Why Paul Stanley originally hated Gene Simmons: “Paul did not like me at all”
Some bands are destined to divide listeners, and Kiss are certainly one of the groups who can split a room with a single note. From the choppy glam metal sound to the face paint and outfits, several notable aspects of the New York band stand out from their era and also polarise opinion. It’s not just their product, either. The members themselves have also been the source of intense debate among fans, with bassist Gene Simmons being one of the most outspoken men in music.
As Kiss arrived at a time when music was starting to splinter off and develop into an array of different forms and subcultures following the great primordial period of the 1960s, their music wasn’t for everyone. In a show of how they split opinion and what they represented, one of their most prominent critics was the late New York Dolls guitarist, Sylvain Sylvain. While he was a fellow denizen of the Big Apple, the punk pioneer made it clear he shared nothing in common with his fellow high-heel wearers.
Responding to negative comments by the blunt Simmons, the New York Dolls man criticised Kiss in an interview for their work being too sensational on the exterior while lacking any real soul. He also called their songs “completely infantile” and questioned why they wear make-up. Without realising, Sylvain concisely echoed exactly what all Kiss’s detractors think of their work.
In his time, Simmons has irked many people with his opinions. He even once took a pop at music fans themselves, maintaining that they are the true “villains” of the industry. Likened to Donald Trump by Sylvain, he is undoubtedly a controversial figure who has provided several questionable takes over the years. Ironically though, in this instance – despite the hyperbolic choice of language – his assertion that music fans are unwilling to pay for new music and its role in the broader decline of the industry might actually have some weight to it.
Alongside his songwriting aptitude, Simmons seems to have a natural talent for pissing people off. This was something that Kiss frontman Paul Stanley found out during their introductory encounter. From the get-go, the bassist’s arrogant demeanour put him off, as he recalled when appearing in the 2004 VH1 documentary When Kiss Ruled the World.
Before they went on to write a host of classics together under the banner of Kiss, both played in separate bands with a mutual friend called Steve Carnell. At the time, Simmons was also playing in Bullfrog Bheer, and one day, he needed to borrow some equipment, so he went to Carnell’s house to pick it up. When he got there, he met Paul Stanley.
Stanley recalled: “And Gene said, ‘Play me one of your songs’, and I did, and then he played me one of his, and, you know, we didn’t get along famously.” In the documentary, Simmons also maintained that despite the hate he received during this formative moment, he believed the two should be in a band, but “Paul did not like me at all.”
Stanley explained why he hated Simmons: “I think he thought that Lennon, McCartney and Gene were the only three songwriters in the world, and all of a sudden he had to make room for a fourth.” However, they both soon realised that it was best for all involved if they worked collaboratively. It turned out to be a masterstroke and it made them as musicians.
