The Shallow Reason KISS Rejected Marty Friedman

Guitarist Marty Friedman, widely recognized for his time in Megadeth from 1990 to 2000, once found himself nearly joining another iconic band: Kiss.

During an interview with Sam Ash Music, Friedman revealed, “When they were changing guitar players a long time ago, I got a call from Kiss’ people. They say, ‘Do you think you’d be interested in auditioning for Kiss?’ I’m like, ‘Tell me when and where.’” The prospect of joining one of his favorite bands had Friedman thrilled, but he had to address a few questions before moving forward with the audition.

Friedman recounted, “‘You don’t have any facial hair, do you?’ No. ‘You got long hair right?’ Right. ‘You’re skinny right?’ Right. ‘And you’re over 6 feet tall?’” That last question posed a problem. “I’m like, ‘What? I’m 5’7 and a half,’” Friedman responded, jokingly adding, “‘But I’ll have an operation! I’ll do something!’”

Why Height Was a Dealbreaker for Kiss

Unfortunately, the height requirement was non-negotiable. “They were like, ‘I’m sorry, it’s not going to work out,’” Friedman recalled, admitting he was deeply disappointed. Despite the setback, he understood the band’s decision, stating, “I totally get it. The Kiss guys, Gene and Paul, how many Jewish guys are six feet tall without boots? Why did it have to be that way?” He went on to explain:

“I totally get it though, because it would look [funny], if there was this short guy playing lead guitar. So I totally get it, but I would have done anything. If there was an operation available at the time, I would have done it.”

Though joining Kiss didn’t pan out, Friedman has continued his musical journey with success. He recently released Drama, the 14th studio album of his solo career, and has announced a 2025 tour, starting January 25 in Las Vegas.