Gene Simmons is Good

tapehead · #1 07-27-2009, 09:13 AM

Just curious why people want to give Gene Simmons a bad rap...He is a very good ROCK bass player. The only reasons I can come with is either people just dont like Kiss or just dont know anything about bass playing. I would say a song like "Mr. Speed" has some damn good, if not great bass playing...Alot of his basslines are straight out the Paul McCartney school. I mean, if you're going to slag a bassist how about Nikki Sixx, who I never hear get **** but should be the posterboy of crappy boring bassists (and dont give me that "he plays for the song" nonsense...)

GradyBass · #2 07-27-2009, 09:22 AM

I'm with you. +1.

Now lets duck and cover.

dmusic148 · #3 07-27-2009, 09:28 AM

MarcusPocus · #4 07-27-2009, 09:34 AM

Most Kiss Songs written by the great Ace Frehley were recorded with Ace playing bass. If you'll notice some of those Ace songs had some downright funky bass lines. Torpedo Girl off of Unmaked is a great example of a funky Ace bass line.

4-string · #5 07-27-2009, 09:53 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by tapehead

The only reasons I can come with is either people just dont like Kiss or just dont know anything about bass playing.

I beg to differ.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iUVpPtBeD2g

scottbass · #6 07-27-2009, 10:00 AM

Gene Simmons IS good - at promoting himself and making lots of money with his me-too so-called family reality show clone of the Osbournes. Before that, he was good at promoting himself and making lots of money with a band that managed to stay popular, play to enormous crowds, etc. well past their creative prime.

Not that there's anything wrong with promoting yourself and making lots of money. I wish I could do it 1/10th as well as Gene.

My opinion of his bass playing is - well - he's very good at promoting himself and making lots of money...

N.F.A. · #7 07-27-2009, 10:04 AM

Having seen Kiss back in the day and knowing people in the Kiss Army. I can't remember anyone ever being "into" them because of Gene's bass playing. It was all about the show, some snappy songs and the whole vibe..If you dig his bass playing cool.. Whatever works for you man!

tapehead · #8 07-27-2009, 11:16 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by scottbass

Gene Simmons IS good - at promoting himself and making lots of money with his me-too so-called family reality show clone of the Osbournes. Before that, he was good at promoting himself and making lots of money with a band that managed to stay popular, play to enormous crowds, etc. well past their creative prime.

Not that there's anything wrong with promoting yourself and making lots of money. I wish I could do it 1/10th as well as Gene.

My opinion of his bass playing is - well - he's very good at promoting himself and making lots of money...

You're right he's good at all of that as well....Which makes him a good bass player _and_ a smart guy!

unclekebm · #9 07-27-2009, 12:28 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MarcusPocus

Most Kiss Songs written by the great Ace Frehley were recorded with Ace playing bass. If you'll notice some of those Ace songs had some downright funky bass lines. Torpedo Girl off of Unmaked is a great example of a funky Ace bass line.

+1 find some live KISS recordings then talk to me...

ps: Just mentioning him and Paul McCartney in the same sentence is absurd

Gene is a 'marketing genius' and a Mediocre musician (bass player) at best

word

lousybassplayer · #10 07-27-2009, 12:41 PM

Gene Simmons is a better bass player than Peter Kriss is a singer. Come on, its Kiss. I for one just dig the entertainment value of hte band and their music and don't worry too much about the talent level (which seems to be reserved for Paul and Ace).

That family jewels thing is horrid though.

62bass · #11 07-27-2009, 12:44 PM

Terrible musician. Good businessman. Look at how long he's managed to stay well known.

If there's a good bass track on any Kiss recording, he didn't play it. But, Kiss fans aren't into musicianship so it doesn't matter.

sevenyearsdown · #12 07-27-2009, 12:47 PM

I could play circles around him, but I couldn't land Shannon Tweed.....

nonogz · #13 07-27-2009, 12:47 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 4-string

I beg to differ.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iUVpPtBeD2g

amen.....gene simmons sucks. kiss puts on a good theatrical show i guess but i hate the music.....and i hate (more than words could ever describe), when people compare gene simmons to sir paul mccartney

jimmyjames77 · #14 07-27-2009, 12:50 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MarcusPocus

Most Kiss Songs written by the great Ace Frehley were recorded with Ace playing bass. If you'll notice some of those Ace songs had some downright funky bass lines. Torpedo Girl off of Unmaked is a great example of a funky Ace bass line.

In the EARLY days Gene did play on the records but during the early 80's Gene was too busy with business and movies it seemed, from what I've read, and did let others play bass.

lousybassplayer · #15 07-27-2009, 12:52 PM

yeah the mcartney thing doesn't add up. He was seldom an overly flashy, wanking type of player, but that shouldn't be confused with inability to play like that. Lets also not forget that Mcartney is a musician, not just a bass player. I for one like Kiss and the Beatles about equally, but musically there is no comparison.

Mcartney never fought the Demon at the carnival or put his blood in a comic book though.

kcamsdog1387 · #16 07-27-2009, 12:54 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by lousybassplayer

That family jewels thing is horrid though.

I don't know why, but I find myself watching this show A LOT lately. I'm not sure why. I was watching the Henry Rollins show and Gene was on and was like "People watch me because I am fascinating. Plain and simple."
When I was little I recall thinking that Gene didn't play bass because in the vids the never showed him moving his hands. I still love the theatricality of it all, though.
Part 1 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d3ubkA3LLic
Part 2 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6IZeZ...eature=related
Best Quote "Hank: Are you as proud of your business acumen as you are of your musical achievements?"
Gene "The God's honest truth is I don't have a f***in clue half the time what I'm doing. What I do have is a stong connection to my gut"

kimokeo · #17 07-27-2009, 01:06 PM

KISS was all about show. None of them were great musicians. They brought theatre to their live performances and the rest is history. Gene knows how to make money, and does so with an extreme talent for business. The fact that he lives with a playmate and has a tongue a foot long is just a bonus! ~

CBgaragebassist · #18 07-27-2009, 01:10 PM

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y6vdZ...eature=related there

SteveC · #19 07-27-2009, 01:11 PM

I liked KISS when I was younger. I don't listen any more. They are not -by their own admission - great musicians or song writers. That was never the point.

Like him or not, he knows how to make money and promote his interests.

I think the show is fun. As with any "reality" show you have to take it with a grain - or bucket - of salt, but he does seem to honestly care for his family.

tapehead · #20 07-27-2009, 01:15 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by lousybassplayer

yeah the mcartney thing doesn't add up. He was seldom an overly flashy, wanking type of player, but that shouldn't be confused with inability to play like that. Lets also not forget that Mcartney is a musician, not just a bass player. I for one like Kiss and the Beatles about equally, but musically there is no comparison.

Mcartney never fought the Demon at the carnival or put his blood in a comic book though.

The McCartney thing does add up....Listen to the bassline in Strutter...That doesnt sound like early Paul McCartney? Noone is saying Gene is writing masterpieces on the level of McCartney. My guess is people that dont think Gene is pretty good have only heard Kiss passingly and just think of the image. Here's a guy playing Strutter..Now its admitedly not a difficult bassline, but neither is Brown Eyed Girl. And the verses I think are very McCartneyesque...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WXVCXL6_OcQ