KISS star Gene Simmons says he’s proud to be among the One Percent of the world’s richest people – and insists everyone else owes him a debt of gratitude.
The bassist believes the world would descend into “chaos” if it wasn’t for him and fellow millionaires.
Simmons tells UTSanDiego.com, “The one percent pays 80 percent of all taxes. 50 percent of the population of the US pays no taxes. The one percent provides all the jobs for everybody else. If the one percent didn’t exist there would be chaos and the economy would drop dead.”
He adds, “Try being nice to rich people. I don’t remember the last poor person who gave me a job.”
Describing his 30 years of extreme financial security as “fantastic” he continues: “You know how I spell ‘shameless?’ P-r-o-u-d.”
He explains, “People often confuse my pride and self-confidence with arrogance. I’m like an animal in the jungle that pisses on the ground and doesn’t ask permission. That’s full disclosure before the facts – others hold their opinions to themselves and never say who they are. You will always know who I am. You don’t have to like it.”
KISS recently announced, KISS Rocks Vegas residency, starting November 5th at the Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Las Vegas. The band is currently on tour with Def Leppard.
additional source: classicrockmagazine.com
125 Responses
Gene is a Jerk like Nugent and others he can’t help but jam his foot deep into his mouth. Best thing to do is ignore him that would be worse than death to him.
Even though this story is somewhat edited, Gene is like this every time there is an interview with him. You have to read his book to understand where he’s coming from. Then it puts things in perspective a little. But you are right–he does jam his foot in his mouth! I hate it when he does that. He is like Ted Nugent–a lot like Ted. For the record, I think Ted is also a great showman, like Gene. I just hate hearing these two go on about their views without any consideration for others. Nevertheless, I support their right to say what they believe. I don’t have to listen.
Who cares about kiss anymore???? They are so over
He’s making it easy to dislike him. Even if he meant what he said to be taken as tongue and cheek, considering all the unbelievably outrageously arrogant and stupid news coming out of the Kiss camp lately, Gene needs to dial the assholeness back at least for a while. I think back to a great memory of when I was in the 6th grade and one of my teachers, who liked to act like she was”cool”, made me write out the lyrics to Christine Sixteen 20 times because I wouldn’t stop singing it in class. I think about that and how special Kiss was to the soundtrack of my life and then I read about all the disrespectful things Paul and Gene say and do now and it breaks my heart. I wish nothing but the best for Ace and Peter. And deep down, believe it or not, I have some love left for Paul and Gene because those two guys wrote some of the best songs in Rock history (Kisstory). I’ve just lost tons of respect for Paul and Gene, that’s all. I have posted it before and I’m posting it again: I’m more excited about the new Ace Frehley album than I am about anything Paul and Gene are up to.
Look, it doesn’t really matter. Gene has been successful, sure. Who cares?? He likes to talk about it, and always has. Obviously, people are buying tickets to see the 70’s extravaganza and Gene and Paul are raking it in.
I dunno, I find it hard to enjoy the old Kiss songs anymore. That’s sad.
Gene has a short memory. All the people involved in the beginning of kiss were not rich, but they gave him a job!