Kiss' Gene Simmons: Rock Without Drugs, Idiot Politicians, #MeToo, and the Band's Last Goodbye

Adriano Mazzeo

07/22/2021 6:01 AM

• Clarín.com

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Updated 07/22/2021 6:01 AM

Gene Simmons, Paul Stanley and company have not needed to release new music for a long time to keep the machinery they started in 1973 running.

This time, the excuse to talk about Kiss with the ax-shaped bass man is

Kisstory's

next release

.

The documentary, which as its title suggests will cover the history of the band even before it was founded, is the new product of the endless kissing catalog, which includes

puzzles, beer pong tables,

hip

flasks, art

supplies

, restaurants and. .. even an artificial intelligence company!

This special from

Biography

, the A&E channel's Emmy Award-winning franchise, will air in two parts of approximately 100 minutes each, which will

premiere on August 21 and 22

.

Kisstory tells it all

In

Kisstory

there are no details without counting, according to Simmons himself, also a singer, co-founder and icon of Kiss.

“We have many stories.

Some good ones, others about drugs and alcohol ...

We tell the whole truth

, as our fans deserve it, "he announced during a virtual press conference with the participation of media from all over Latin America.

"We tell the whole truth," Gene Simmons said at a press conference in which Clarín participated.

Photo Press

"

Kisstory

is thought of as something different. It's not sweet, things happen. What makes me most proud is the honesty that this material has. I already did a reality show with A&E people a few years ago, so we know each other well," he said, in order to guarantee the quality of the product.

Despite the target that Simmons suggests,

Kisstory

is an interesting material not only for the followers of the group, but even more for those who were not and are not.

Since its inception, the personal stories of Simmons and Stanley,

two boys from Jewish families - the first, born in Israel and immigrated to New York in the 1950s

- reveal more than one interesting and moving fact.

Gene Simmons Paul Stanley, the founding duo that continues to bring the band born in 1973 to fruition. Photo Press

Visibly good humor and alternating words in Spanish, Simmons takes little time to forget the significant delay with which he joins the meeting.

And immediately he aims strong and central, to ensure the first point in his favor, by focusing on what he remembers most from his recurring visits to different countries in Latin America.

The musician then highlights "the incredible food, the amazing story of how the Europeans arrived, especially the Spanish and the Portuguese, and destroyed the original culture, the indigenous people, the original inhabitants ..."

And complete your look around the topic.

"Out of that, out of that chaos, amazing civilizations arose. And today, all of South America, Central America and Mexico are unmatched around the world for their culture, food and history," he says.

Kiss, in the visit that the band made to Argentina in 2012, to play at the River Plate stadium.

Photo DYN / PABLO AHARONIAN

Wonderful and sad stories

Suddenly, the conversation points to the axis of the call and Simmons synthesizes

which side

Kisstory

is

going

, at the same time that he delves into the same story that, he says, the documentary has in great detail and without self-censorship.

"There are some wonderful stories, and there are also

some sad stories

about members who fell for drugs and alcohol; and some bad times. There are good and bad times. But what matters is to be honest with your fans, tell them the truth, everything. the truth and nothing but the truth. The good and the bad ", sentence.

Drugs and the ego

-You once said that you were never a victim of fame, drugs or alcohol, but that you were a victim of your ego.

Could you elaborate on that?

-Yes.

I have never used drugs, I have never smoked cigarettes.

But I have a big ego and I know it.

So one of the things was trying to control that, because I was an only child.

He had no brothers or sisters.

My mirror was myself.

And when I looked in the mirror, it was just me.

So it's easy to forget that you need a team and you always need a team.

And you realize that it is not only you.

"I have never used drugs or smoked cigarettes," says Simmons, and invokes his mother as his great inspiration to stay "healthy."

Photo Press

If Paul wasn't here, I wouldn't be here.

And I think he feels the same way about me.

But for example, sometimes in a car the tire gets punctured and what you have to do when it gets punctured is to change it.

otherwise, the whole car stops.

It is understood?

In line with the team idea, Simmons equates his band with a family, and says it always was, despite all the troubles they went through.

"I would not be here without everyone who was involved in the band," he says.

Covid and idiotic politicians who should not be listened to

With a tour in preparation that will begin almost simultaneously with the premiere of

Kisstory

, the bassist makes it clear that the Covid formed and is part of his concerns.

"We were very smart.

We stayed away from people.

We didn't want anyone to get sick and we didn't want to get sick," he says.

"If it weren't for Paul, I wouldn't be here, confesses Gene Simmons. Photo Press

At the same time that he pauses on the subject to develop it.

"I know that in Brazil especially it is a big problem. Politics gets in the way of science and as a result there is a lot of shit. There are people dying. It is very serious. Please get vaccinated.

Politicians are idiots.

Listen to the scientists and Doctors, please, "he declaims.

For now, given the insecurity that the world poses, he warns that all the members of the kissing team will wear masks and wash their hands for 20 or 30 seconds after having done anything.

And he asks that those who go to see them be vaccinated.

"In fact, we are about to leave on the KISS cruise with which we are going to go to the Bahamas and Belize and places like that. It is already sold out. But people will not be able to get on the boat unless they are vaccinated," he concludes.

But Kiss's future agenda does not end there.

The group is also working on

a movie that will come out on Netflix and will be directed by the director of

Pirates of the Caribbean

.

With its current line-up, Kiss already has a more than complete schedule for the remainder of the year, cruise included.

Photo Press

Kiss: an antidote to the world's problems

-What do you hope will be the legacy that Kiss leaves for the world and for the music industry?

-The world has many problems.

There is crime, drugs, violence, and even little wars.

I hope

that when people come to see Kiss they forget about the

world's

problems

.

Like when you go to church you forget about the problems outside, even the traffic or the girlfriend who is screaming because you are looking at the other girls.

We hope it will be a magical moment.

And we hope that each concert that we are going to play is very faithful to how we present ourselves.

"You want the best, you have the best,

the hottest band in the world: Kiss

."

And we want those words to mean something in every show we give.

Then, when the million dollar question tries to find out why there are no more groups of the transcendence of his, Gene prefers to highlight the half-full glass and shoot at the "contests" that are usually a path to nowhere.

Kiss continues to bet on organic music, played live and in contact with the public.

Photo Press

The "problem" of reality shows

“There is a lot of talent out there.

Billie Ellish is one of them.

I really like Latin music, from Juanes to Los Tigres del Norte.

The problems are that reality TV

makes you believe that you can be an artist without being creative. 

Another drama is technology, especially when it gets in the way of songwriting talent, "he reflects.

But it doesn't stop there.

"Now," he adds, "

there are people who do not know how to play or sing

, much less know the art of playing live. In short, there are no great bands like the Rolling Stones, Beatles or Kiss because times are different. Before you had to go. on tour for two or three years before they took you seriously, and now you can be on TV and you're already there. "

-You are 71 years old.

In addition to spitting fire, you wear a wardrobe that weighs around 45 pounds.

How did you manage to do this? 

-It is very important to be careful with ourselves.

You have to go to the gym. My big problem is cakes, cookies, chocolate (laughs).

Sugar is my drug

, but I take great care of myself.

And by the way, the important thing is that if you don't drink, if you don't use drugs, if you don't smoke cigarettes, you can be 71 years old and put your hand in front of you in front of your face and it's not going to shake, it stays still.

The secret to keeping 45 kilos of clothing on top of the body during the duration of a show: "healthy mind and healthy body".

Photo Press

See, you can do that?

Healthy mind, healthy body, everything works, down there it works, up here it works, your brain works and when you go on stage, you rock!

So many

people die young because they put shit in their bodies

.

The body is like a car, if you put sand in it as fuel, the car will die.

Don't put sand in your veins.

Don't put bad things in your body.

When it comes to rescuing the most important moment in Kiss's life, and the worst, Simmons travels through two different planes.

In the first case, it appeals to existentialism.

"The birth of a baby. The beginning is always the most important thing. Do you have your heart set on it? Do you have the commitment? Do you believe in it?"

"If you don't believe," he added, "you will never go anywhere. The most important moment of the next concert that we will give will be the beginning of this one. First you have to believe in yourself. The most important moment for a boxer is before entering the ring.

The most important point when you see a beautiful girl and want to be with her is the first moment

. "

The original line-up of the band, with Ace Frehley and Peter Criss in their ranks, from whom they finally had to "divorce".

Photo Press

Ace and Peter: the inevitable divorce

In the second, on the other hand, it goes up to the history of the band.

"The worst and saddest moment was realizing that the original four members weren't going to be around the entire trip and that

we had to divorce Ace and Peter

. They were three different times, three times. And we brought Ace and Peter from back, and we love them ... They will always be part of the family, "he explains.

Continue, Simmons: "They were out of the band three times.

We brought them back three times and it still didn't work out.

And that's the saddest part. The saddest part is that we are now approaching almost 50 years later, and they don't. they are here to enjoy great success. That's the saddest thing. "

Did you talk about trying one more time?

"We asked Ace and Peter. I called them and told them the documentary is coming up.

Do they want to be in the documentary? And they both said no.

And I ask them both, do they want to go on tour, play some songs? They said no. That's sad, "he closes.

Therefore, it is not surprising when faced with the question of what he would eradicate, if he could, from the history of Kiss, the musician answers without hesitation.

"

Drugs and alcohol. That is the greatest enemy of the Earth.

The greatest enemy is when your children, friends, girlfriends and boyfriends use drugs and alcohol. That is the biggest problem and, of course, also having cartels and violence, money and all that. And if people stop doing it, you can be in a better world. "

Good time for Gene to elaborate on what inspired him to stay away from the temptation of substances and alcohol.

And there yes, the testimony is something unexpected.

"The biggest inspiration I've had in my life is my mother. My mother lived to be 93. When she was 14, she was in the concentration camps of Nazi Germany. And because she had such a hard time -

our whole family went murdered in the concentration camps

- I never thought I had the right to break her heart by smoking, drinking, doing drugs or getting in trouble or in jail, "she says.

Gene Simmons couldn't see his mother hurt and that's why he took "a straight path."

Photo Press

She continues: "I couldn't see my mother hurt, and she is the reason I took a straight path. Even today I think,

'Do I do something that my mother would be ashamed of?'

That's something that keeps me straight on the road. And you thought your mother didn't know what she was talking about, that your friends are great. No, they aren't. They're idiots.

Your mother always told you the truth.

Eat your vegetables, get enough rest.

Do not do drugs.

She is right.

All your idiot friends are idiots.

Who else would give their life for you?

Who else would give their life for you?

Your friend?

Not!

just your mother. "

If there is a better system than capitalism, we haven't found it out yet

Then, it is

Clarín's

turn

, and the question revolves around the direct relationship between capitalism and the band's commercial idiosyncrasy.

The ritual of painting, which has been going on for almost 50 years, and which seems to be coming to an end.

Photo Press

-Do you consider Kiss an artistic entity or a business unit?

-

It doesn't matter what the others think or even what the critics think.

The only thing that matters is that when the fans come to the shows they have an incredible time. Is that so or not?

That's all that matters.

We

made people have a little better life

, yes or no?

Then you can say that this is a communist gang, that this is capitalist or that they are from Mars, but who cares?

To those who have problems with capitalism I tell them that it

is the only system that we know and that it has worked so far

.

It is true, there are many people who become much richer than others, but there

are

also

people who are more intelligent than others

.

There may be a better system, but we haven't found it yet.

People must charge for their work and if there are customers who pay… Be it food, buildings or concerts.

Today you have to pay for everything, even to go to church

, to talk to God.

That is capitalism.

"We're going to play

Lick It Up

whether people like it or not"

-Could a band like Kiss be born in these times of political correctness and #MeToo?

-There are things that have changed in all these years.

Especially with what is usually called political correctness, and I think many of those changes were needed and are fine.

And you have to understand that

there are terms that women don't like to hear

.

For Gene Simmons, songs are part of the world of fiction, which is why it makes no sense to "cancel" songs.

Photo Press

However,

we will touch

Lick it up

(

Lick it

) like it

or not people

.

You have to think of other times, like when I wrote a song called

Christine 16

.

But it's just a song, it doesn't mean what the title says.

Would we play today

Christine, 16

?

Sure.

No problem, every song, book or movie

is part of the fictional world

, not something that happens in real life, except that it makes real life perhaps more valuable. 

And what will there be beyond Kiss, the day the last song of the last show of the last tour is played?

What will happen then?

“

I will cry like a 12-year-old girl

whose heart was broken,” Simmons replies, “but I will immediately try to think about everything that happened on this enormous journey and how incredible it was for us.

"

And he concludes: "I will continue with many other businesses. Maybe the Gene Simmons band will come out and play a little. In about a month,

I'm going to be 72 years old, I have all my teeth. I have my hair. Everything works

, everything is fine. So while you're alive, keep pushing. Keep moving. Don't just sit around watching TV all day. "

KISSTORY premieres on A&E on August 21 (Volume 1) and August 22 (Volume 2) at 10 p.m.

Repeat on August 26 and 27 at 23;

and there is a marathon on Sunday 29 from 16:00. It will also be available on Video on demand, from August 12. 

IT IS