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I know most don't like Gene Simmons.
- Thread starter Noseferatu
- Start date
Ric5
Inactive
- Jan 29, 2008
- 29,772
- 30,452
- Disclosures
- I like 5, 8, 10, and 12 string basses
I know most don't like Gene Simmons.
Actually he is a very likeable guy. But I am not a fan of his band or his on stage persona.
Also the music of Kiss always takes a back seat to the circus side show stuff ... like the costumes and fire and blood etc ...
Kiss was never about the music ... it was about making money.
Actually he is a very likeable guy. But I am not a fan of his band or his on stage persona.
Also the music of Kiss always takes a back seat to the circus side show stuff ... like the costumes and fire and blood etc ...
Kiss was never about the music ... it was about making money.
Ummmm... what else constitutes a good musician? Flashy technique? I think most bands in the world would kill to have a bassist who does those three things well. To pick a hackneyed example, people are always ragging on Ringo... why? I still can't understand it. I've never once heard a Beatles song and thought, "Man, Ringo really missed the memo on this song". The same can be said for Gene Simmons.
Put Victor Wooten in Fall Out Boy and see if the band gets any better
What does it mean? Was it not clear or is it not obvious? I think you answered your won question anyway. Also, what player are you referring to when you say impress me? Simmons? I like some Kiss and have played it in bands but I dont get impressed by Simmons. He didn’t do anything new, innovative, or remotely challenging. The fact that he needs studio musicians to help record albums (for whatever reason) doesn’t win him bonus points with me.
I think Simmons might be the most successful bass player ever when you factor in overall success combines with the talent he had and worked with. Success however isnt going to win anyone points on a bass player forum, and it shouldnt. Nothing wrong with admiring him either.
I think Simmons might be the most successful bass player ever when you factor in overall success combines with the talent he had and worked with. Success however isnt going to win anyone points on a bass player forum, and it shouldnt. Nothing wrong with admiring him either.
Ummmm... what else constitutes a good musician? Flashy technique? I think most bands in the world would kill to have a bassist who does those three things well. To pick a hackneyed example, people are always ragging on Ringo... why? I still can't understand it. I've never once heard a Beatles song and thought, "Man, Ringo really missed the memo on this song". The same can be said for Gene Simmons.
Put Victor Wooten in Fall Out Boy and see if the band gets any better
A good musician to me is someone who creates something I like to listen too. See that is the problem though...too many people here equate liking something to skills. Again, this is a bass player site so anyone here has the right to question ones bass playing abilities regardless of the success of the person.
So using that logic, according to what are probably millions of people, Gene Simmons is a good musician.
Alvaro Martín Gómez A.
TalkBass' resident Bongo + cowbell player
I think I read somewhere that "Mr. Blackwell" was considered the worst song from "The Elder"... and I enjoyed it a lot. The main riff was/is extremely catchy to me.
+1 to "Dark Light" plus "Escape From The Island", both penned by Ace. Terrific tunes. Besides, "The Oath" is one of the heaviest-sounding Kiss songs (at least putting aside Paul's falsetto vocals). The chorus on "Under The Rose" is really ominous-sounding. There are so many things to enjoy from "The Elder". I think the reason because it was such a massive failure is that Kiss tried to play the "concept rock" game and got no credibility, but I don't think the album by itself is a bad one. Maybe because it was released during the height of my personal Kiss craze, but whatever the reason, I can tell I enjoyed that album so much.
And this is precisely why you've lost any objectivity, or credibility, in this thread.
He actually only had studio guys during the 80s becaue he was busy with a movie career. And all the studio guys played was roots. Gene does NOT play roots. This becomes evident when you observe the fact that after the 80s were over, and Gene came back down to earth, those creative basslines came back.
Oh, and Gene wrote and composed this entire song.
Why? I said I liked Kiss. What do you mean? I guess you are saying Gene is a great player because millions of people like Kiss?
Yes he is IMO. But that does not make him some Godlike bass player on a bass forum. Do you understand the difference?
That's either an important distinction--or a logical fallacy.
Are you saying that while you think Simmons is a good musician--based on the fact that you like some Kiss songs--you're not impressed by his playing?
That would lead one to think that he's not a good bassist, because "He didnt do anything new, innovative, or remotely challenging," but it seems like there, you'd be "equating liking something to skills."
Well extending your own criteria for what constitutes a good musician to the general populace, Gene Simmons is a good musician.
Who called him Godlike? That's never been the argument, at least in this thread.
No, Gene is a great bass player because he writes perfectly creative basslines that fit into KISS's songs. Period.
Like I said earlier in the thread, Paul Stanley has stated a couple different times that Gene has wanted to wirte much more complex material but Paul would not allow Gene because it would be too distracting for Paul to try and sing over those complex basslines.
As it is, from 2000 onward, Paul has a hard time singing over the 100,000 Years bassline so Gene plays it an octave lower. Paul's voice is in bad shape.
Well, if family Jewels is saying so that seals it.
Guys, I am out. I gave my opinion, tried to be objective, and never bashed the guy. In fact prasied him a few times but the Kiss Homers have proven to be too much for me. The frenzy you guys whip yourselves into to defend the guy is comical.
I don'y understand how someone could listen to this song (Goin Blind) and not be impressed by it. I think Gene was writing a grunge-esque song in 1974 without even realizing it. The chords are very grungy.
That bassline is very impressive and hard to sing over.
I personally think this should've been listed as one of the greatest rock songs of all time, along with Black Diamond, which Gene also wrote the music for.
That bassline is very impressive and hard to sing over.
I personally think this should've been listed as one of the greatest rock songs of all time, along with Black Diamond, which Gene also wrote the music for.
