Months after returning to public life this past January, Vinnie Vincent has confirmed plans to again don his electric guitar and lead a live band.
While the reclusive former KISS guitarist and collaborator has performed some acoustic sets during live events over the past few months, Vincent hasn't toured in about 30 years and only began appearing in public again this past January, after about two decades out of view.
"I've been talking to promoters, and they want to get Vinnie on the shred circuit again," the guitarist told Backstage Axxess in the above interview, which was filmed at the Chiller Expo in New Jersey in April. "We're looking at hopefully January, February, March. It's taking a while, but we're getting everything in order and ready to rock. I'm looking forward to it."
Vincent has a reputation for being a perfectionist, and with so much time having passed, there's no reason to rush the process of auditioning and hiring a band. The guitarist is also working on an autobiography.
"A lot has happened," he added, "but Vinnie is back and I've got my double-V warmed up in the garage. The engine's purring, and soon, we'll take it for a ride."
According to a post on Setlist.com, Vincent's last concert was with his Vinnie Vincent Invasion band in August of 1988 at the Celebrity Theatre in Anaheim, California.
Vinnie Vincent Invasion released two albums, a self-titled in 1986 and All Systems Go in 1988. Financial issues and friction in the recording studio caused the band to break up in '89. A third VVI album was recorded in 1991 by Vincent but was never released.
For years in the late-'70s and early-'80s, Vincent was KISS's preferred substitute in the studio when Ace Frehley no-showed recording sessions. Vincent co-wrote and performed on KISS's 1983 Lick It Up album and famously was the only band member to wear the unique Ankh Warrior makeup live until the band ditched its face-painted stage getup to promote the Lick It Up album.
After leaving KISS in 1984 over a contract dispute, Vincent launched the Vinnie Vincent Invasion, which released two albums.
In 1992, KISS brought Vincent back to the studio to help them write for 1992's Revenge album. Since the last '90s, Vincent stayed out of the public eye, except for a flurry of lawsuits against KISS over unpaid royalties. But that's all in the past now.
Vincent recently appeared with KISS's Gene Simmons in April at one of the KISS bassist's Vault events in Nashville, Tennessee. The two former bandmates and collaborators seemed to be happy to see one another again, and they even performed a few songs.
Vincent told Eddie Trunk in January that he's more than happy to return to performing after working out some of the personal issues he'd been dealing with over the years.
"All I do is I play, I write, I record, I take care of my dogs," the guitarist said. "I have a really private, peaceful life now. And I haven't had that in a long time."
Photo: YouTube / BackstageAxxess