Gene Simmons

[shaboda]

Nah - I met him... he's an ass.

.....and I am not a moron.

 

[Eric Perry]

Nah - I met him... he's an ass.

.....and I am not a moron.

Maybe he was mad 'cause you look like him!

 

[dannster]

I bought a natural finish Punisher from the "Spencer Gifts" period.
I was a huge POS. I sent it back.
I still wouldn't mind getting a real one though someday.

 

[mikeyswood]

From a Bass Player interview "The Gene Simmons Punisher is my own design, and I sell it myself. If you want one, you can call 1-609-PUNISHER. It costs 1500 bucks. Each one is handmade and signed." It was originally made by B.C. Rich but Gene didn't like the quality

Gene discontinued his relationship with BC Rich when they were not able to produce the quantity. The quality was never in question.

 

[shaboda]

Yikes! only after the facelift

Maybe he was mad 'cause you look like him!

 

[John Wentzien]

I don't know--
I thought he was pretty cool...He Got Miki Free his start "with Shalamar" from my old band Smokehose.
Check my myspace below for pictures..A couple of when I was young-and-skinny!
(old poster with Kiss, Smokehouse, Ted Nugent,& REO Speed-cookie)

 

[Mr_Sore_Fingerz]

Nah - I met him... he's an ass.

.....and I am not a moron.

+ 15438435130

 

[John Wentzien]

PS --I got a discount on that Gibson Grabber becaue of Gene!
(see pics on myspace)

 

[jarrod cunningham]

His Axe basses were made a while back by Kramer. Before the Axe bass he used Spector basses through the late 70's - before that it was Gibson Rippers. All his Ampeg speaker cabinets in his backline are empty - no speakers. One Ampeg head (he uses a number of them including his Signature Model)powers one of the 8x10s has a single 10" speaker which is mic'd through their massive sound system.

man I WORKED several kiss shows in 2000(load in , backline , stage crew etc) ... you are way off from what gene uses ! he has 2 regular svts full loaded full of tens . the rest of the cabs ARE dummys with only frames of speakers , no magnets and no cabinet backs , they are open backed . all of the svt heads are empty , they have led's wired in so the lights work . he was using at that time svt2's and he had a rack of them 4 i think in one rack and a back up rack . spherio (cant spell his name) genes tech , was a real pr!ck and kept everyone away from the actual working gear . once it was on stage we were done . as for the punisher bass , its made overseas and isnt the greatest quality .


i do know there have been several attemps at getting a us maker distributor to make and sale the punisher and another axe bass . but as of now i have no new info on it . my best friend is good pals with bruce kulick who played with kiss and he would have the inside on whats up with the bass production ....

 

[Mutato]

It's odd that every time I read about someone who "worked for Kiss" or "knows a guy who knows Gene" or has a "good source" on what's what, that the stories are never the same.

 

[KwinS]

There's the beauty of it. Even after the make-up came off, they're still a mystery...

I get what you're saying.

 

[badstonebass]

Not to put too fine a point on this, but by personal behavior I mean "camera off."

http://www.talkbass.com/forum/showthread.php?p=6030652

Maybe he's niced up in the last 25 years.

Never saw that side of him. Doesn't mean I don't believe it. I have seen plenty of celebs and c listers act like ********.

 

[NS2A]

This is overstated a bit. Up until 78 or so he played most of the stuff. however KISS themselves jumped all over the place on instruments.

After the solo albums the KISS member recorded mamny of their own tunes BY themselves.

In the 80's it was hit or miss who plays what...Gene might not play bass on the track but he might play guitar.

Eric carr played on a couple tunes and Bruce played on many as well .

However Gene played on 99.9% of the classic KISS catalog.

Usually Gene is first class I have seen him be a jerk...usually towards morons.

+1

Well, pretty much from '78 on, Gene played on Gene's songs. Paul either handled bass on Paul's own songs or had Bruce or many times the co writers of the songs play bass.

Ever wonder why those records came out so fast? They had 2 studios going at a time!

And Eric Carr played bass on ONE Kiss song - "I Still Love You". Over the years the way people talk you'd think he played on a lot more.

 

[Mystic Michael]

I've looked everywhere including this forum and the basses forum and couldn't find any information on Gene Simmons's playing style or what equipment he is using these days.

I know that his bass is his signature axe, but I wonder who made it? Does anyone here know?

Hey, what's a thread on Gene Simmons doing in the "Bassists" forum? This one belongs in the "Douchebags" forum...

MM

 

[shaboda]

It is funny that a band like KISS can get everyone so fired up...




At this point... It really doesnt matter who played on what.... and people will tell ya different stories, but only KISS really knows who played on what... [I assume that's why they never listed instruments next to their names on the albums].


At the end of the day, They're just a touring act now that will play the same ole' tired stuff until they cant anymore, and then they'll hold auditions to hire new guys to be football players in spandex batsuits and makeup, and be a new Vegas act. It's silly now.. they shoulda' really quit when they did the 'farewell tour'.
Gene's greed gets in the way of good decisions.

 

[JimmyM]

From the Spector site - For 20 years, Gene Simmons of the legendary band KISS recorded and toured with his custom made Spector bass. Gene and his bass finally did part ways, though by all accounts he was reluctant to give it up. This one-of-a-kind instrument recently (Oct 2005) sold on Ebay for $29, 995
We're proud to be such a part of rock and roll history. Thanks Gene!

Wow, I never knew that bass was made by Spector! You learn something new every day. My apologies for ever doubting you.

My favorite bass he used was the one Charlie LoBue made him right before the Spector. Too bad it got smashed up.

I still don't believe he empties all but one speaker out of an 810 for his onstage sound, though

 

[Ric5]

Gene Simmons is a circus preformer who just happens to play a little bass guiter.

 

[JimmyM]

It is funny that a band like KISS can get everyone so fired up...


At this point... It really doesnt matter who played on what.... and people will tell ya different stories, but only KISS really knows who played on what... [I assume that's why they never listed instruments next to their names on the albums].

At the end of the day, They're just a touring act now that will play the same ole' tired stuff until they cant anymore, and then they'll hold auditions to hire new guys to be football players in spandex batsuits and makeup, and be a new Vegas act. It's silly now.. they shoulda' really quit when they did the 'farewell tour'.
Gene's greed gets in the way of good decisions.

Yeah, that's a really bad decision to keep touring and selling out arenas and stadiums and making a million a night. You're right...that's a real bad decision. What are they thinking, making all that money and entertaining thousands of people a night?

I hope when you're old, some punkass kid tries to put you out to pasture, too.

 

[JimmyM]

Hey, what's a thread on Gene Simmons doing in the "Bassists" forum? This one belongs in the "Douchebags" forum...

HAHAHAHAHA!!! Dat's a gud vun! Gene is now ready to give up bass playing because you said that.

Seriously, beat it, you KISS-haters. Anyone who can't appreciate a band like KISS, a band that has lasted at the top for 35 years, wrote a ton of classic rock anthems, and had a career all of you would kill for, is someone I do not care to associate with.

 

[Mutato]

I still don't believe he empties all but one speaker out of an 810 for his onstage sound, though

I think if you really did some searching or talked to someone who really knows, you'd find that Gene gets his live sound from an old Crate combo that's miked up.