“That’s a sign of greatness”: Gene Simmons’ favourite pop album
To the uninitiated, 1970s glam rockers Kiss should be exclusive pioneers of hard rock gnarliness, enduring powerhouses of heavy shock-metal with their fire-breathing pyrotechnics and levitating drum kits. Yet to those immersed in rock’s storied sub-culture, there was always a cautious aversion to anything ‘truly’ metal, an airy pop centre at everything they did, which saw them attempt disco on the 1979 effort Dynasty and kept their pompous ‘Music From “The Elder”‘ concept album from ever being taken seriously.
The band were never in it for critical acclaim, however, the tongue-flicking bassist Gene Simmons especially vocal in their honest grab for commercial appeal over artistic credibility. Nonetheless, Simmons is known for their eclectic taste and a rigorous knowledge of pop music and for aiming for the success of his favourites, such as Pasty Cline or Dave Clark Five, and arguably surpassing them among expected acts like Led Zeppelin and The Who. With such an affection for pop, perhaps it shouldn’t be a surprise that Simmon’s favourite album, as revealed to Goldmine, was Sweden’s greatest cultural export.
“If I’m riding in my car and ABBA music comes on, I turn it up, and that’s the sign of greatness”. A simple but effective measure of any song’s quality, this barometer illustrates Kiss’ creative values succinctly. Embracing ABBA’s pop universalism, the selection of their 1975 Greatest Hits compilation (not to be confused with 1992’s Gold) serves as an informative, creative document for the New York glam act’s wishing to chase pop stardom.
Aside from a shared affinity with flamboyant costumes and kitschy theatrics, Björn Ulvaeus and Benny Andersson’s grasp of effortless pop hook and consistent songcraft places them alongside The Bee Gees and even The Beatles in a songbook that Simmons calls “undeniable”. With Kiss always at their best when their pop proclivities are on display with some perfunctory, rock coating, Greatest Hits‘ ‘So Long’ feels like a possible influence with its piano stomp and strutting energy, one wonders why Kiss never attempted a cover.
“Yes, we like death metal, and yes, I like The Killers and I like Tame Impala — I like all kinds of things,” he added. “But what is it that rises to a level of greatness no matter the musical genre, it’s the ability to craft songs that are forever.” ABBA’s enduring appeal and the staggering commercial fame that it wrought, Kiss has only partially achieved. However, Simmons’ inclusion of ABBA in his pantheon of favourite artists speaks to his impressive insight into pop music’s rich and diverse tapestry and cements his authority as a sought-after talking head on numerous music programmes and documentaries.
An affection for ABBA’s sugary Swedish pop can be found in all kinds of unexpected places. The Sex Pistols’ Glent Matlock borrowed ‘SOS’ melody line for their eternal rallying cry of youth dispossession on the ’77 ripper ‘Pretty Vacant’, and Throbbing Gristle synth-peddler Chris Carter is unabashed in his fandom, even referencing the band on their ‘AB7A’ instrumental.
Having recently announced plans to present future digital avatars of Kiss via the same team behind ABBA Voyage’s recent virtual concerts, who’d bet against a double-billing in the not-too-distant future.
