Cool things happen. Ace's guitar flies through space, goes

The musician Peter Criss, legendary drummer of the band KISS, once declared with a gleam of wonder: “Cool things happen. Ace’s guitar flies through space, goes through a hole, and blows up. I throw drumsticks and they come flying at you.” To the uninitiated, these words may sound like mere spectacle — the pyrotechnics of rock and roll. Yet to those who listen with the ears of the spirit, this quote speaks of something greater: the mystery of creation, the magic of performance, and the power of energy shared between artist and audience. Criss, in his own raw poetry, captures the truth that when passion and art unite, the ordinary world gives way to the extraordinary.

In this declaration, Criss is not simply describing an act of entertainment, but the alchemy of transformation that occurs when creativity transcends the self. The flying guitar, the exploding sound, the drumsticks returning through the air — these are symbols of a moment when art becomes alive, when the energy of creation loops back to the creator. It is as though the stage itself becomes a living cosmos, where sound, fire, and motion answer one another in sacred rhythm. Such moments remind us that the artist is not a master commanding his craft, but a vessel through which the unseen flows. When Criss says, “Cool things happen,” he speaks as one astonished by his own art — humbled before the mystery that music awakens.

The origin of this wisdom lies not in theory but in experience. In the roaring halls of rock and roll, KISS was more than a band; it was a myth brought to life. Each performance was a ritual of transformation — faces painted like gods of thunder, instruments ablaze, and sound waves that seemed to shake the soul itself. In that electric communion between performer and crowd, something ancient stirred: the same pulse that beat in the drums of warriors, the chants of shamans, and the hymns of temples. The spectacle of Ace’s guitar flying through space was not mere showmanship — it was a modern echo of ancient fire dances, where humans celebrated their connection to forces larger than themselves.

History has shown that when art meets awe, the world is forever changed. Consider the story of Beethoven, deaf and broken, conducting his Ninth Symphony before a sea of listeners who could hear what he could not. When the final note thundered through the hall, the audience erupted in cries of ecstasy, and the composer, unable to hear their cheers, turned only when a singer pulled him toward the roaring crowd. In that moment, the energy of creation returned to its source — as Criss’s drumsticks come flying back — reminding us that what we give to the world, in passion and in love, finds its way home again.

The message hidden in Criss’s words is this: creation is a circle. What we send out with sincerity — whether sound, kindness, or courage — does not vanish into the void. It moves, transforms, and returns. The artist’s performance is but a reflection of life itself, where energy is never lost, only changed. When we pour ourselves into our work, into our relationships, into the fire of our purpose, the universe conspires to return that energy — sometimes as success, sometimes as connection, sometimes as beauty that defies explanation. This is the mystery of “cool things” happening — the world responding to the soul in motion.

Yet there is also humility in this vision. For even the gods of rock know they are not the true source of the magic — only its conduits. Criss’s awe before the chaos of sound and spectacle is the same awe felt by any creator who realizes they are part of something larger, something divine. The wise, therefore, learn to surrender control — to play, to create, to live with abandon, trusting that life itself will catch their flying drumsticks and send them home again.

The lesson, then, is clear: live boldly, create fearlessly, and trust the energy you send forth. Whether you are a musician, a craftsman, a dreamer, or a teacher, give your best to the world and let wonder take care of the rest. Do not cling to outcome or control, for the magic of existence lies in spontaneity. Let the guitars fly, let the sparks burst, let the rhythm carry you beyond yourself — and in doing so, you will glimpse the sacred dance that unites all creation.

So, as Peter Criss reminds us, “Cool things happen” when passion meets purpose. The music of life is not meant to be planned, but played. The universe will respond — as it always does — with echoes, miracles, and the return of what you dared to set free.