Gene Simmons

[Johnny the Kid]

Re: Gene Simmons

I'll be honest, and Aceman will hate me, but I'm not a fan of KISS (I just never got into them). I do however, think that every member of the band are fantastic players, Gene being the most prominent. I think he's a great bass player.

[LesStrat]

Re: Gene Simmons



That's been my take all along. It interests me that his primary role in the band is the one most ignored.

And , the bass line in Detroit Rock City is rockin'.

[Aceman]

Re: Gene Simmons

Check out 100,000 Years for some groove.

[Gearjoneser]

Re: Gene Simmons

If you were to replace Billy Sheehan with Gene Simmons in every band Sheehan was in, I'd like the music way more.

I guess that's all I have to say about Rock Bass 101.

[stevie_bees]

Re: Gene Simmons

Apparently he's singing the national anthem at Wembley today for the 1st NFL International Game...

[Drunken Bowling]

Re: Gene Simmons

Paul Stanley actually played bass on a lot of Kiss songs, surprisingly enough. They were always doing stuff like that. If it wasn't Gene playing it was Paul or Ace. Bruce Kulick played bass on some songs. There was even a rumor that Eric Carr played on one song, but I can't remember which one. Gene's playing is very basic, no frills stuff but it fits the music well.

If you're into Kiss and you haven't checked out Three Sides Of The Coin on Youtube yet, go there. The episodes are a bit long but really interesting and informative and there's a new one posted every Tuesday.

[jon the art guy]

Re: Gene Simmons

These guys are old. That's sort of important, because they're old enough to have come from people going to school to learn music, not just picking it up by cloning riffs over the headphones.
These guys cranked over with skills that a solid 3 generations of rock have had to relearn after they "wanna get better", just like me right now. I don't know scales for nuffin.

It's also hard to appreciate them when every music fan I know HAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAATES KISS because of them being sellouts. Try and apply a little logical appreciation of the riffs and individual contributions of the band members and these folks will go "PFFT Gene Simmons is a dick and they all suck".

[ErikH]

Re: Gene Simmons

Hahaha. I love it when people call them sellouts. Yeah, they sell out every show. So? Those same folks don't seem to get it either. Being a sellout is going against what you truly believe for your own benefit. KISS are not sellouts. They set out to do exactly what they are doing and achieved massive success doing it. That's not being a sellout, that's being successful.

[jon the art guy]

Re: Gene Simmons

Hahaha. I love it when people call them sellouts. Yeah, they sell out every show. So? Those same folks don't seem to get it either. Being a sellout is going against what you truly believe for your own benefit. KISS are not sellouts. They set out to do exactly what they are doing and achieved massive success doing it. That's not being a sellout, that's being successful.

yup. I agree totally.

[ginormous]

Re: Gene Simmons

As a total novice, can someone point me to the bass awesomeness that is Gene?
4realz.

[jon the art guy]

Re: Gene Simmons

As a total novice, can someone point me to the bass awesomeness that is Gene?
4realz.

come on now, there's multiple versions of what "awesome" is for bass players. There's virtuosos and then there's rhythm section guys, and Simmons can hold his rhythm, add as much grit as his amp head can produce, and still give RuPaul a run for his/her money on the catwalk with his strut + caper while covered in platform heels, makeup, wigs, capes, and leather codpieces.
He ain't no Geddy Lee, and he sure isn't a Victor Wooten, but I'd say he's better than Michael Anthony or pretty much any of the others of that proto-80s metal era.
He does use a pick though. I know that really cranks a lot of bassist jumblies.

[Great_Kazoo]

Re: Gene Simmons

As a total novice, can someone point me to the bass awesomeness that is Gene?
4realz.

Yes: