Vinnie Vincent Defends High Price of Ride the Serpent, Says It Reflects Its True Value

Former KISS guitarist Vinnie Vincent has defended the steep price of his new single, “Ride The Serpent,” after fans voiced complaints online. The single, personally autographed by Vincent and housed in a plain envelope, was announced earlier this month as a limited release. Early posts suggested 500 copies at $300 each, while later announcements listed 1,000 copies at $225 for U.S. buyers ($300 for international orders), reflecting the listing on his official online store.

Vincent confirmed that “Ride The Serpent” is the first release from a forthcoming album, Judgment Day Guitarmageddon, marking the Vinnie Vincent Invasion’s first new music since 1996’s Euphoria EP. The album will be rolled out through a series of “collector’s singles.”

“If the fan support is there, this is what to expect the price will be for these private recording collection pieces,” Vincent said. “There is a bank vault of recordings I have been preparing for release. The time is almost here.”

Explaining the Price

Addressing fan criticism, Vincent was candid about why he has priced the single so high. He emphasized protecting his music from unauthorized copying and maintaining artistic control.

“I understand the bitching, the moaning, the whining about price, but you must also understand that my situation is such that my music is so desired that it will be targeted and taken from me immediately, which I cannot/will not allow,” he explained.

Vincent also addressed fans questioning the value of a single song, arguing that the market for artists has drastically shifted. “Artists can and will set their own standards and rules for the purchase price of their art…We are nearing 2030. Inflation through the roof. Homeless, etc. The horror list is endless,” he wrote.

He compared his approach to other collectibles, pointing out that fans spend large sums on trivial items but complain when a musician prices their work fairly. “Yet these are the same whiners who have no problem paying a lip-syncher $500 for a brick from a house he demolished or $1000 for a sweaty pair of used socks. But you bitches cry and whine like fucking babies when VV sells something at a price you don’t like? Grow the fuck up!”

What to Expect From Vincent

“Ride The Serpent” is described as a “nearly eight-minute, intense guitar powerdrive,” showcasing Vincent’s signature style. Other upcoming releases from the Vinnie Vincent Invasion include tracks with titles such as Heavy Metal Poontang, Cockteaser, and a collection of “all the Vinnie Vincent power ballads.”

Vincent made it clear that the release model is designed to protect both the music and the artist’s creative integrity: “My price protects me from people…who will buy cheap from the theft of bootleggers who steal from me. If you like what I do, then support the artist. You bitch because it’s one song? This one song is worth more than most entire albums.”

The singles will only be produced once pre-order targets—500 or 1,000 copies, depending on the listing—are met, ensuring that collectors and fans can secure official releases while discouraging unauthorized distribution.