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Gene Simmons
- Thread starter Qvist
- Start date
In my youth, I began playing bass to the likes of the James Gang, Humble Pie, 10 years After, Led Zep, Hendrix, the Who, Sly, Cream, Traffic, The Band, Santana, the Doors etc... I was never impressed with any member or any song of KISS.... although I think this may be a function of my age, of which I've given you many hints already..
I always felt the same way...never paid them any attention or money. A friend showed me an album and I thought they looked more like they belonged on a comic book than an album cover. They made money though.
knarleybass
Commercial User
Let's face it, you can't even think of him as a bass player, he sold his soul to the all mighty dollar, in exchange for any musical or artistic credibility.
knarleybass
Commercial User
Coming from the guy who spells "Rocco" and "Pastorius" wrong in his profile!
oops...
I just read a quote from engineer for Electric Ladyland studios, (where Kiss recorded some of the early studio albums) and he said that KISS were always well rehearsed and recorded all of the rythm tracks live, most in two/three takes. It is ridiculous to say that Gene never played his bass parts. It is an insult to the fans to imply that KISS because famous from the comic books and action figures. That stuff came after they were famous, the music and stage show made them famous.
And then, there was an ad for his show at the bottom of the page! Wonder if that was targeted or random. Damn you Google.
I saw Gene in a movie last night on Universal HD. He played the heavy. He was actually pretty good. So good as an actor, in fact, that I'm starting to think that perhaps he just played a bassist in Kiss.
Yes, I'm starting to agree. I'm sad to report, I've seen the sex tape (it almost made me swear off sex altogether).
Good thing the man has that tongue, I suppose, although he certainly didn't use it in the video I saw. I can say that for a man who has publicly hyped his sexual prowess with women for so long, it makes me seriously question anything else that man hypes...ever.
I've seen men look more interested and engaged when forced to do the dishes.
One might question his skills in bed, but one would have to lay down many women to reach his number
From what I saw, I'd say he disappointed a very large number of women then.
If that remark is in response to what I said all I can say is I'm getting tired of people who can't read AND comprehend. I said nothing to imply that KISS got famous because of comics and action figures. I didn't know they had KISS comics and action figures.
If the quoted remark was not in response to what I said, nevermind.
It seems like everytime I come to TB someone's bent out of shape because they cant read and comprehend.
It's like the Seinfeld about the rent-a-car reservations at the airport. It isn't enough to just take the reservation, you have to hold the reservation.
Whether many people believe it or not, Gene is a Beatles fan, and more importantly a big "Mac" fan.
Hey, being a KISS fan, I'll admit to being influenced by Gene's bass playing...which, IMO, he stole a lot from Sir Paul's "walking bass line" licks. Really, without Gene's bass playing...those KISS songs just wouldn't sound "right". What I learned about KISS is that you either love 'em or hate 'em...no "in between". If you love 'em, it didn't matter what they did, they "Rocked". And if you hated them, it didn't matter what they did, they stunk. And maybe, part of the "hate" was because of Gene's "antics". But I really do think that Gene is definitely an underrated bassist!
Finally, and maybe off topic: Considering how he's living his life right now, I don't think Gene Simmons really cares about what we think of his bass playing. And quite frankly, if I were in his shoes right now, I wouldn't either....
So if I was responding to you.... you're calling me an idiot, but if i'm not...then nevermind. Either way, you've called me an idiot. Did I quote you? Everything doesn't have to be about you.
I get tired of people who cruise through the threads looking for someone to accuse and who think people are talking about them.
- Oct 24, 2005
- 92
- 0
- Disclosures
- Endorsing Artist: Ritter, DR, Jim Dunlop, Hartke
I love him. As a bassist he is continually underrated. One could say that a bassist's job is to put the perfect supportive yet interesting line to whatever song one is given. He always does that in my opinion....
and his approach to theatrical bass solos is genius. period
and his approach to theatrical bass solos is genius. period
Rock n' Roll Theatre:
I guess I can come out of the bass closet, then. Aram's given the green light.
When I picked up bass as a kid, I picked up a few albums (vinyl, y'all) that I had ignored in elementary and middle school. Hotter than Hell was one of them. I was impressed with the groovin' and movin,' audible, um, groove Simmons provided, as well as with those bluesy octave runs @ the end of the bars. For a hard shock-rock recording from 1974, that was impressive.
In comparison, listen to (then) equally shocking and hard-rocking AC/DC with its formidable blues-rock guitarist, Angus Young (now he's timelessly amazing). Yeah, listen to any of their albums @ least through 1984. Unless you run the REMASTERED CD through some major woofers (and other things), you would hardly know that Cliff Williams was there with his, of all things, Music-Man bass!
Kiss gave most of us (I stand by this) a very good time with rock n' roll theatre, and Simmons even made sure to feed us tasty, solid bass lines and licks to learn/absorb as bass-pups. He's not Les Claypool, but that virtuoso-bassist role has it's own very specialized niche in the ecology of the rock jungle. Kiss would've crashed n' burned (or just fizzled away) with anyone but Gene.
Besides, have y'all heard Aram B play? After you do, I think you will just kneel down, make sacrificial offerings and say Yes, Master to whatever musical opinion he shares.
Unless it was all tongue-in-cheek, Mr. Bedrosian.
I guess I can come out of the bass closet, then. Aram's given the green light.
When I picked up bass as a kid, I picked up a few albums (vinyl, y'all) that I had ignored in elementary and middle school. Hotter than Hell was one of them. I was impressed with the groovin' and movin,' audible, um, groove Simmons provided, as well as with those bluesy octave runs @ the end of the bars. For a hard shock-rock recording from 1974, that was impressive.
In comparison, listen to (then) equally shocking and hard-rocking AC/DC with its formidable blues-rock guitarist, Angus Young (now he's timelessly amazing). Yeah, listen to any of their albums @ least through 1984. Unless you run the REMASTERED CD through some major woofers (and other things), you would hardly know that Cliff Williams was there with his, of all things, Music-Man bass!
Kiss gave most of us (I stand by this) a very good time with rock n' roll theatre, and Simmons even made sure to feed us tasty, solid bass lines and licks to learn/absorb as bass-pups. He's not Les Claypool, but that virtuoso-bassist role has it's own very specialized niche in the ecology of the rock jungle. Kiss would've crashed n' burned (or just fizzled away) with anyone but Gene.
Besides, have y'all heard Aram B play? After you do, I think you will just kneel down, make sacrificial offerings and say Yes, Master to whatever musical opinion he shares.
Unless it was all tongue-in-cheek, Mr. Bedrosian.
