Gene Simmons (and the rest of Kiss) in 1988.

[Blazer]

It's really refreshing to see them do a show without too much frills. And with Bruce Kulick and Eric Carr (may he rest in peace) in the band they sound really tight. The classics sound raw and rocking while their eighties stuff sounds no less exciting.

Mr. Simmons plays several Pedulla basses, his Jackson AXE and his Stacato bass. Delivering that growl he's known for.

Go here for part one

And here for part two of the concert.

[Skel]

I have to say, I have never heard Gene Simmons play a bass line that I was remotely impressed with in any way. The few times I've seen him on video he was wasn't even playing some of the time because he was busy with his other stage antics. I think the guy is a successful business man, an intelligent person, a decent song writer, and a guy who *could* be a decent bass player if he thought it was important. Kiss songs just don't lend themselves to great bass playing IMHO. They are a fun band though.

[Fawkes007]

Dude, "Detroit Rock City" and "King of the Night Time World."

'nuff said.

[Skel]

Originally Posted by Fawkes007

Dude, "Detroit Rock City" and "King of the Night Time World."

'nuff said.

Ok I admit I haven't seeked out Gene Simmons, so to be fair I'll listen to this before I comment further about his bass playing.

[Suckbird]

Kiss kicks ass.

No doubt about it.. and i was actually surprised when i heard him play bass, he was better than i thought..

[morf]

Try Let Me Know, I like the bass line in that song.

[Alun]

"Going Blind" has always been a favourite of mine too. There's some nice playing on "Unmasked" but there's a lot of debate over whether he played on it

Cheers,
Alun

[johnvice]

Originally Posted by Skel

I have to say, I have never heard Gene Simmons play a bass line that I was remotely impressed with in any way. The few times I've seen him on video he was wasn't even playing some of the time because he was busy with his other stage antics. I think the guy is a successful business man, an intelligent person, a decent song writer, and a guy who *could* be a decent bass player if he thought it was important.

Gene Simmons never claimed to be a good bass player

He has openly said that the musicianship of Kiss is average at best

He has also said that he is not a musician but in the music BUSINESS

His bass lines on studio recordings have been ghosted by session bassists for most of their career. Gene, delegates what he can: a sign of a good manager.

Live, his bass playing takes a back seat to his stage antics. This is fine by me as Kiss has always been out to put on a show over just playing music. Their initial catalyst to fame was a grassroots buzz “You gotta see Kiss live!”

[cetera]

Originally Posted by johnvice

His bass lines on studio recordings have been ghosted by session bassists for most of their career. Gene, delegates what he can: a sign of a good manager.

Just to clarify this. SOME of his basslines were played by other band members or studio musicians. 95% were not however....

Gene has played many great basslines (with a clear McCartney/Pappalardi and even Jamerson influence most of the time) e.g. Goin Blind, Detroit Rock City, King Of The Nighttime World, Ladies Room, Let Me Know, Naked City, 100,000 Years etc etc....

He may be no Wooten etc but that's not the idea. He plays with melody and thought FOR THE SONG. That to me is a sign of a good bassist.

[Alan Vorse]

Originally Posted by cetera

Just to clarify this. SOME of his basslines were played by other band members or studio musicians. 95% were not however....

Gene has played many great basslines (with a clear McCartney/Pappalardi and even Jamerson influence most of the time) e.g. Goin Blind, Detroit Rock City, King Of The Nighttime World, Ladies Room, Let Me Know, Naked City, 100,000 Years etc etc....

He may be no Wooten etc but that's not the idea. He plays with melody and thought FOR THE SONG. That to me is a sign of a good bassist.

I might give you McCartney, but JAMERSON?

[cetera]

Yes, Jamerson....

Gene is/was a big fan of classic Motown and hence drew some melodic/rhythmic influence from its classic basslines.

[oldfclefer]

My mom met Simmons while waiting in line at a hotel restaurant in Jamestown N.D.

When my mom mentioned that I'm a bassist, he put his hands on her shoulders and said, "Tell your son the bass player that the greatest bassist in the world has had his hands on you."

Here's a pic of the place mat they signed for her

[morf]

LOL. I wouldn't let Gene Simmons touch my mom...

[B-NoteCowboy]

Originally Posted by Skel

I have to say, I have never heard Gene Simmons play a bass line that I was remotely impressed with in any way. The few times I've seen him on video he was wasn't even playing some of the time because he was busy with his other stage antics. I think the guy is a successful business man, an intelligent person, a decent song writer, and a guy who *could* be a decent bass player if he thought it was important. Kiss songs just don't lend themselves to great bass playing IMHO. They are a fun band though.

First, it is a show band after all. So of course he is busy doing stage antics. But you just aren't listening much or are way to friggin hard to impress if you don't think KISS songs lend themselves to great bass playing (within the genre) because they do. They aren't 8th notes, they are full melodic layers that are a lot of fun to play and are really challenging to do in full "show" mode.

[B-NoteCowboy]

Gene Simmons never claimed to be a good bass player

He has openly said that the musicianship of Kiss is average at best

He has also said that he is not a musician but in the music BUSINESS

Yes, he's said those things. But you have to remember - everything he says is said to further the legend of "Gene Simmons - businessman."

He and Ace were not average musicians. And he and Paul were both excellent songwriters (if not lyric writers). Peter howerver was average in every way but fit with their sound.

You are fooling yourself if you don't think he believes himself to be a good bassist and a songwriter. He definately does - regardless of how he parses his comments on the matter.

His bass lines on studio recordings have been ghosted by session bassists for most of their career. Gene, delegates what he can: a sign of a good manager.

Very very few of his lines have been ghosted, and those that were, were because he thought he was a movie star and was busy with Cher for awhile and wasn't in studio for a few parts here and there.

Live, his bass playing takes a back seat to his stage antics. This is fine by me as Kiss has always been out to put on a show over just playing music. Their initial catalyst to fame was a grassroots buzz “You gotta see Kiss live!”

Very true, but again I really urge people to put in context just how difficult it is to play Motown and McCartney influenced basslines while menacing a crowd, wearing 30 lbs of costuming, on 7 inch platform heels, sweating makeup into your eyes, never looking at the fretboard, singing lead on 45% of the songs, and backup on the rest.

If you watch some bootleg dvds of them in the mid 70's you can definately hear mistakes and the level of antics was a lot higher. Just as the original poster here says, the stuff they played in the 80's was as tight and impressive as about anyone because they became much better musicians.

I'll never claim Gene is an elite bassist, but he's definately a rock star and underrated as a musician.

[Hellbastard]

Originally Posted by cetera

......He may be no Wooten etc...

Thank God he´s not.

[budman]

Gene Simmons is the reason I began playing bass. My first concert was Kiss in September 77' (29 years ago. Man, I'm old). At 12 years old I'd never heard of Rocco or Jaco, or Jamerson of Paul Chambers. "Rock and Roll All Night" is classic Gene doing McCartney. Great movement.

Favorite Kiss tune: "Strange Ways" from Hotter Than Hell. An Ace Frehley tune...

[morf]

i think his lines are interesting. Songs like Let Me Know are composed in a way that I know for sure I wouldn't have found it myself, there is no real "logic" behind the construction yet the melody sounds real good and is alot of fun to play, not especially for the technique because its an easy song, but for the overall feel. It's a very rock n roll song

[D.E.C.]

I must say that I am impressed by how many people have defended Gene/KISS. I love KISS, and consider them to be one of my influences. It's nice to see that not everyone has to be a virtuoso to be appreciated in the bass playing community.

[Alvaro Martín Gómez A.]

Originally Posted by D.E.C.

I must say that I am impressed by how many people have defended Gene/KISS. I love KISS, and consider them to be one of my influences. It's nice to see that not everyone has to be a virtuoso to be appreciated in the bass playing community.

Count me in!