keeping the band’s former guitarist from trying to cash in. This holiday season, for example, he decided to sell an exclusive limited run of autographed singles for a whopping $225.
On December 1, Vincent shared this post on his Facebook, adding that he’s taking extra precautions to ward off bootleggers:
I’m Working for a CHRISTMAS RELEASE. Many fans have been waiting so patiently for VVI music to be released. I’m about ready to meet the releases that have been so desired by the VV faithful. Keep watching for announcements… A Christmas release is imminent. Each disc will be a plain disc plain sleeve very limited collection piece, handwritten signed titled and numbered in my handwriting to each person..these are private releases. Worldwide availability of 500 pieces only. Once they are spoken for, there will be no more.
I’ve been informed there are numerous pirating entities watching and waiting like a hawk to seize whatever I release and bootleg it.
To protect my creation, Each disc will be $300 each, signed as a collection piece. Once All 500 pieces are purchased through PayPal, they will bulk ship.
This protects premature pirating. Credit card/ pp purchases are protected.
if the fan support is there, this is what to expect the price will be for these private recording collection pieces. There is a bank vault of recordings i have been preparing for release. The time is almost here.
I understand the bitching, the moaning, the whining about price, but you must also understand that my situation is as such that my music is so desired that it will be targeted and taken from me immediately, which I cannot/will not allow.
I wish it was not this way, but I’m honored that it is..
It’s a double-edged sword for me, but I sincerely hope that when you think it through you will understand the dilemma I face… VV
My love to every member of the VV / VVI family.
The pre-order link for that single, Ride The Serpent, went live on December 22. It turns out that the single actually costs a mere $225 with shipping for US customers, but there’s an additional listing for international customers with a $300 price tag. Interesting! When one fan commented expressing justified disappointment in that price, Vincent had this to say:
First of all, consider the analogy to caviar or fine art. Not everyone can afford it. Second, I resent your “personal lifes needs… “prices alleviate my burdens” insult. Who the fuck are you to assume such a theory because you can’t afford or don’t to pay or don’t agree with my price… Oh but you expect fair market price of 18.99…. Fair market price? Lol. That was yesteryear. Welcome to the new agenda. Artists can and will set their own standards and rules for the purchase price of their art, that’s if their are any or many artists of value left aside from the standard list. We are nearing 2030. Inflation thru the roof. Homeless..etc..the horror list is endless. It’s a Mad Max wasteland, the wild West for artists now who have No protection from shoplifter fans who download their music for free. They are victims of Massive ripoffs reduced to beg and pander for likes and subscribes from self entitled brats who want their work for free or for next to nothing. Yet these are the same whiners who have no problem paying a lipsyncer $500 for a brick from a house he demolished or $1000 for a sweaty pair of used socks. But you bitches cry and whine like fucking babies when VV sells something at a price you don’t like????. Grow the fuck up!. My price protects me from people like “you” who will buy cheap from the theft of bootleggers who steal from me. If you don’t like what I do, what I look like, what I say, what I sell, or anything and or everything about me, don’t come here. If you like what I do, then support the artist. You bitch because it’s one song??????. This one song is worth more than most entire albums. Consider yourself lucky that it’s only 200…and that its autographed yet. It was originally 300, but with the economy suffering as it is, I made it 200. If you don’t like it… That’s YOUR PROBLEM..NOT MINE. Don’t tread on my world and the good vibes of this fan site. There are plenty of other sites where emotionally disturbed trolls can try and disrupt. Frankly, i have no interest in whether you buy my works at my price or not. In fact, I recommend that you stay with your kiss records. You can get those fairly cheap. But then you get what u pay for. ???My music is not for you. Let’s keep it that way. In fact I have control over who I sell to. A nice vantage point. Unsigned artists are deer in the woods who never see a dime for the work. Signed artists are ripped off, cheated of the royalties and usually end up in court. Labels own the artists and their works. I’ve been there. Not interested. If artists had any fucking balls they would unite and shut down all free goods giveaway and stop the suckup pandering to fans and bring it all back to where it began. No free access. No free downloads and start getting paid again for their work. Artists are unprotected. The internet killed the fire and desire and the creativity and the artist itself. No artist wants to give their music away for free to ungrateful self entitled deadbeats. If an artist is not protected by a label, there’s no point of incentive to release their music. Third, my music is intensely desired. I’m a prime target for bootleggers. My price is my compensation for my talent and the music that fans want and wait for. And lastly, its worth every fucking penny. It’s the best designer drug on the market.. an endless high of pure fire running thru your veins
VINNIE VINCENT.
Vincent is unsurprisingly very active on Facebook, so if you have further questions about this whole ordeal, you can likely get a response there. In further comments, he promises that 2026 will be a big “year of music releases” for him, that he’s not interested in working with a label, and that he’s “one of the few artists who don’t pander.” It’s worth noting that Vincent’s webstore also boasts a huge merch package for a grand total of $7,500, if for some reason that $225 feels a bit too low for you.
Just an idea: Vincent could also make bank by charging someone to be his roadie.
Relatedly, KISS Army completists may have noticed drummer Peter Criss’ brand new self-titled album was recently priced at $1,000 on Bandcamp. On December 22, the Catman clarified that this was a temporary measure taken by his label to halt downloads before his music was taken off the platform entirely. Like Vincent, his music is available on physical editions only. Criss writes:
Bandcamp had become an issue and I had requested Flatiron Recordings to disable the account associated with my records before the release day of my New record on December 19, 2025.
I am not in control of the Bandcamp account. Flatiron Recordings is. I apologize for any inconvenience this may cause and for the misinformation and implication that I am charging $1,000 for a download of my New record – I am Not. Please contact Flatiron Recordings with any purchase questions. Please find another outlet to purchase My New Peter Criss Rock Record . There is a Linktree on my website www.petercriss.net of outlets to purchase my new record. Just click the link for my record and it will show you the Linktree . Please use one of those instead of Bandcamp.
