Gene Simmons: 'I'm sick of people who get up on stage and look at their shoes while lip-syncing'

Virgin Radio

26 Jun 2020, 13:00

KISS have been wowing fans with their outlandish performances for the last 46 years,

Even though their End Of The Road World Tour and Download Festival performance had to be put on hold thanks to the Coronavirus, Gene Simmons thinks other bands need to raise their game.

He shouts 'I'm sick and tired of people who get up on stage and use backing tracks and look at their shoes while lip-syncing.

'We're a band that takes no prisoners. We decided to put together the band that we never saw on stage. We shake the heavens'.

Gene has a warning for any youngsters who may never have seen KISS play before, for if they get to play in the UK again: 'All those young freckle faces will get a proper kick in the nuts. Even if you hate KISS, you will see the best show you have ever seen in your life' he explains.

Gene continues; 'That's our job. We're not here to convert you. Godzilla doesn't give a f*** if you like him, he's just Godzilla. He doesn't wonder if they like him, he's just going to destroy Tokyo.'

The band were undoubtedly disappointed that they had to cancel their show this month, but Gene is aware that more is at stake; 'Assume everybody out there is a zombie...What's the burden? The burden ain't much of anything. We should all shut up and get over ourselves, and that includes yours truly. This will get better. I promise you, take my word for it, OK?'

Gene has always has a special place in his heart for the UK and our music scene. He says the USA 'gave the world The Grateful Dead, you gave the world The Beatles and Queen, oh my god!' He exclaims; 'Every year you keep bringing out more. I don't know how and why such a small place is so successful'  

Gene grew up watching cult classic TV, and said some of it finally made sense when he came to our shores. 'I used to watch the TV series of The Avengers and everyone walked around with a brolly... is that what you call it? A brolly? Brolly, telly, it's like a child's language', he laughs.

'I never knew what that was about until I went to England in 1975 and then I understood it, every other hour the weather changes. In American cities when it rains it rains for the whole day.'