KISS’ GENE SIMMONS SAYS HE IS “LOOKING FORWARD TO THE DEATH OF RAP [MUSIC]”
Kory Grow of Rolling Stone reports:
Gene Simmons is not happy with the pop charts. “I am looking forward to the death of rap,” the KISS singer and reality-TV star tells Rolling Stone. “I’m looking forward to music coming back to lyrics and melody, instead of just talking. A song, as far as I’m concerned, is by definition lyric and melody … or just melody.”
Simmons shared the opinion during an interview about the 40th anniversary of KISS’ Destroyer, bemoaning the current state of the music industry at large.
…”As far as I’m concerned, rock is dead,” he continues. “There ain’t no new bands. Foo Fighters, I love ’em, but they’re a 20-year-old band. These are long-in-the-tooth bands: Nirvana, Pearl Jam. They’re old bands.”
He went on to say, however, that he did not feel all hope was lost. “That doesn’t mean there’s not new bands out there,” Simmons says. “As far as I’m concerned, if Lady Gaga dropped the disco and the pole dancing and all that stuff and put together a rock band, that would be legitimate, because she’s got the musical goods. She can write songs, play instruments and can actually sing. And she understands the fearless quality of spectacle. I’d love to see her do Queen-style music. She can do it. Madonna cannot.”
… “Rap will die,” he says. “Next year, 10 years from now, at some point, and then something else will come along. And all that is good and healthy.” Asked about EDM, Simmons says, “EDM is honest. EDM says, ‘Here’s a guy onstage who does f–k-all, he does nothing. He presses a button and puts his hands up in the air. He doesn’t pretend to be lip-syncing to a track.’ He has a light show and it’s an honest relationship.
My thing about the disco divas who get up onstage — and I love Jennifer Lopez and Ciara and Shakira and Madonna and all the girls with names that end in ‘a,’ they’re very talented in their own way — but it’s dishonest. They have a backing track. It’s really a karaoke bar. Karaoke is more honest, because you know it’s karaoke.'”
Read more at Rolling Stone.
source: rollingstone.com
William shatner…the original rapper!
Thank you Frank T for giving Europe the proper respect that they deserve. I don’t have much of their catalog, just the early stuff, but certainly plan on adding it all to my collection eventually. The 1st Europe and Wings Of Tomorrow are some of the best hard rock/metal to come out of ‘Europe’ in the early ’80s. Joey Tempest is a powerhouse vocalist and what can I say about John Norum, he’s another one of those highly underrated guitar players, that dude shredds!!! I have a boot show of them from ’84 and they absolutely KILL IT!!!! What a great live band. If anybody thinks Europe is just another ‘hair band’ just known for Final Countdown you need to educate yourself. Just check out Live At Sweden Rock 2014: 30th anniversary show. p.s. the Geico commercial with The Final Countdown was the coolest commercial ever!!! I banged my head every time it came on!
James K, I was on youtube the other day watching Ozzy ‘after hours’ and there was a James K who commented how Randy was an influence on his guitar playing and I was thinking that must be you, correct me if I’m wrong.