Gene Simmons is a better bassist...

[godofthunder59]

Going Blind. One of Gene's best.

 

[telecopy]

I've been saying this for a long long time. Gene's early catalog has some excellent hardrock bass work and his tone worth noting. Gene's no joke.

He was great. Stomping around in stacks, flicking his frickin' tongue at girls, singing and picking. Better than many.

 

[telecopy]

whoa.

That was a codpiece. Ian Anderson and little Alex and his droogan companions also sported that ancient menswear. More recently updated by the lower budget but no less amusing athletic sock by Flea and friends.

 

[Fender_Bender]

Never was a fan of the band but I'll give them credit for being much better (or at least more successful) than Gwar.

 

[telecopy]

That was a codpiece. Ian Anderson and little Alex and his droogan companions also sported that ancient menswear.

Ace Frehley played a lot of the bass parts for the early (pre-1980) albums.
Not really a bash against Simmons, but since Ace played bass on so many tracks, it's difficult to know whose bass playing you are listening to on those albums.

I was not aware of this.. it wasn't because he was wasted on drugs because he was supposedly clean. I presume it was because he was too busy in the sack.
Edit- you ever notice that Gene and Ron Jeremy were never in the same place at the same time? Hmm..

 

[Dominic D]

Ace Frehley played a lot of the bass parts for the early (pre-1980) albums.
Not really a bash against Simmons, but since Ace played bass on so many tracks, it's difficult to know whose bass playing you are listening to on those albums.

This is incorrect. Ace only played a small handful. The people who played on the albums are very well established at this point. Gene played all the bass on "Kiss", "Destroyer", and "Rock & Roll Over". On "Hotter Than Hell", Ace recorded "Parasite". On "Dressed to Kill", Ace played "Getaway" and "Rock Bottom". On "Love Gun", Ace played "Shock Me" and Paul played "Love Gun". On "Dynasty", Ace played "2000 Man", "Hard Times" and "Save Your Love", and Paul played "I Was Made For Loving You". Of those 69 total songs, Gene played 60 of them.

 

[jnuts1]

This video made me realize that he and the whole band were actually a very good live band with good vocals and good musicianship: Besides the fact that looking at piles of SVT's and Marshall's is always a pretty sight. Incidentally Peter Criss took lessons from the New York Doll's drummer Jerry Nolan who was very good and I think this video shows that Peter could play and actually sing great. I am not a huge Kiss fan by the way although my appreciation of them has grown greatly in my old age but let's give them their due.

didn't they have to consult with lawyers to actually see if they could call their "live" albums live because there were so many fixes and overdubs?

 

[wmhill]

I always smile to myself when I hear Lenny Kravitz's song "Fly Away." I know he is a Kiss fan, and that song is a clone of "Calling Dr Love."

Lenny covering KISS w/ Stevie Wonder on harmonica

 

[telecopy]

This is incorrect. Ace only played a small handful. The people who played on the albums are very well established at this point. Gene played on the bass on "Kiss", "Destroyer", and "Rock & Roll Over". On "Hotter Than Hell", Ace recorded "Parasite". On "Dressed to Kill", Ace played "Getaway" and "Rock Bottom". On "Love Gun", Ace played "Shock Me" and Paul played "Love Gun". On "Dynasty", Ace played "2000 Man", "Hard Times" and "Save Your Love", and Paul played "I Was Made For Loving You". Of those 69 total songs, Gene played 60 of them.

Dang.. Talk about fly on the wall..

 

[zubrycky]

Gene is great. A true legend.

I love this song and this bassline.

 

[graphics1988]

….and here I rarely tell anyone I loved early KISS. hahaha. To be honest - they saved me from goin down a dark path - so for that, I am eternally grateful. Their music was about sex, rock n roll and generally upbeat in topics. Many of their unknown 'popular' songs are my favs...this one in particular...albeit I am not sure being 'fast' is something to brag about in certain parts of life Cool little bass line too

 

[selowitch]

Because of the enormous (some would say overwrought) spectacle that KISS was/is, it's very possible that the musicianship of the various members (including Gene) ended up being overlooked.

I really enjoyed the MTV Unplugged episode featuring KISS. I thought it was genuinely great.

 

[graphics1988]

Gene is great. A true legend.

I love this song and this bassline.

Agree - this was one of my favs from that as well.


...also this is where I hear some Beatles influence...maybe its just me

 

[mattj1stc]

I was in a band with people from work - a one time thing for a company party. One song we played was Detroit Rock City. Great song and great bass part. I probably underrated Kiss due to their theatricality (and later, relentless merchandising), but those guys could play too.

 

[zubrycky]

A heavier side of mr. Simmons.

 

[zubrycky]

That was a codpiece. Ian Anderson and little Alex and his droogan companions also sported that ancient menswear. More recently updated by the lower budget but no less amusing athletic sock by Flea and friends.

Ozzy also had one as well.

 

[bobyoung53]

didn't they have to consult with lawyers to actually see if they could call their "live" albums live because there were so many fixes and overdubs?

No idea but "live" album have had overdubs for decades, sounds like a scurrilous myth to me.

 

[telecopy]

Ozzy also had one as well.

I think I'm gonna get one to wear when I shop at Publix. It ain't illegal I guess. Why the heck not.

 

[telecopy]

No idea but "live" album have had overdubs for decades, sounds like a scurrilous myth to me.

Oh who cares. I blast it so loud it don't matter.

 

[zubrycky]

The man is really dedicated to his craft.