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Gene Simmons is Good

#381
As much as Gene is no technique monster on the bass he has some interesting/melodic bass lines and always has a great rock sound. I always thought it was cool the walking style lines he did in songs like "Rock and Roll all Night" or "King of the Night Time World". He could have easily been one of those players buried in the mix, unheard and just following the guitar. Imagine those above songs without Gene's bass lines, they wouldn't be the same. To me that is the mark of a good bass player, someone who makes their lines essential to the song. Gene's early playing was always rooted in the more McCartney, Motownish, Early Rock style of bass playing in my opinion.

t think what rubs people the wrong way about Gene is his personality and the fact that he comes off as not really caring about the music but more about the image and business of Kiss. I made the mistake years ago of reading his biography and it really turned me off to him as a person and I've had trouble looking past that when I think of him. Ted Nugent falls into this same camp with me, his personality overwhelms anything musical that he does.
 
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#382
I've read both Peter Criscuola's & Stanley Eisen's biographies, and they both told some of the same stories about the stupid things Ace would do when he was loaded.
Ironically Ace's real name is Paul, while Stanley is Star Child's given name.

I was fearful of reading Chaim Weitz's biography for the reason you state above.

I thought Gene/Chaim was so cool, until he started portraying really weird characters on film.

never-too-young-to-die-1987-even-a-picture-of-gene-simmons-can-give-you-herpes-351903.jpg
 
#387
Killed_by_Death said:
I do, if it's Squire or Sheehan.
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Billy Sheehan was my first, and biggest, influence and I saw him a few times in the 80's and early 90's but I never cared for his solo.

I went to see/hear what he was playing behind a verse that any other bass player would have pounded 1/8th note roots behind. That's what got my attention. He is the busiest bass player in rock, but his lines were always cool and tasteful.

And then he could push out a simple line like Ladies Night In Buffalo, and have it groove like nobody else.

He has since matured into the greatest ambassador our instrument could ever hope for. He might be the best rock bassist in history, and yet he is still (IMHO) incredibly under-rated.
 
#388
THand said:
He was/is.
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Without a doubt Gene was very inspired by Sir Paul as well as Jack Bruce and Flex Pappalardi.
Perfect example early 1972 Molly, wanna shout it out loud, what happens in the darkness these songs show a different player composing songs that had chord progression above the simple ones they later chose making a simple meat and potatoes song that would make them known around the world. But the early Gene stuff showed a bass player who was building lines that flowed you can hear it in the lines that play off the vocal melodies over chords seamlessly. Though the Wicked Lester stuff was never polished, it showed a talented bunch of young guys struggle to find their nitch in music history. Yeah as he aged he gave less of himself as bass player to some of us who lived for the early stuff and style of playing, But he was one of my main inspiration and that won't ever change.

 
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#389
Qvist said:
I mostly see root-pumpers getting hazed. Gene is definately not one o_O Strutter, 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!
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I think Gene Simmons is terrific (check out my avatar), but Paul Stanley played bass on "Love Gun."
 
#392
Boy, Gene Simmons threads are like the Everlasting Gobstoppers of Talk Bass.

Dogging Gene Simmons for not wowing you with his chops is like getting mad at a fish for not being able to ride a bicycle. He's a great rock and roll bass player and (more importantly) personality.
 
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#393
Gene Simmons is a terrible Rock n Roll bass player, a terrible bass player in the context of any musical genre.
He has what would appear to be an unbearable personality, but it's hard to judge if what we see is really who he is in private.
He is a very good promoter, and has a strong work ethic.
I think he is ungrateful for Ace Frehley's contributions to their band making it.
 

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