Out of all those guys in Kiss, why was Gene Simmons the only one with enough brains to be able to live off the band as well as he has, always being in the spotlight and on the tube? Was he the only interesting band member, or did no one else in the band need the attention? I see in the news this morning Simmons in being sued by a couple that was filming him in a mall, and Simmons got aggressive about it, and by a makeup gal who said Simmons came on a little too strong. He does stay in the spotlight!

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Life is like a sh*t sandwich. The more bread you have, the less sh*t you have to eat.

Its not so much all the hub hub about the band that kept him in the spotlight, I mean look at Peter Criss... his make up and Character being that of a percussion playing Kitty was far more compelling than a fire breathing, blood dripping from mouth, axe shaped bass wielding monstrosity. Oh no my friend, It had to be his (Gene Simmons) performance as Dr. Charles Luther that forged the man he is now. Even to this day when i see him on the Television, I get chills recalling that riveting performance. I can't tell you how many times i had to check under my bed and under the couch for those deadly robot spiders every time I watched him on Celebrity apprentice.

Cynthia Rhodes was pretty hot too, Captain -- both in "Runaway" and "Dirty Dancing".

Arjay

Who knows?
I remember one of my son's friends and the time he met Ace Frehley,I think that was his name,and I asked him what he thought about him...he said "he STUNK" literally,like he had been wearing the same leather clothes for too long.

I saw her long before that when she was a dancer at Opryland in the 70's.....I was on the first row,with my mouth open...HOT is an understatement!

Gene is Just Gene….It started off when he was a teen not wanting to be poor anymore… Looking for every angle to make a buck…he certainly don’t need to work any longer, but I believe it has grown into a OCD compulsion. He has his hand in everything trying to make money, from cattle to race cars, to clothing.. It’s a sickness.. problem is us sane folk living from paycheck to paycheck… life has an odd sense of irony huh??????

Cheers
Bill

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(80’s Hair Metal) = A snapshot in time before Grunge ruined Rock & Roll forever!!!!

Gene is a hustler in both senses of the word (you know what I mean). He was poor and always hustling for a buck, and when he formed Kiss it was his intention to be rich all along, the music was in second place. And when he got rich he kept on hustling, everything he can sell he will sell, even his grandma.

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Deyr fé
Deyja frændr
Deyr sjálfr ið sama
En orðstír
Deyr aldregi
Hveim er sér góðan getr

Jeff046 hit the nail on the head, Gene is a complete egomaniac who believes all the press that he puts out about himself. He's arrogant and selfish, but also savvy enough as a businessman to see EVERY possible way to make $$ and exploit it to death.

Having been a fan since 78 of the band, I've seen all the interviews and read all the articles. Above his business sense and greed, I do think there's one other reason that Gene is still in the spotlight and others like Ace/Peter are not. He's driven by the work, if he's not on the phone he's trying to decide who to call, putting feelers out to everyone, doodling a new merchandise idea, giving the go ahead on a new TM item. Ace and Peter lived the rock star life to the max, the whole Sex/Drugs and Rock n roll for them. Where Gene doesn't drink or do drugs, total tee-totaller that is always focused.

He was either smart enough, or crooked enough depending on your view, to purchase all the rights to the makeup. When the four original members each had their makeup designs finalized, they were patented/TM'd etc so no use of the designs could take place without the band's OK, or cut of the profit. As Ace/Peter hit bottom financially when their solo careers went south Gene swooped in and bought their makeup rights from them. This in turn meant that when the Reunion Tour took place Ace/Peter were "employees" of the KISS LTD organization owned by Paul & Gene. And part of their contracts as hired guns meant they paid KISS LTD to use the makeup designs that Gene now owned. WTF?

Paul is just as sharp on the business side w/Gene, but he is much less interested in the limelight outside of music or his painting. No celeb apprentice for him.

Bottom line, Gene's selfishness kept him in the limelight like he is. Twisted and sad, from rock "Demon" to Dr Pepper huckster. Amazing he had so many movie roles, can't act for sh*t.

I am a fan of the band, four guys on stage, putting on an entertaining show and playing some music I love. I have no special affinity for or desire to meet any of them as individuals, their quirks would probably wreck the decades of fun I've had as a fan.

And maybe I've given old-Gene-O some of my own $$ over the years.

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[img][img]http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a112/chris_ashenberg/S4203011.jpg[/img][/img]

I wonder what the going rate is on a used Grandma? ..

oddly enough NonniG is right, i belive he would sell his grandma..Nothing is more sacred to him than his money!!!

Cheers
Bill

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(80’s Hair Metal) = A snapshot in time before Grunge ruined Rock & Roll forever!!!!

WOW WIKiss Fan

that display is very impressive and inspiring.

I had a Kiss Lunchbox when i was in Kindergarden... wish i still had that. Mom thought i was a bit odd because i chose that over the superman Lunchbox but she was cool enough to get it for me.

If your mom thought the lunchbox was wierd you should have seen my wife's reaction when she saw the boxes and boxes of KISS stuff....

That's just the "display" stuff, there's probably 200 dvd's and cd's, 75 shirts, and 50-55 12" vinyl lp's not seen there.

Yeah, I'm twisted.

The camera loves him. The truth about KISS is that none of the members were particularly amazing at their instruments. After a point everything became about the $$$

Yes, but Kiss showed strong songwriting prowess. While capable of some serious klunkers, they did write a good size bucket of quality songs ...

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Laughing out loud with fear and hope, I have a desperate plan ...

Good point eibach, they themselves admitted to being more "entertainer" than "musician."

Another great point Toronado, love 'em or hate 'em, everyone knows a KISS song. And that kind of widespread fame equals success at some level anyway.

"Calling Doctor Love" is a great tune to open a set with......

Arjay