KISS’ GENE SIMMONS SAYS HE IS “LOOKING FORWARD TO THE DEATH OF RAP [MUSIC]”

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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

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13 Responses

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  • Donald Pudas on

    I like the Lady GaGa/Queen reference.


  • James K. on

    Rap isn’t going away. It’s too far embedded in popular culture. But it’s about as generic, unoriginal and dull as it can be. I’ve never been a fan of rap, never owned a rap album, only saw one rap group live (Public Enemy opening for Anthrax) but I can say that the classic rappers at least were innovators. People like Chuck D actually had a true vocal delivery and a style. It wasn’t singing, of course, but it had a style. From what I’ve heard of current rap, and it wasn’t on purpose that I was hearing it because it’s everywhere and unavoidable, there’s no substance in the delivery. There’s no style or originality. They’re just talking. The lyrics aren’t even clever, just dumbass. Anyone can do that and it seems as though everyone is. Rap isn’t going to die, so let’s give up on that hope and instead let’s just concentrate on how to get rock back on top.


  • Frank T on

    I don’t think rock is dead at all. Sure there aren’t many great new bands nowadays. But let’s be honest here, if everyone were as great as Zeppelin, Black Sabbath, everyone would be doing it. There are no participation trophies in rock n roll. There still are some fairly newer bands out there who are really great such as Alter Bridge, Avenged Sevenfold and Kyng. Speaking of Europe, I bought War Of Kings thanks to Eddie Trunk saying how great it i


  • Frank T on

    I don’t think rock is dead at all. Sure there aren’t many great new bands nowadays. But let’s be honest here, if everyone were as great as Zeppelin, Black Sabbath, everyone would be doing it. There are no participation trophies in rock n roll. There still are some fairly newer bands out there who are really great such as Alter Bridge, Avenged Sevenfold and Kyng. Speaking of Europe, I bought War Of Kings thanks to Eddie Trunk saying how great it is. I don’t know how I overlooked such a grear band all of these years! I bought their entire catalog recently. By far one of the most under rated bands of the past 30 years! These guys are amazing!


  • Michael B on

    There are new bands though, just not in America. Rock isn’t dead, but it is almost dead here in the states. Pop, Pop/country, EDM, Rap and all those wispy acoustic groups is what the American masses want. It’s why Trump is one political party’s frontrunner. Idiocracy spreads to music as well.

    No, Rap isn’t going anywhere Gene, ever.

    Bands can’t make any money selling albums because all the kids want the music for free and think all the bands need are concert ticket sales and t-shirt proceeds. Rap artists have the same problem, actually. It’s a weird time for music.


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