KISS just kicked off the European leg of their End of the Road tour and it's got Gene Simmons reflecting on the band's legendary career. In an interview with Good Morning Britain, Simmons says he feels "pride in a half a century of defying the critics."

"We use them as mulch. You know what that is? You grind 'em up and you put 'em in the dirt. They don't mean anything," he shares. "If it was up to critics, we wouldn't have our favorite things — Star Wars and, you know, all the fun stuff in life. We completely ignored them."

As for the decision to stop touring, Simmons notes, “You have to have a little pride and self-respect. Know when to get off the stage," joking, "It's been half a century, and boy, do I look good."

He adds, “I can't tell you how much it means to us to be in front of the fans and put on the spectacle of all spectacles.”

Finally, he says of the end, “It's gonna be happy, because of the amazing journey we've had, but sad, of course, because it's gonna be heartbreaking."

KISS' End of the Road tour hits Prague on June 10. They wrap the tour for good December 1 and 2 at Madison Square Garden in New York City. A complete list of dates can be found at kissonline.com.

Copyright © 2023, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.