KISS members Gene Simmons and Paul Stanley have reached a settlement in a wrongful termination lawsuit filed by their longtime hairstylist David Mathews, who worked with the band for over 30 years.

The lawsuit, filed in 2023, centered around claims that Mathews was fired in 2022 after expressing concerns about unsafe working conditions during the COVID pandemic. Specifically, Mathews alleged he was forced to work in close proximity to band members even when they showed visible signs of illness.

Key points of the lawsuit included:

• Mathews worked as KISS's wig stylist for over 30 years
• He claimed retaliation for raising COVID safety concerns
• The settlement terms remain confidential
• A jury trial was originally scheduled for this month

The case is connected to another ongoing lawsuit - a wrongful death suit filed by the family of Francis S. Stueber, a longtime KISS guitar tech who died in 2021 while quarantining in a hotel room. Mathews' lawsuit included his account of Stueber's death, claiming he had urged band management to seek medical help for Stueber.

The settlement was reached after Judge Armen Tamzarian advised both parties that the case presented "very serious risks" for all involved if it proceeded to trial. The resolution was announced to a Los Angeles judge on Monday, with attorneys from both sides confirming they had resolved their dispute.

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