Gene Simmons called music fans the “villains” of the industry
There are outspoken rockstars, and then there is Gene Simmons. In his time, the Kiss bassist has become just as prominent for his array of hot takes as he has for his memorable performances in the masked New York group.
Rivalled only by Ted Nugent in terms of the extent of controversial opinions he’s provided over the years, this tendency to be contentious has also made Simmons one of the most reviled men in rock. Much of what he says goes far beyond the usual head-scratching dubious takes cause, often leaving those listening totally aghast.
As an example of the kind of things Simmons comes out with, he once claimed that Rush bass-playing hero Geddy Lee “didn’t understand” the basics of their shared instrument. Given Lee’s noted prowess and technical ability – which far surpasses that of Simmons – it seems like a tall tale at best.
“One night back at the hotel or backstage someplace [when the bands were touring together], Geddy and I were sitting down, trading licks, and I said, ‘Do you want to do a blues scale? You go first, and then I’ll continue the chord pattern,’ and he said, ‘I don’t know what you mean,'” Simmons claimed to Ultimate Guitar in 2021. “At least from what I recall, Geddy didn’t understand what a blues scale was or what ‘1, 4, 5’ meant.”
One of the most controversial things Simmons has said over the past few years came in 2018 as part of a Q&A session in Adelaide as part of his experience for The Vault (per Ultimate Guitar). There, he called music fans “villains” for their role in the music industry’s decline, whereby new bands do not get the chance to make it anymore. While Simmons was correct in outlining how the industry has changed for the worse, placing the blame on the fans is narrow-sighted.
Simmons said: “It’s over. Pandora’s box has been opened. And it breaks my heart because the new bands don’t have a chance. There’s a lot of good talent out there. They will never get the chance.”
He continued: “The big band right now is Foo Fighters. They’re over 20 years old. ‘Well, that’s a new band.’ No, it’s not. They’re older than your grandma. They’ll be around a long time but they started before the record companies [collapsed]. Since then, not a single band can get up there and draw any tickets.”
Delivering his sucker punch, the Kiss man claimed: “And that’s because the fans are the villains. Because they’re the ones that won’t pay for it.” He added: “By the way, if you’re a pop fan, there’s little Ariana Grande – she’s a great girl by the way – the fans buy that stuff. If you’re a rap fan, they buy. Country and western, that sells records and music.”
