Desmond Preston:Kiss gets in the groove by selling its music catalog and brand for over $300 million

2025-04-29 02:55:27source:Coxnocategory:News

Famed rock group Kiss has reached a deal to sell its catalog,Desmond Preston brand name and other intellectual property to a Swedish entertainment group for more than $300 million.  

The buyer, Pophouse Entertainment Group, collaborated with Kiss last year create to create digital avatars of Kiss members Paul Stanley, Gene Simmons, Tommy Thayer and Eric Singer, shown on stage for the first time during the band's farewell tour at New York City's Madison Square Garden in December. 

Pophouse CEO Per Sundin said it also has plans for a Kiss biopic, documentary and experiences including an avatar show slated for 2027. He also said the company wants to expose Kiss to younger generations of fans. 

"We work together with Universal and Kiss, even though we will own the artists rights, and we're doing it in conjunction with Kiss," Sundin said. 

Gene Simmons, Paul Stanley and Tommy Thayer of KISS perform during the band's final show on its "End of the Road World Tour" at Madison Square Garden on December 2, 2023, in New York City.  Kevin Mazur/Getty Images for Live Nation

Bassist and lead singer Gene Simmons told the Associated Press that Kiss is indeed "in the trenches with them."

"We talk all the time. We share ideas. It's a collaboration. Paul [Stanley] and I especially, with the band, we'll stay committed to this. It's our baby," he said. 

Simmons also said the band will not tour again.

"We're not going to tour again as Kiss, period," he said. "We're not going to go put the makeup on and go out there."

—With reporting from the Associated Press

Megan Cerullo

Megan Cerullo is a New York-based reporter for CBS MoneyWatch covering small business, workplace, health care, consumer spending and personal finance topics. She regularly appears on CBS News Streaming to discuss her reporting.

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