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Gene Simmons is Good
- Thread starter tapehead
- Start date
Soon, they'll be debating the whole relic'ed bass / poser thing again...
eeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeekkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkk!
eeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeekkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkk!
This website never changes. If someone is not into "simple rock bass playing", they must be some kind of jazz/funk snob who only enjoys 32nd notes played in 13/8.
There is a middle ground people...
I think Gene (or Paul or Ace or Bruce or whoever) gets the job done. There are even some great memorable bass lines (how can you not like "Detroit Rock City"?).
But when I think of great rock bass players, I think of Robert DeLeo of Stone Temple Pilots, John Paul Jones, Bob Daisley, John Deacon. Bass players who serve the song AND have some personality on the instrument. That's my goal as a bass player.
I don't know, I like the Ramones as much as I like King Crimson. There's room for it all. Sometimes I think the "simple rock" people are the real snobs.
There is a middle ground people...
I think Gene (or Paul or Ace or Bruce or whoever) gets the job done. There are even some great memorable bass lines (how can you not like "Detroit Rock City"?).
But when I think of great rock bass players, I think of Robert DeLeo of Stone Temple Pilots, John Paul Jones, Bob Daisley, John Deacon. Bass players who serve the song AND have some personality on the instrument. That's my goal as a bass player.
I don't know, I like the Ramones as much as I like King Crimson. There's room for it all. Sometimes I think the "simple rock" people are the real snobs.
Yup. I wholeheartedly agree with the OP when it concerns this particular subject & thread. And, yes. I know this thread is downright old but, it still makes all the sense in the world, to me. I'll just go ahead & not say anything else about it, due to people calling me a prick and all, for being an honest man. Damn, read my past posts, and then try to imagine me not bein' honest. Lol!! Nooo sir...... Not me, for sure. But, this is the topic on my mind, so therefore..... I "shall" resurrect this thread (My "Mickeyswood" impression). Your're welcome for me bringing a thread back to life, that has 110% truth in it. Being that Gene $immons is a very damn good bassist. * Fire suit at the ready!!*
He has a classic style of rock bass playing that makes way more sense than many of the other big-time players. Except Paul McCartney. Why? THEIR STYLES pretty much match identically. With the exception of Gene's tone having more "grit & edge" to it. Otherwise? Once again, they have almost IDENTICAL playing styles. Just take time to listen.
I love this tune. Such great melodic lines. AND VERY, VERY in-the-pocket type playing, by Gene. The tune starts at song #8, from 24:20-26:44 minute mark. Everyone wants to use "Snowblind" as an example. But, IMHO, this does his playing more justice. So, enjoy.
He has a classic style of rock bass playing that makes way more sense than many of the other big-time players. Except Paul McCartney. Why? THEIR STYLES pretty much match identically. With the exception of Gene's tone having more "grit & edge" to it. Otherwise? Once again, they have almost IDENTICAL playing styles. Just take time to listen.
I love this tune. Such great melodic lines. AND VERY, VERY in-the-pocket type playing, by Gene. The tune starts at song #8, from 24:20-26:44 minute mark. Everyone wants to use "Snowblind" as an example. But, IMHO, this does his playing more justice. So, enjoy.
I mostly see root-pumpers getting hazed. Gene is definately not oneStrutter, Detroit rock city, love gun, and I could go on and on, I mean c'mon!! They're really walkin' and give a lot to the song. Compared to alot of bass playing in the genre and at the time I would even dare to call it inventive!
Paul Stanley played the bass lines for the song Love Gun. And this isn't a rip on Gene. I totally dig the bass on the Dressed to Kill album. I'm just complimenting Paul's bass contribution.
You gotta hand it to Gene. He knows how to get up and get his grandma outta there.
My thoughts on Gene.
He may have invented disco. Those walking lines on the first KISS records, probably inspired by Paul McCartney were later used by some tacky artists. If he wasn't the first, he did contribute to this in big way. Don't think he meant to, though.
Sophie is beautiful.
Gene has always gone for an oldschool Jack Bruce sound. Well, I have heard him on some nights with a grindy grit tone, usually on the Revenge tour.
I think Gene's notoriety launched Spector Guitars. Gene couldn't afford a Gibson or Alembic...so he had Labou build him a bass. Gene has helped the bass communitiy.
I think KISS is a marketing tool dream of four New York wiseguys, that happens to include some good music.
My thoughts on Gene.
He may have invented disco. Those walking lines on the first KISS records, probably inspired by Paul McCartney were later used by some tacky artists. If he wasn't the first, he did contribute to this in big way. Don't think he meant to, though.
Sophie is beautiful.
Gene has always gone for an oldschool Jack Bruce sound. Well, I have heard him on some nights with a grindy grit tone, usually on the Revenge tour.
I think Gene's notoriety launched Spector Guitars. Gene couldn't afford a Gibson or Alembic...so he had Labou build him a bass. Gene has helped the bass communitiy.
I think KISS is a marketing tool dream of four New York wiseguys, that happens to include some good music.
Ric5
Inactive
- Jan 29, 2008
- 29,772
- 30,452
- Disclosures
- I like 5, 8, 10, and 12 string basses
Of course the members of Kiss have talent. The criticism comes from the fact that band's live shows are more of a circus event than a musical event. KISS is a business first. Then they also put on a big over the top show, then there is also music there. They would hang upside down and sing in Japanese if they thought it would increase ticket sales.
For me the makeup and the blood are a turn off.
I never, ever heard that one. I thought it was Ace that sometimes didn't show up to record or was to hammered to get it right and had others fill in for him. I heard Destroyer is mostly not Ace. Peter Criss also had those problems from what I've heard as well.
Either way I like those old KISS records from 1973-1977.
The bass intro to 100,000 years on Alive! is just plain awesome. Not that simple and a hell of a groove.
Gene has a lot of tasty bass lines on those old albums. I think a lot of people dont like the whole makeup, marketing, management thing about KISS but that is what helped them be the superstars they are. Who cares about the TV shows and KISS dolls? I don't know from them when I put on an old KISS album. Heck, the Beatles had all kinds of merchandising too but didn't catch the flack that KISS did. In 1963 the sugar bowl haircuts and suits were a gimmick too.
No, they aren't musician's musicians but they play good old hard rock with catchy hooks. I bet you would all be suprised at just how many of your favorite musicians are closet KISS fans.
Hey, didn't Gilmour re-record a lot of Waters bass parts on a some Floyd tunes?
+1
I can listen to Jimmy Johnson tear it up on an Allan Holdsworth tune and Gene Simmons rip away on a KISS tune right afterwards. Variety is the spice of life, right?
I think he's extremely underrated. His skill as a player is overshadowed by the schtick of KISS, and that shows extreme narrow-mindedness, IMO.
I hear copious amounts of Sir Paul in Gene's playing. Yet, everyone has a hard-on for Macca and poop all over Gene. It's ridiculous.
YMMV
It's actually quite simple. People want to give Gene a bad rap because...
wait for it...
... they're jealous. He's not an especially good-looking man, he is a good (albeit not fantastic) musician. He has, however, managed to parley that into an amazing career, an enormous bank account, and a long relationship with one of the most stunningly beautiful women in the world. These other guys think they are better musicians (of course, since they are unknown, how good can they be?), so it burns them that a "lesser" musician has it so great.
I'm starting to think people here only hate on Gene Simmons because of his persona. God forbid the guy finds ways to make money to live the life he wants.
I met him although I'm sure he won't remember me, remember where or remember the situation - but it was in a GC in SoCal.
Without the Kabuki face and his boots, he's shorter than I thought he was. The makeup made him look taller I think.
EDIT: Mr. Simmons, if you're tuned into this post, and you know where Mike from GC went, let me know by PM - OK?
Without the Kabuki face and his boots, he's shorter than I thought he was. The makeup made him look taller I think.
EDIT: Mr. Simmons, if you're tuned into this post, and you know where Mike from GC went, let me know by PM - OK?
Look how many of us on here can say that they've made millions of dollars playing music? Anyone? He worked his ass off toured constantly and made millions of people rock. We can all sit here and complain about how bad this band is or that player or that actor. Talent doesn't always translate into success. I've been in the entertainment business for over 25 years (albeit film and tv) and only a casual for fun musician but I can tell you I have seen hundreds of "amazingly talented" people who haven't made a nickel. Fact is Gene is one of the founders of a band that will be remembered after all of us are taking dirt naps whether he could "play" or not isn't really the point.
Allot of the early KISS records (Destroyer back) had Paul Stanley playing bass. Gene played live.
It would be nice to see some verifiable documentation on something like that. I think it's interesting how other people in this thread rip on his bass lines as being too simplistic and yet somehow Gene Simmons isn't even good enough to play them in the studio.
