Gene Simmons Reveals Reasons To Stay On Stage After Kiss Disbanded

Bassis sekaligus salah satu pendiri Kiss, Gene Simmons (Instagram @genesmenjak)

JAKARTA - Gene Simmons and the band he formed, Gene Simmons Band will be on tour in the spring of this year. They will feature in 26 shows which are a follow-up to several concerts that were held last year.

But the question arises over Simmons' return to the music stage, considering he and Paul Stanley as the founder of Kiss decided to retire from the stage after holding his final show at Madison Square Garden, New York on December 2, 2023.

In response to the question, Simmons admitted that it was difficult for him to get completely off the music stage after Kiss disbanded.

"I tried not to appear on stage, but it was too much fun," Simmons said, in a recent interview with UCR.

"I think I'll be out a few years after the band I've been in for 50 years decided to disband," he continued.

Simmons said that his financial condition was good enough because of some of the businesses he ran. However, the offer to appear at one of the stadiums in Sao Paulo, Brazil coming in the year is hard to miss.

"We've done this (concert on starions) before; when Kiss took time off, I formed a band consisting of ordinary people. We had fun. Most importantly, fans and the band had fun -- that's the band's goal."

Although so far Simmons has performed more Kiss songs with a little solo material, there is a bit of leeway that he thinks is fun. Simmons' band has performed various cover songs, from Van Halen's "Ace of Spades", "Communication Breakdown", and Van Halen's "House of Pain".

"Our show is almost never the same," Simmons said. "We play songs; if someone in the band says, 'Hey, why don't you bring Cream's Sunshine of Your Love?' We look at each other and say, 'What's the key?' And that's how it is. We're like a command unit; there's no manager, no road crew, no trucks, no buses, nothing.

There is no massive PR campaign. We were flying on a commercial plane or we were going to buy SUVs and travel from one city to another. Promoters provide a backline, amplifier, and drums; we just came by guitar and guitar pick. It's really fun.

Furthermore, Simmons called what he is currently living is a completely different experience, rather than a walk on eight-inch boots during his time with Kiss.

"I've experienced it," he said. "Half a century, that's enough. And I really believe - and Paul (Stanley) believes in the same thing - you bring something as far as you can and finish it well," Simmons said.

It's more like if your favorite band came to your house and set up a stage in the garage and opened the garage door, and the whole city came informally and got together. We chatted and took the kids on stage, teenage musicians. It's just about having fun," he said.