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Yesteday I did a post about some great bassplayers (again) and got a comment of @bozz if I already highlighted Gene Simmons. And although I did mention him in one of my previous posts I did not highlighted him in particular. I don't really know why, but I didn't. And the stranges thing is that there is indeed a lot to talk about when it comes to Gene.... He is some musician and some flamboyant person.

Of course most people (inlcuding myself) know Gene Simmons as the bassplayer of one of the biggest rockbands of the world KISS, where he plays a big part in the stage appearance as the 'one with the big tongue'...

Kiss

Kiss was founded in 1973 (my birthyear, so it must has been a good year ;) ) by Gene Simmons and Paul Stanley. They wanted to create 'The hottest band in the world". They got acompanied by Ace Frehley and Peter Criss, and Kiss was born..

I dare to say that Kiss is one of the most succesfull acts when it comes to love shows. A Kiss show is about two hours of full entertainment.... I saw them as the closing act at the "Arrows Classic Rock" in 2008 (gosh, time flies).... Ànd they made this huge show, with fireworks, special effects and of course the world famous blood-bass solo of Gene.... It's a big theateral thing but it works....

His solo at a Kiss gig

A Kiss show is a bit of a mix between the vocals of Paul en Gene, from which I think at least for the last 10 years Paul lost the power and tone of his voice while Gene still kept it and he is now 68 ?!?!! years old and still on stage.....

They do like traditions, every single concert start with the same ritual, as speaker shouts "You wanted the best, you got the best...the loudest band in the world KISS".... It's became a trademark.

The Kiss company

Kiss was more than just a band. Rumors are that Kiss is the best selling band (with merchandise) in the whole world. The Kiss fans (called kiss army) can choose out of so many products with the Kiss logo or Kiss touch, it is unimaginable.

Kiss lottery cards

Kiss lip balm

Kiss kasket or urn
The former guitar player of Pantera Dimebag Darrel was buried in a kasket of Kiss, he was a big Kiss fan.

(source of merchandise pictures)

Kiss is of course world famous for their make-up, Gene is 'The Demon' . Did you know that the mak-up themselves every single show.... I guess you get some routine in it after all those years, but to be honest I thought they had staff to do that...At least I think I would for all those times...

In the next video Gene makes up his daughter with his 'demon' face..

Gene Simmons himself

Gene Simmons is a great entrepreneur, he has lot of businesses and deals. For instance he has his own

• Record company
• Soda brand
• (had) his own reality show on american tv ( (Gene Simmons Family Jewels)
• A franchise [dinner & bar] (http://www.rockandbrews.com/) together with Paul Stanley
• A movie company

Besides that he is involved in a lot of other business deals... So he is quite the clever guy..
He does workshops and meet and greets, with the last there are some special deals.. You can do a meet and greet with bass signing sessions (click here ), with the bass signing session you receive a original 'axe'bass (or a other one you would like) and can choose in a used one (on stage) or a new one. The used ones vary from 7500 dollar to 11000 .... I could never imagine me paying for such a thing, but then again if you are such a big fan....well....

Source

Besides his entrepreneurship he is a real womanizer, once he stated that he slept with over 4800 women in his career... The guy must be full of it, I think I wouldn't brag about that... Funny thing is that people seems to love the story while when a woman will admit something like that they get all kinds of name calling...But ok, who am I :)..

At a American talkshow this was just what brought Gene into problems with his current wife. To be honest I thought that was it, she was through... But I read they got married quite soon afterward... So it gives you to think.......

Gene as a bassplayer

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When you ask a 'musician' what they think of Kiss from musical perspective it's often "Well they are doing something good, but it isn't that great of a music"... Well I disagree, there are only two kinds of music and that is good or bad music, and if you look at the recordsells and the tours almost every time sold out, there are pretty much people who love their music.

A far as Gene concerned, I think he is a steady and great bassplayer, serves the music of Kiss and his own bands like a rock. And when they play live he loves to fly around the neck of the bass a bit.. When it comes to music, it's about the whole package (musicaly)

And with Kiss it all fits like a glove... And although the vocals aren't as they used to be (Paul mostly) the band still rocks like crazy..... For me (the next video) is one of the greatest songs of Kiss "Detroit Rock City"...

When I played in the band Sixstrings we played one time at a wedding of a lesbian couple, they asked us if we could play "I was made for loving you"... And although it's a quite poppy rock songs, sweet and sound, the bassline is awesome.... It's full of octave picking.... You got to listen it sometime particular to the bass... (live it's btw awesome...)

So my opinion about Gene Simmons .... Well I think he is great musician, for all those years keeping people comming to concerts and buying records... That's something to respect. I do like the music of Kiss a lot, don't play it that often but when I do I play it for days (ask my kids)...

So Kiss Army ROCK on ( and @bozz of course ;) )

Have a great day

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