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 allegations of unsafe working conditions during the COVID pandemic. Mathews claimed he was fired in 2022 after expressing concerns about having to work in close proximity to band members who were visibly ill, including instances where Simmons was "coughing and blowing his nose in the dressing room."

The settlement was announced before a Los Angeles judge on Monday, just weeks before the scheduled jury trial. While the terms remain confidential, Judge Armen Tamzarian had previously warned both parties about "very serious risks" if the case proceeded to trial.

This case connects to another ongoing legal challenge facing KISS - a wrongful death lawsuit from the family of Francis S. Stueber, their longtime guitar tech who died in 2021 while quarantining in a hotel room. Mathews' lawsuit included his account of Stueber's death, stating he had warned band management that Stueber needed hospitalization.

The settlement brings closure to one of several legal challenges facing the legendary rock band, though the Stueber family lawsuit remains active.

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