Gene Simmons is a rock n’ roll legend, best known as the charismatic bassist and frontman of KISS. With a larger-than-life persona, theatrical concert style, and signature face paint, Simmons and KISS revolutionized rock in the 1970s and 80s with hits like “I Was Made for Lovin’ You” and “Rock and Roll All Nite.” In today’s episode, Gene tells the story of his family’s persecution and immigration to the US, how his upbringing shaped his personal philosophy, and his journey to becoming an iconic rockstar. He also shares the reason for his deep American patriotism, as well as a few hard-learned lessons about love. Simmons’ impact on American music and culture is undeniable. Don’t miss the legendary Gene Simmons on this episode of the Sunday Special. - - - Today’s Sponsors: Collars & Co - Get 20% off your first order when you use code BEN at: https://collarsandco.com Tax Network USA - Seize control of your financial future! Call 1 (800) 958-1000 or visit https://www.TNUSA.com/Shapiro Helix - Get an exclusive discount at https://helixsleep.com/Ben
Chapter 3: What does Gene Simmons think about American politics?
Well, yeah, I have to say I did my musical education wrong. I'm the normal Jewish kid who took violin lessons from the age of five till the time I was maybe 17 years old and it got pretty good. And then I realized that there ain't no money in classical music.
And I learned it at school talent shows that the guy who could play three chords was definitely going to do better with the girls than the guy who was playing Fritz Kreisler and Beethoven. So just lessons that you learn along the way for sure.
It's worth noting that that you don't even need three chords. Bo Diddley by Bo Diddley is one chord. It never veers away. There's no bridge. There's no nothing. And Funky Broadway... Never veers away from that one chord.
Wow. Yeah. I wasted a lot of time. And then it turns out actually that my greatest musical accomplishment was having a number one charting rap single that literally was me talking, as you mentioned. So that was the thing that we did last year.
Oh, come on. You got to give me a little bit. How did it go?
Oh. Let's see, my riff was, I've got the facts, I've got the stats, my money like glue so my pockets are fat. That was a little bit of sample there.
Have you ever heard somebody make the observation that you're like the Flash Barry Allen. You probably should have been doing commercials because you talk so fast. Oh, man.
Those of us... Oh, yeah, when I get to the disclaimers at the end of the commercials, that's when I go into my mode. Yeah, exactly. No, when I'm reading NMLS numbers and stuff and giving the warnings at the end of the drug commercials, that's where it's at. I mean, I missed my calling.
But when you're making a political or observational point to somebody who doesn't like you, those of us who are slower, the pregnant pause, it doesn't respectfully impregnate my slow mind until after you're done.
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Chapter 7: How has Gene Simmons built his brand beyond music?
When the Beatles were on, literally 75 million people were watching this. At the time, half the population of the United States of America. The total population at that point, 64, 60 something, was about 160 million. So, Again, I put my, I remember what I had. I had faschirt, which is Hungarian hamburger, and peas, which I hated.
And I remember putting, my mother always treated me like a king, so I had like a a little stand with legs on it so I could stand in front of the TV, sit in front of the TV and watch it. And I'm watching the Ed Sullivan show. And, you know, they're singing and stuff. And I, I never saw or heard anything like that.
They looked very feminine, little guys with cutesy haircuts and, you know, hair above their ears. I've got some hair left as well. And I, that sound, that high-pitched sound of girls in the audience screaming like turkeys about to be let, you know, to get their heads cut off. I'd never heard anything like that in my life. What the hell is that? And the cameras kept panning to their faces.
You know, they looked like they were having a conniption. Outside of New York City, you think it's a connish. No, it's not. They were like having seizures. I never saw anything like that. And then I figured, that's probably not a bad job to have. And then right after that, by about 14, I joined a band. I couldn't play an instrument then. And I started to talk like that, you know.
Yeah, you know, I started to put on an accent, and I got the response. You know, the girls were saying, oh, you're not from here. No, not from here. And they go, oh, and all of a sudden you get more attention. Basically, Ben, dress British, think Yiddish. See what I did there? And the Beatles changed my life because I didn't realize it. I didn't know how to verbalize it.
early on, but they made it okay to be different. They spoke with an accent, and so did I. Tuk like this, you know, like Israelis with clipped vowels. And they looked different, and I sure didn't look like I came from Sweden. They made it okay to be different. Not only okay, they were the top of the pile. And so I...
taught myself how to play guitar initially, and then pragmatism rules, big word like gymnasium, I picked up a bass guitar because, a cheap Japanese version, because I realized everybody wanted to be a guitar player or drummer. Nobody wanted to be a bass player, but every band had a bass player. So increase your chances of being in a band, play bass.
Sure enough, everybody wanted me to be in their band because I could sing. It's a matter of opinion. And thump away at the bass guitar, and it's made me a pretty good living since then. I was thinking of buying Rhode Island, as a matter of fact.
We'll get to more of this in a moment. First, let's talk about something that affects all of us responsible, hardworking Americans. Taxes. The October 15th deadline has passed. Are you prepared for what's coming next? Do you owe back taxes? Are your tax returns still unfiled? Miss the deadline to file for an extension?
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Chapter 8: What lessons about love does Gene Simmons share?
the assistant to the director of the research and demonstration project. And then I became the man Friday to the editor of Vogue magazine. Again, on a floor where there are only girls, bottles and everything else. Then it was terrible. I got to tell you, it was just torture. Couldn't wait to get out of there. And at the same time, decided to get serious about putting a band together.
and happened to accidentally meet another member of the tribe. That's failed language for the rest of the world, may not know what that means. And Stanley Eisen became Paul Stanley, and we put a band together. And the idea was, even though we weren't able to verbalize it, let's put together the band we never saw on stage, almost the way girls, really have it in their DNA.
There's a club and she calls ahead because she wants to know what's going on. And she gets the word, uh-oh, just beware, all the girls are wearing short black minis. So she thinks and goes, I think I'm going to put on a red short miniskirt.
many so that you stand out shakespeare figured it out the whole world's a stage and you know figure it out how to get people to look at you once you get the attention it's what you do with it and kiss was formed way before you were born in uh 19 at the end of 1972 By New Year's Eve 1973, we played our first show. We didn't have a record contract. The first record came out in February 1974.
Within a year and a half before MTV, before voicemail, before digital, before anything, no cell phones, Rock was not heard on radio or anything. We were headlining Anaheim Stadium in California. It just exploded. In those days, magazines and imagery was the way it impacted stuff in the same way that TikTok is the modern version of stuff. You know, like, how do you become Mr. Beast? Well, go on.
You know who that is? I do. Yep. Yeah. Or how do you become Ben Shapiro? Well, do this stuff. And that's the modern version of it. So KISS exploded. And that's been I know it's difficult to believe that was about 53 years ago. But for 50 years and we finally sold our IP and all that in December a year ago to an amazing company called Pop House. And they paid a pretty shekel, Ben.
And we continue on. You know, we're doing new stuff and everything. But during the course of Kiss's active years, every year we tour and stuff and kept breaking the rules by making toys and games and licensing and merchandising where other bands were concerned about things like credibility. that never entered into our minds. That's for losers.
Credibility, you never even went to music school to learn how to to learn the basics of music. You can't read or write music. Lennon, McCartney, Hendrix, the Stone, they can't read or write music. You just kind of make it up. You're completely unqualified to do that, but you're concerned about credibility. Get out of here. You know, it's noise.
You're lucky enough if you can make some money and the chicks chase you, and then you die. That's all there is. What does it mean? Where is this going? Do I have my mother's hips? Shut up. Just be lucky you didn't have to join a symphony orchestra where you'd have to pay your dues to learn about Tchaikovsky and Chopin and music.
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