Bill Aucoin 1943-2010

Kiss ursprunglige manager Bill Aucoin avled på måndagen, 67 år gammal. Aucoin led av prostatacancer.

På sin webbsida skriver Paul Stanley och Gene Simmons:

"Bill Aucoin, our irreplaceable original manager, mentor and dear friend has died of complications arising from his ongoing battle with prostate cancer.
He was instrumental in guiding us from the beginning and without his vision, leadership and unending dedication, we could never have scaled the heights we have reached.
Bill loved life and lived it to the fullest. Words can never convey his impact on us or those close to him.
Over all the years, he never missed an opportunity to be with us at our shows near his home or fly in for special concerts, including our most recent Madison Square Garden show. He had hoped to attend our London show earlier this month but his illness prevented it. He still planned to visit us upon the start of our upcoming US tour.
We loved him, told him and have peace that he knew it.
We will grieve and celebrate all he was and did.
We have lost a part of us.
Paul Stanley, Gene Simmons"

Bandet länkar även till en PBS-intervju som Aucoin gjorde så sent som i förra månaden.

Även Ace Frehley kommenterar Aucoins bortgång på sin sajt.

"Bill was a very gifted guy with a great eye for talent!
Through all the ups and downs, he never lost his big smile and sense of humour...
We remained friends till the end...
I'm gonna miss him...
- Ace"

Peter Criss skriver så här på sin hemsida:

"Our sympathy and love go out to Bill Aucoin's family and friends. If not for Bill Aucoin there would not be a rock group called Kiss today. He was the fifth Kiss, and always will be. I loved the man and will miss him deeply. See you in heaven Gui.
Love always,
Peter Criss"

Kiss och Bill Aucoin gick skilda vägar 1982, men återupptog kontakten på senare år och samarbetade en del kring utgivningen av Kissology-dvd-serien.

(Foto: Wikimedia Commons)