Opinion on Gene Simmons: Revised Edition

i think he looks cool for not knowing how to play bass,thats talent

 

Not a great bassist at all but he gets the job done for Kiss. Definitely a great entertainer and I guess you don't have to be a monster on bass (no pun intended) to have catchy rock tunes that people like. He fits the bill I guess and I don't think he ever intended to be a bass great.

 

In two and a half years here, I haven't seen anyone on TB start as many threads about one bassist or his gear--and you've only been here 7 months. Enough with the obsession, jeez.

 

I think his playing is appropriate for KISS. That makes him good because he can do his job. Also, IBTL. You know it's going to happen.

 

overrated businessman with at least as many huge flops as successes, inadequate bass player even for Kiss, or else he'd actually play on the records

 

What he said.

Terrible bassist, and biggest sell out in the bass world, even surpassing Wentz!.

Good businessman? I guess that depends on your opinion of a businessman.

 

He is the George Lucas of Rock and Roll. He did what Lucas did with star wars (action figures, spin offs, lunch boxes etc) in a way no one had done with a mucic group before, except maybe the beatles. He is a bazillion-aire and is still making money today, long after many of his compatriots are gone from the spot light or even the music industry altogether. That, in my opinion, is Mr. Simmons real talent. And right on, power to him, in America that is the talent that matters. Creativity? Bah. Who cares. Capitalism - those are the chops that matter in America. And he nailed it.

But he sucks furry goat testicles as a bass player. He's awful on every level. I would bet dollars half of the recorded bass lines on the records are not even him playing them. Youtube his "solo", a trained monkey randomly hitting the bass would get pretty close to that.

 

I spent a lot of years growing up listenting to Gene's playing, and IMO, he's extreemly underated.

I find his playing to be both appropriate for the music, and tastefull at the same time.

Fantatstic business man, showman and marketing genius as well.

A master of self promotion.

 

The measure of a good business man is success in his ability to generate income.

Mr. Simmons has had that at levels most of us can only imagine.

 

the earlier records had real basslines...a lot of ghost players later on...up to alive 1...all good stuff...fits the tunes...we all already know his business acumen

 

Well, he's not all bad. He was heavily influenced by Paul McCartney so he played a lot of walking bass lines & he IS a songwriter. If he had just been another root playing ham fisted meathead, maybe Kiss wouldn't have done as well.

 

Touché.

I have said it before, what Savit says, goes.

 

you have every right to your opinion...that is one thing that this site encourages...others express their opinions as well...don't worry about what everyone else thinks...

 

I voted Smoothies, because why should we care what kind of businessman he is? This is Talkbass, not Talkmoney.

 

Hmmm...when I think of awesome bass players...Gene simply doesn't come to mind...

He may be able to play bass..but I couldn't say he's a talented bass player by a long shot. (No offense Gene..)

OTOH, he is a talented entertainer, a shrewd businessman, and a lucky philanderer.

What matters more? That's a matter of opinion.

Personally, I hope he becomes a philanthropist. Maybe he can help other young cats become great musicians through scholarships...

R...

 

Lucas did that merchandising because he knew he was NOT going to profit from the movie at all. 20th Century Fox has all rights to the original film.. Noone wanted anything to do with merchandising...

But I am still pissed that Lucas has yet to provide the lost footage of the the films... Nothing new in any of the 7-8 re-released sets.

 

As much as I love and adore the super-human technical abilities of Jaco, Stanley Clarke and Geddy, I still give Gene credit for providing his melodic bass lines for the songs that Kiss created. They worked and are memorable to me as I was growing up, as memorable to me as the bass lines from Chris Squire, Geddy, and John Paul Jones I was listening to back in the 70's.

As far as a businessman, he is a very smart guy and I applaud his determination. I think he has done a great job marketing the Kiss brand. Just my opinion.