As all of you know, KISS sold their catalog and their rights and everything to Pophouse for about 300 millions as it was announced last April 2024. Pophouse is a Swedish company well known by its unique approach in building brands in music and entertainment, which includes the innovative show “ABBA Voyage” in London, where Pophouse is the founder investor.
Well, KISS Army Spain has asked Pophouse about this question and this is the answer they gave us for all of the fans to know:
Pophouse is the owner of everything KISS owned, which is, advertising and music deals, etc… everything that Gene and Paul had as KISS. KISS did not own and nor even try to own the rights to use Bruce Kulick’s and Eric Carr’s images for anything else than what they recorded with them (which logically includes using them on front covers of musical releases). KISS did not have an agreement with them for the merchandise after they left KISS. The fact that Bruce’s and Eric’s faces do not appear on the new KISS merchandise does not start now with the “OFF THE SOUNDTRACK: SAN ANTONIO, TX” album. The same thing already happened with the merchandise of the ANIMALIZE, HOT IN THE SHADE, etc… releases a few years ago. People responsible for the merchandise department told us that they can use Bruce’s and Eric’s image if it is on the front cover of any album and only on that cover since that is it included within the musical agreements.
In conclusion, it is just a matter of rights ownership. Bravado, the company for the merchandise of Universal Music, does not own the rights for Bruce’s and Eric’s image to be used for merchandise.
