Gene Simmons (born Chaim Witz; Hebrew: חיים ויץ[χaˈimˈvits]; born August 25, 1949) is an American musician. Also known by his stage persona "The Demon", he was the bassist and co-lead singer of the hard rock band Kiss, which he co-founded with Paul Stanley, Ace Frehley and Peter Criss in the early 1970s until their retirement in 2023. Simmons was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2014 as a member of Kiss.
Early life and education
Simmons was born as Chaim Witz on August 25, 1949, at Rambam Hospital in Haifa, Israel, to Jewish refugees from Hungary. His mother, Florence "Flora" Klein, later Lubowski (1925–2018)[1] was born in Jánd and survived internment in Nazi concentration camps[2] from November 1944 to her liberation from the Mauthausen camp in Austria on May 5, 1945.[3] She and her brother, Larry Klein, were the only members of the family to survive the Holocaust. Simmons' father, Ferenc "Feri" Yehiel Witz (1925–2002), was a carpenter whom Klein married in 1946 and the couple moved to Israel the following year.[3] Simmons spent his early childhood in Tirat Carmel and was raised in a practicing Jewish household. He has said that his family was "dirt poor", scraping by on rationed bread and milk.[4] At the age of seven, he began to pick wild fruit and sell it on roadsides together with a friend.[5]
Before his musical career began, Klein worked a variety of jobs in the city. A proficient typist, he served as an assistant to an editor of Vogue, and spent 6 months as a sixth grade instructor on the Upper West Side.[11]
The Beatles had a significant influence on Simmons. "There is no way I'd be doing what I do now if it wasn't for the Beatles. I was watching The Ed Sullivan Show and I saw them. Those skinny little boys, kind of androgynous, with long hair like girls. It blew me away that these four boys [from] the middle of nowhere could make that music."[12]
He chose his stage name in tribute to the rockabilly singer Jumpin' Gene Simmons[13] (in other interviews he claimed his stage name was inspired by actress Jean Simmons and he used the title of her 1946 film Great Expectations for a song on the 1976 album "Destroyer"). He practiced playing his guitar for hours on end.[14]
Career
Kiss
Gene Simmons in his makeup, 2023
Simmons became involved with his first band, Lynx, then renamed the Missing Links, when he was 15 in 1964–5.[15] Eventually, he disbanded the band to form the Long Island Sounds, the name being a pun on the Long Island Sound. In this band was also future Wicked Lester guitarist Steve Coronel, and future lawyer/author Alan Stuart Graf who convinced Simmons to buy his first bass as the band needed a bass player.[16] In 1967, after losing Graf the band morphed into The Love Bag.[17] While he played in these bands, he worked at odd jobs on the side to make more money, including trading used comic books.
From 1968 to 1970 Simmons attended Sullivan County Community College in Loch Sheldrake, New York for two years. He joined a new band, Bullfrog Bheer, and the band recorded various home demos includig Leeta; this was later included on the Kiss box set. The band existed until 1970 with various line-ups.[18]
Simmons, Coronel and Brooke Ostrander who was in their 1969 band Coffee[19] formed the rock band first known as Rainbow and later Wicked Lester in the early 1970 with Stanley Eisen (now known as Paul Stanley)[20] and recorded one album, which was never released in its entirety. Dissatisfied with Wicked Lester's sound and look, Simmons and Stanley attempted to fire their band members. Met with resistance, they instead quit Wicked Lester, walking away from their record deal with Epic Records, as they decided to form the "ultimate rock band" in its place. Looking for a drummer, Simmons and Stanley found an ad placed by George Peter John Criscuola (known as Peter Criss), who was playing clubs in Brooklyn at the time; they joined and started out as a trio.
During this time, Criss and Simmons also appeared on an unreleased album by Captain Sanity together with members from Criss' previous band Chelsea. Paul Frehley (better known as Ace Frehley) responded to an ad they put in The Village Voice for a lead guitar player, and soon joined them. Kiss released their self-titled debut album in February 1974. Stanley took on the role of lead performer on stage, while Simmons became the driving force behind what became an extensive Kiss merchandisingfranchise. The eye section of his "Demon" makeup with Kiss came from the wing design of comic book character Black Bolt.[21]
Simmons's Demon make-up
In 1983, when Kiss's fame was waning, the members took off their trademark make-up and enjoyed a resurgence in popularity that continued into the 1990s. At this time, Peter Criss, the original drummer, was voted out of the band, and a replacement was sought to fill his vacancy. The new drummer was Paul Charles Caravello, who went by the stage name of Eric Carr, and played for Kiss from 1980 until his death in 1991. The band hosted its own fan conventions in 1995, and fan feedback about the original Kiss members reunion influenced the highly successful 1996–1997 Alive Worldwide reunion tour. In 1998, the band released Psycho Circus. Since then, the original lineup has once again dissolved, with Tommy Thayer replacing Ace Frehley on lead guitar and Eric Singer (who performed with Kiss from 1991 through 1996) replacing Peter Criss on drums.
Film and television
Simmons has been involved with such television projects as:
My Dad the Rock Star, a cartoon by the Canadian animation company Nelvana, about the mild mannered son of a Gene Simmons-like rock star
Mr. Romance, a show created and hosted by Simmons on the Oxygen cable television channel
Rock School, a UK reality show in which Simmons tries to make a rock band out of a group of students of Christ's Hospital School in the first season, and in the second, a group of kids from a comprehensive school in Lowestoft
Scooby-Doo! and Kiss: Rock and Roll Mystery, Gene Simmons and the other members of Kiss appear in this animated movie of Scooby Doo where the gang is attacked by a monster in a Kiss amusement park and Kiss saves them.
In 1981, Simmons auditioned at ABC for a role in a new Marcy Carsey produced show called Grotus and was offered his own TV show, which he declined as the pay was lower than what he made with Kiss at the time.[23]
In 1985, Simmons appeared on the TV series Miami Vice in an episode titled "The Prodigal Son". The episode served as the season premiere of the show's second season.[24] Simmons appeared as a psychic working at the Mystic Journey Bookstore in Venice, California on the American hidden camera prank TV series I Get That a Lot.[25] He also guest-starred as himself in the 2014 CSI: Crime Scene Investigation episode Long Road Home.
In March 2015, Simmons founded the film production company Erebus Pictures[27] and announced as the first project the Horror-thriller film Armed Response.[28]
In 2022, Simmons became a judge of the talent competition show Yoshiki Superstar Project X, airing on Hulu Japan and produced by Japanese musician and composer Yoshiki.[29] On September 14, 2023, Simmons was one of the guest speakers chosen to introduce Yoshiki at his imprint ceremony at the TCL Chinese Theatre.[30]
Other projects
Simmons had his own magazine, Gene Simmons Tongue Magazine, his own label, Simmons Records, and animated series, My Dad the Rock Star. Simmons Records has released albums by such bands as Kobra and the Lotus, Silent Rage, Gypsy Rose and House of Lords as well as Gene's own solo releases.[31]
In 1976–77, Simmons signed a management and production contract with the band Van Halen. He produced a Van Halen demo tape and attempted to find a record deal for the band with a variety of major record labels. When no deal materialized, he released them from their contract.[citation needed]
In 1989, Simmons managed the recording side of Liza Minnelli's entry into mainstream pop.[32]
In 2002, Simmons launched Gene Simmons' Tongue, a men's lifestyle magazine.[33] The magazine lasted five issues before being discontinued.[citation needed]
From 2006 to 2008, Simmons served in a marketing and publicity role with the Indy Racing League.[34]
In 2012, Simmons headlined the Rock N Roll All Stars tour which performed in stadiums across South America. The project also featured several other Rock N Roll Hall of Famers including Def Leppard's Joe Elliot, Guns N' Roses' Duff McKagan & Matt Sorum and Deep Purple's Glenn Hughes as well as Billy Idol's Steve Stevens, Collective Soul's Ed Rolland, Sebastian Bach, Alice in Chain's Mike Inez and the Cult's Billy Duffy. On March 1, 2012, the line up and the tour was revealed at a news conference hosted by Promoter Gabe Reed at the Roxy theater in Hollywood, CA. Simmons was in attendance and the entire news conference and subsequent tour was featured on Simmons Family Jewels' series finale episodes.[35]
In 2012, Simmons partnered with Paul Stanley and three other investors to form the restaurant franchise Rock & Brews.[citation needed]
In 2017, Simmons launched "The Vault" which is a compilation of all of his major works selling for $2,000.[36]
In 2018, Simmons was named "Chief Evangelist Officer" of the Canadian cannabis company Invictus MD Strategies.[37] Simmons also holds a large investment stake in the company.[38]
Simmons has expressed his preference for "memorable simplicity" in music as opposed to technical complexity. "I don't consider myself—and was never really interested in being—a bass virtuoso [...] I don't like show-offs in music. I'm much more attracted to things that are memorable. It's part of the joy of music for me." He has also said that while he appreciates the technical skill of jazz musicians, he believes they do not have appeal over a wide audience, saying "You can be a jazz player and be respected by musicians, but the rest of the world doesn't care."[39][40]
Stage makeup and persona
In addition to playing bass, Simmons is known for his long tongue, which he frequently sticks out while performing, and on stage is known for his demonic figure by spitting fire and vomiting stage blood. Some publications reported that his tongue measured up to 7 inches long and he had it insured for $1 million, although Simmons himself has not commented on this.[41]
Personal life
Simmons resides in Los Angeles with his wife Shannon Lee Tweed, a Canadian[42] actress and former Playboy Playmate. Although they began dating in 1983, they did not marry until 28 years later. Simmons often joked that he and Tweed were "happily unmarried" for over 20 years. He also often paraphrased Groucho Marx, saying "Marriage is an institution, and I don't want to live in an institution". Simmons and Tweed wed on October 1, 2011, at the Beverly Hills Hotel.[43][44] They have two children: Nick (born January 22, 1989) and Sophie (born July 7, 1992). He formerly had live-in relationships with Cher and Diana Ross,[45] revealing that he fell in love with Ross while dating Cher.[46] Simmons has boasted many times about having bedded thousands of women. In 2010, he claimed the tally stood at 5,000 and that he has a Polaroid picture of each liaison, including the hotel key where it took place.[47] After their wedding, when Shannon found the key for the lockboxes containing the photos (confirming at least that much of the rumors), after a "loving confrontation" with Gene, she had every single Polaroid burned on national television during the final season of their reality show Gene Simmons Family Jewels.[22][48]
Simmons is multilingual, and is able to speak Hungarian, German, English, Hebrew, and some Japanese.[45]
Simmons believes he is an "outcast" in the rock music community due to his open disdain for drug and alcohol use, and has proudly claimed many times to have never been drunk or high on a substance in his life.[49] He has said the reason for his sober lifestyle was for his mother, who was a Holocaust survivor. He said “I’m my mother’s only child [...] I was concerned I had no right to harm my mother. Life did that enough.”[50] However, he has admitted to once accidentally becoming intoxicated on marijuana after mistakenly eating pot brownies.[51]
Simmons is a science fiction and comic book fan and published several science-fiction fanzines, among them Id, Cosmos (which eventually merged with Stilletto to become Cosmos-Stilletto and then Faun), Tinderbox, Sci-Fi Showcase, Mantis and Adventure. He also contributed to other fanzines, among them BeABohema and Sirruish.[52] By 1977, however, he would write in a letter of comment to Janus, "I haven't been active [in fandom] for about five years".[53]
Personal views and politics
US electoral politics
Simmons was a supporter of the foreign policy of the George W. Bush administration.[54] He supported the 2003 invasion of Iraq, writing on his website: "I'm ashamed to be surrounded by people calling themselves liberal who are, in my opinion, spitting on the graves of brave American soldiers who gave their life to fight a war that wasn't theirs... in a country they've never been to... simply to liberate the people therein".[55] In a follow-up, Simmons explained his position and wrote about his love and support for the United States: "I wasn't born here. But I have a love for this country and its people that knows no bounds. I will forever be grateful to America for going into World War II, when it had nothing to gain, in a country that was far away... and rescued my mother from the Nazi Germanconcentration camps. She is alive and I am alive because of America. And, if you have a problem with America, you have a problem with me".[55]
In 2010, Simmons said he regretted voting for Barack Obama and criticized the 2009 health care reforms.[56] Following Obama's 2011 speech on the Middle East in which he called on Israel and the Palestinians to negotiate a settlement "based on the 1967 lines with mutually agreed swaps",[57] Simmons told CNBC that Obama was gravely misguided. "If you have never been to the moon, you can't issue policy about the moon. For the president to be sitting in Washington D.C. and saying, 'Go back to your '67 borders in Israel' – how about you live there and try to defend an indefensible border – nine miles (14 km) wide?" Simmons also accused the United Nations of being "the most pathetic body on the face of the earth".[58]
In an April 2012 interview, Simmons endorsed Republican Mitt Romney for President: "America should be in business and it should be run by a businessman."[59]
In an August 2021 interview, regarding the honesty of Donald Trump and his presidential administration, Simmons said, "[W]e all lie to some extent, but what happened the last four years was beyond anything I ever thought imaginable from people who had lots of power — not just him, but the administration, everybody."[60]
On November 10, 2021, he stated that people who refused to get the COVID-19 vaccine are "an enemy" and called them "evil".[61]
Views on Israel
In March 2011, Simmons visited his birth country, Israel. He described the trip as a "life changing experience". He talked about how he still feels that he is an Israeli: "I'm Israeli. I'm a stranger in America. I'm an outsider".[62] While there, Simmons met his half-brother Kobi, and triplet half-sisters Drora, Sharon and Ogenia.[63] He also visited his estranged father's grave.[64] Simmons announced he has plans to take Kiss to Israel, something that happened first in 2015 with a concert in Tel Aviv.[65] He has said that he is an ardent supporter of Israel.[66] At a press conference in Israel, he spoke in both Hebrew and English.[67] During his visit to Israel in 2011, he also stated that the artists refusing to perform in Israel for political reasons are "stupid".[68]
During the 2006 Lebanon War between Israel and Hezbollah in Lebanon, Simmons sent a televised message of support (in both English and Hebrew) to an Israeli soldier seriously wounded in fighting in Lebanon, calling him his "hero".[69]
In a 2004 interview in Melbourne, Australia, regarding Islamic extremists, Simmons described Islam as a "vile culture", saying that Muslim women had to walk behind their husbands and were not allowed to be educated or to own houses. He said: "They want to come and live right where you live and they think that you're evil." Muslim media personality Susan Carland argued that Simmons's stereotyping of Muslims was inaccurate.[71] Simmons later clarified his comments on his website, saying he had been talking specifically about Muslim extremists.[72]
Controversies
NPR interview
During an interview on the National Public Radio (NPR) program Fresh Air on February 2, 2002,[73] Simmons told Terry Gross: "If you want to welcome me with open arms, I'm afraid you're also going to have to welcome me with open legs", paraphrasing a lyric from the Who's 1981 song "You Better You Bet". Gross replied: "That's a really obnoxious thing to say". At the time, Simmons refused to grant permission to NPR to make the interview available online.[74] However, it appears in print in Gross' book All I Did Was Ask and unauthorized transcripts are available. NPR re-broadcast part of the interview in August 2007.[75] In a 2014 interview with The Huffington Post, Simmons noted he was upset over what he perceived as Gross's "holier-than-thou" attitude, which included mislabeling his band Kiss as "the Kiss".[76]
File-sharing controversy
In 2007, Simmons openly spoke out against music piracy, and called for file-sharers to be sued.[77] A year later, he threatened further lawsuits, and to withhold new recordings, if file-sharing continued. In 2010, Anonymous staged a DDoS on his website, prompting Simmons to hit back with provocative comments once he was back online, at which point Anonymous staged a second DDoS, taking Simmons's site down again.[78]
In September 2014, Simmons said "The death of rock was not a natural death. Rock did not die of old age. It was murdered". Simmons blames file sharing and that no one values music "enough to pay you for it" for the decline of the rock music scene.[79]
Comments on suicide and depression
In July 2014, Simmons made comments in an interview with Songfacts that encouraged those with depression to kill themselves.
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 fuck up, have some dignity and jump! You've got the crowd.[80]
The comments drew criticism from Nikki Sixx of Mötley Crüe, who had suffered from depression in the past.[81] Following his comments, both Triple M and Winnipeg radio station Power 97 stated that they were pulling all Kiss songs from their lineup in protest.[82] Simmons later clarified his comments and apologized for the incident.[83]
Fox & Friends incident
On November 16, 2017, Simmons made an appearance on Fox & Friends to promote a new book, but shortly afterward, he burst into a staff meeting uninvited, unbuttoning his shirt and telling jokes. The next day, on November 17, Fox News announced that Simmons was banned for life from their program, as well as from entering any of the company's properties. Simmons later issued a statement saying that he has "a tremendous amount of respect" for the company's workers and apologized for "unintentionally offending" any staff members during his visit.[84][85][86][87]
Sexual assault allegations
In 2018, Simmons settled a sexual assault lawsuit with an unnamed radio personality, who accused him of touching her inappropriately. The woman claimed that Simmons touched her and "turned standard interview questions into sexual innuendos." Despite the settlement, Simmons denied the allegations.[88]
In 2019, Ace Frehley, who played together with Simmons for years in Kiss, stated that Simmons had groped his wife, calling Simmons an "asshole and a sex addict".[89][90]
Philanthropy
Simmons is a known advocate for ChildFund International's work. He traveled to Zambia during his Gene Simmons Family Jewels show to visit several of his sponsored children, of whom he has more than 140.[91] Simmons said that the trip "[was] a stark reminder that life doesn't treat everyone the same".[92]
Simmons's family received the MEND Humanitarian Award for their philanthropic efforts and support for Mending Kids International at the organization's annual gala on November 9, 2013. The award was presented by Mel Gibson.[93] In his acceptance speech, Simmons spoke of his own difficult childhood in Israel in a bullet-riddled house. He recalled his mother's excitement when they received a CARE box one day.[94]
Simmons helped found "The Children Matter", which is a collaborative initiative with the charity MATTER that fights to give children around the world access to health care.[95]
On January 28, 2011, Simmons was in Dallas, Texas, to host the Aces & Angels Salute to the Troops charity event. Simmons was presented the key to the city, and a street (Gene Simmons Boulevard) was named for him. Simmons and Tweed also visited the U.S. Army base at Fort Hood to support the troops as a part of the Aces & Angels event.[citation needed]
On June 15 of the same year, he was given the key to the city in Winnipeg, Manitoba. In 2012, Simmons was awarded the Golden God award by the Revolver magazine.[97]
In 2013, the Smithsonian National Museum of American History accepted an autographed Gene Simmons Axe bass into their collection from John Upshaw Downs Jr. The Smithsonian wrote, in part: "The bass will now be cared for in our permanent collections... We are happy to include the Axe bass as it relates to the impact Mr. Simmons and his band Kiss have had on American culture, especially in the creation of a unique and iconic brand that has been embraced by fans worldwide ... The story of Mr. Simmons' American experience deserves to be preserved. An immigrant and son of a holocaust survivor, he used creative vision and entrepreneurial acumen to make a significant impact for our nation's popular culture, becoming an iconic figure in American music and entertainment."[98]
Simmons is an honorary board member of Little Kids Rock, a national nonprofit that works to restore and revitalize music education in disadvantaged U.S. public schools. A&E's Gene Simmons Family Jewels visited a Little Kids Rock classroom and featured the segment on the show. He also decorated a guitar for auction with his son Nick.[99]
On December 15, 2014, Simmons was awarded the Golden Medal by the Reial Cercle Artístic de Barcelona (Royal Artistic Circle of Barcelona).[100]
In 2020, Simmons won two Guinness World Records for "highest flame projection in a music concert" and "most flame projections launched simultaneously in a music concert. Both of the records were established at the KISS 2020 Goodbye concert.[101]
Wendy O. Williams – WOW (1984) Producer, played all the bass on the album (credited as "Reginald Van Helsing"), co-wrote five songs "I Love Sex (And Rock and Roll)", "It's My Life", "Thief in the Night", "Legends Never Die" and "Ain't None of Your Business".
Bruce Kulick – BK3 (2010) Lead guest vocals on "Ain't Gonna Die"
Kiss made a personal appearance during the Wagstaff family's vacation in Disneyland and honored them as special guests at one of their concerts. Kiss also made a personal appearance at a local school where a donation of new musical instruments was made in the Wagstaff family's name.
Reading clues about Halloween in costume and makeup. As a publicity stunt, Alex Trebek was briefly made up and costumed as Simmons. Short video of that appeared as a commercial bump; longer video posted to show web site.
In 1994, Simmons appears as auditioning for the band with actor Al Lewis & comedian Gilbert Gottfried in a music video for "I'll Talk My Way Out Of It" by Howard Stern comedian Stuttering John.
In 2007, he appeared alongside other celebrities, as well as regular people, in the music video for "Rockstar" by Nickelback.[citation needed]
Video game appearances
Gene Simmons is a playable character in Tony Hawk's Underground,[108] unlocked when completing the story mode on Normal difficulty, and also appears with his Kiss bandmates in the Hotter Than Hell level to play one of three songs upon collecting the four K-I-S-S letters.[109]
Gene Simmons's Kiss character, the Demon, is a playable character in Kiss: Psycho Circus: The Nightmare Child. Simmons also has a large role in the 2010 music video game Guitar Hero: Warriors of Rock. In addition to narrating the main storyline, voicing the character Demigod of Rock in cutscenes, and doing advertising for the game, the Kiss song "Love Gun" is playable.[citation needed]
A Dark-Normal Type Pokémon introduced in Pokémon Sword and Shield known as Obstagoon the Blocking Pokémon resembles Gene Simmons's KISS character: The Demon.[110]
Published works
Me, Inc.: Build an Army of One, Unleash Your Inner Rock God, Win in Life and Business, Gene Simmons (ISBN0-062-32261-3)
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