Annie Reuter of Radio.com reports:
Gene Simmons of KISS has some heated words for drug addicts and people dealing with depression in a new interview with Songfacts.com.
When asked if he keeps in touch with the original players of KISS he answered with a resounding “no.”
Why’s that? Simple: they’re either drug addicts or just downers.
“I don’t get along with anybody who’s a drug addict and has a dark cloud over their head and sees themselves as a victim,” Simmons said. “Drug addicts and alcoholics are always: ‘The world is a harsh place.’ My mother was in a concentration camp in Nazi Germany. I don’t want to hear f–k all about ‘the world as a harsh place.’ She gets up every day, smells the roses and loves life.
And for a putz, 20-year-old kid to say, ‘I’m depressed, I live in Seattle.’ F–k you, then kill yourself.”
He added “I never understand, because I always call them on their bluff. I’m the guy who says ‘Jump!’ when there’s a guy on top of a building who says, ‘That’s it, I can’t take it anymore, I’m going to jump.’ Are you kidding? Why are you announcing it? Shut the f–k up, have some dignity and jump! You’ve got the crowd.”
While Simmons said KISS has new songs ready, there are no plans to record anytime soon. But, there is one artist he’d love to record with in the future: Lady Gaga.
“I think Lady Gaga is the only new rock star, although she’s not a rocker,” he said. “I would like her to throw away all the disco stuff and get a band. Don’t use tapes, come out with a real live band and guitars. She’s a bona fide musical artist. She did a duet with Tony Bennett, real great pipes. She can sit at a piano all by herself. She’s a legitimate artist. A lot of the other pop divas who are really talented are not artists.”
Simmons said KISS and Gaga tried to collaborate on their last record but both were too busy.
“We got close. She got busy, we got busy. We would have done it.”
additional source: radio.com
245 Responses
We are getting close. I said this story would have 150 comments. Will we get there?
although i agree with some of what gene says,i get pissed about how he keeps calling ace/and or peter drug addicts.that was a very long time ago,and gene talks about it like its in the now,enough gene,what is it,you cant find anything else to throw at them,both have been clean and sober for many years,and arent running around doing and singing the same old tired shit you guys are,at least when ace tours he plays fresh stuff with a few of the classics,you guys would not know fresh if it bit you in the ass
I’ve read the article a couple of times now. I’m not defending this idiot, but, I think what he’s trying to say (and obviously did NOT do a good job of saying it) is all those bands that were in the grunge genre all sang about suicide and angst. I believe he is still stuck in 1992 here. You know, about the time his music career started to take a nose-dive and he had to call up Ace and Peter, the drug addicts/alcoholics to revive it. Anyway, I don’t want to get into that stuff. That horse has been beaten so much it doesn’t even resemble a horse anymore. So, what I believe he’s trying to say here is the bands of the grunge movement were ludicrous to come out and sing about all this stuff when most of them were sitting on top of the world. This is only my opinion, and my take on what he said. But, I really think what he’s trying to say to the grunge bands and not to the truly depressed people out there, is “what the hell are you talking about? You have the bull by the horns and you are saying life sucks?” That’s truly what I think he meant. Again, he didn’t say it very clearly! And, he used a genre that was popular twenty some odd years ago! Really, only the interviewer and the d-bag himself know what the context of the conversation was, and what was truly meant by the comment.
Hey Gene, you get depressed having to wear wigs for years and not even admitting it?
If anyone has been a Kiss fan from the inception, or at least from the late 70s, knows that Kiss has always been about grandiosity, ego, and sound bites. (going back to when they started in clubs and Paul would say “it’s good to be back” making it seem like they’ve been on the road) That’s what makes this band unique. It cracks me up when people take these comments seriously, nit pick and disparage. Is Gene an insensitive prick at times? You betcha. And he’ll admit to that. This isn’t anything new. He’s been doing this for decades. Who cares? Is he running for office? No. Is he promising world peace? No. Will Paul and Gene keep saying that every new album is their best and comparable to their classic Kiss albums? Of course they will. What rock band EVER releases a new album and says, “Ehhhh, this new album is ok…. we were in a hurry to release it.”? NO ROCK BAND. And of course they’re going to say that the present tour (yes, they are co-headlining, but who f-ing cares) is doing really well (which actually, it is) After 40 years of still being around, and several thousand people still care enough to come out and see the show, THAT IS DOING REALLY WELL. (Paul and Gene realize this, but they’re not going to come out and say that publicly because that wouldn’t be KISS) And you, Eddie, should realize that. You claim that Kiss changed your life and got you started on this career of yours. If that’s the case, I think you owe a little more respect to Paul and Gene. They’re still wearing the make-up and performing. People are still interested in the band. That’s undeniable. But yet, you still have this attitude toward them. (it makes you seem child-like and petty) You can never say a positive thing about this current version of the band. So the Kiss Mini Golf incident is still bugging you, huh? You need to get over it and move on.
Just saw them in New Jersey Sunday. Packed house. Paul’s voice was fine and the band sounded great. I was expecting it to be empty after reading the posts on this site.
Eddie doesn’t have to like or respect what Gene and Paul are currently doing with this version of Kiss. There are tons of Kiss fans that aren’t buying what they are selling now. It’s not for everyone. The part I keep coming back to is the constant bashing of Ace and Peter. Isn’t there a positive way to sell the current version of the band? Sales wise Monster is right there with the Elder as the worst selling Kiss album of all time. Psycho Circus (that Paul loves to bash) out sold both of their last two CD’s. It just seems to me that they have ratcheted up (especially Gene) the negativity toward the other two founding members lately. Maybe it is the internet age, who knows. They are alienating their core fan base with this. But I digress, you can be a fan of a band and not agree with all versions and decisions.
John Gross,
Exactly what we’re those sales figures? Could you provide those for us please? Thanks!
Sonic Boom, sold with Walmart 300,000 Monster 120,000, Psycho Circus 1,000,000 +. Also do you notice that Psycho Circus is in the set and nothing from Monster or Sonic Boom is? If fans were buying it up wouldn’t you work it into the sets?
Just curious–how did you get these figures? Also, are the figures current or do they represent that years sales? Not challenging you, just want to know. Thanks!
John Gross, forgive me if I’m misunderstanding you, but are you quoting Psycho Circus sales vs. the last two albums with Tommy and Eric with your point being that Ace and Peter played on Psycho Circus? If you’re doing what I think your doing, let me remind you, or inform you that Peter played on one song on PS, and the band itself only played together on one song (Into the Void). PS was no different than Rock n Roll Over or Love Gun. Ace and Peter were hardly there for the recording sessions. Ace is on PS alot more than Peter, and Into the Void is the best song on that album. But please don’t play the sales game with those last three albums. Again if I misunderstood you, my humble apologies Sir. But if I didn’t misunderstand you, then I need some facts to get in the way of your good story.
John, some of the point you are missing is few of the legendary bands are selling product anymore. Aerosmith didn’t do jack last time. Even with the return of DLR to Van Halen on their last album, sales figures were underwhelming to say the least. Still not sure if that album even attained gold status. From the point Psycho was released till now, the industry has changed dramatically.
300-500k in album sales…for many bands, especially bands dealing in nostalgia like Kiss, is a huge success. It’s just not apples to apples anymore. Paul and Gene bashing Ace and Pete has nothing to do with poor album sales. Ace barely sold 50k last time…first album in decades. He’ll be lucky to do 30k this time…it’s just the nature of the business now. IMO, Kiss should never release any new material again…there is just no point in it unless they can make money.
Excellent post…glad to see you found the patience you were looking for to articulate some good points…Hahaha Ennui…
Thanks. I do have my moments. It’s rare, but I do have them.
It is precisely because Eddie is a fan that he is completely honest. Eddie Trunk is not E.T., he isn’t just some mindless talking head.
Fans are people who support a band. (Fan is short for FANATICAL) Fans support a band by buying their music, merchandise, and attending their shows. Eddie does none of these things. Ergo, he is not a fan of Kiss. Fans do not look for every opportunity to belittle the band. I’m so sick of this constant BS claim…. “I’m just being an honest fan” I assume you love your spouse, but are you always “honest” with her about everything? Do you always speak your mind? NO FRICKIN WAY.
Dude I am so tired of your constant issues, your constant name changes, your baseless and incredibly idiotic claims. Please take your act somewhere else if you have nothing real to offer. To sit here and claim I am not a fan and supporter of Kiss of all bands is stunningly ignorant and shows you have no real clue of my history for 31 years of playing the band, screaming about the HOF, etc. I’m sorry I don’t have blind worship and belief of everything they sell like you and God forbid have an opinion, but please take it somewhere else if you are going to keep up just dumb baseless statements. There are plenty of other sites you can go to if you just want to bash me I’m sure. If you said half of the things here on my site to Gene or Paul they would have blocked you in about 5 seconds…
Yeah next week he’ll be “Potsie Webber”, or “Ralph Mouth”, or “Richie Cunningham”, he’s as confused as Eric & Tommy! LOL! 😉
And let the censorship continue…..
Censorship reflects society’s lack of confidence in itself. – Potter Stewart
I think Eddie Trunk is ET.
I remember when he first came to earth. I was in my backyard and I saw him come out of my garden shed. I left a trail of Reeses Pieces and he followed them into my home. He stayed in my closet and hid with the stuffed animals. I showed him my Star Wars toys and he tried to eat them, even though I explained they were toys. Then I left him home and he ate all my food and drank my beer. He took my sister’s spelling toy and some junk from our garage and contacted his home planet. Guys in suits arrived and he died but he came back and made my bicycle fly and I gave him a flower pot and he went home.
But will there ever be a sequel? 🙂
Well said.