Amazingly, that could have been the case for Gene Simmons as The Washington Post claims that he was in a relationship with Cher in the 1980s. Thank you for reading 5 articles this month*, US pricing $3.99 per month or $39.00 per year, UK pricing 2.99 per month or 29.00 per year, Europe pricing 3.49 per month or 34.00 per year, *Read 5 free articles per month without a subscription. It seems that Gene thinks its time for one genre in particular to disappear: rap. Rather than call this a new "version" I'll label the incredible disappearing binding a failed experiment and leave it at that. It has been suggested that it was a series/parallell switch which is feasible. The rockstar has been open about how hes never tried illegal substances and says that he doesnt get along with people who dabble with narcotics or those who have a dark cloud over their heads.. It turned out the bass player wanted to trademark the devil horns sign. His many accomplishments include his work as an outstanding actor and television actor, guitarist, singer, singer-songwriter, film producer, composer, voice actor, blogger, songwriter, and record producer, to name a few. The LoBue was the undisputed no. Gene Simmons, bass guitarist for Kiss, gets ready to breathe fire during the crescendo of "Firehouse," a number performed during a concert in Hartford, Conn., Feb. 18, 1977. This wasnt the first time that Gene had found himself on the wrong side of people, and several think it wont be the last. Now, 46 years later, he and Gibson are teaming up for G2, a new line of basses and guitars announced this past week during the NAMM conference. Believe it or not, but Gene is quite the entrepreneur when hes not working with the band. The inception of the Axe Bass came from the adage of referring to a guitar as an axe. Founding KISS bassist Gene Simmons has partnered with Gibson for a new line of electric guitars and basses dubbed G. Kiss bassist Gene Simmons told UCR about his artistic endeavors during an exclusive interview in August 2021. . Just walking through the hotel lobby and hallways chatting with Gene was an unbelievable experience. Skip to main content. According to the Spector web site "Gene Simmons of mega-group KISS commissioned several Brooklyn Era SB-1 basses from Stuart in the late 1970's. This time it looks like a fairly standard Fender bridge (mk V). When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission. The women and shady affairs that destroyed Gene Simmons' life. It looked as though he needed it as Genes outfit weighs quite a lot thanks to all those theatrical additions. When KISS did their first "European" tour in 4 years they stopped by a TV studio in Hilversum, Holland on May 29 to record singback versions of Unholy and God Gave Rock 'n' Roll To You II for the show Countdown. Gene has nothing but nice things to say about the stories that have been brought to life and the art thats used throughout each graphic novel. According to Gene he met Stuart Spector, then just an upstart luthier working out of a small Brooklyn shop, during the Destroyer sessions. Things went from bad to worse when two women accused Gene of behaving inappropriately, something he denies. Stuart shaved down the normally bulbous horns of the SB-1 into points.". Gene and his bass finally did part ways, though by all accounts he was reluctant to give it up. I made several of these until we hit a design that is pretty much what he uses today." Of course, it could also be so simple that the band and management felt that the new, more serious concept album KISS weren't properly represented by an instrument that looked like an Axe. Sadly, neither relationship lasted for Gene. I have a very large ego, dont wonder about that! Below are pictures detailing the rather slight differences between them. the #2 Spector got the nod. What are you waiting for. A customized electric bass guitar - the "Gene Simmons Axe Bass" - was especially created for him by South Korean giant Cort. Hot on the heels of the announcement of Gibson's acquisition of Mesa/Boogie, the company has unveiled another new partnership, this time with Kiss bassist Gene Simmons. Studio legend Carol Kaye gave KISS bassist Gene Simmons an impromptu bass lesson at Sunset Sound studios in Hollywood, and luckily cameras were rolling to catch it. Personal messages from members of The Gene Simmons Bass Collectors Club. As one of the founding members of KISS, Gene Simmons is certainly one of the most recognizable faces in rock music. (It would be easy to assume that it was a shadow cast by, or reflection of, the volume knob but the tone knob shows nothing similar. Why? Whatever the case, it wasnt long before Gene Simmons had something to say about it all. For the show in London, Ontario 74.12.22 Gene poses with the Grabber backstage but plays the LoBue for the show. I beat DC in using The Demon they tried to stop me, but I was able to prove that my Demon was far more famous than their Demon character!, By trademarking the name and shape of the Axe, Simmons was able to control who builds the instrument for him, and sure enough hes switched builders many times over the years. Chances are Gene just took the opportunity afforded him by the Gibson sponsorship the band enjoyed at the time (see the back of any KISS album from the time) but found that the basses weren't to his taste. Spector #1 Spector #2 Valdez Axe Carr Axe. [***]. The pair have been together since 1983, with Gene telling People that theyve been happily unmarried most of that time. It seems Gene will live to spit blood another day. The first part of the Dynasty tour shows the Spector #1 mk III hanging in there. See the Pedulla section. People accused Nick of plagiarizing ideas from the likes of Hellsing, One Piece, and Bleach, something that was enough to see the youngsters dreams of becoming a graphic novel author vanish before he got his time to shine. Gene continued to add how he thinks Prince slowly took his life over many years by using drink and illegal substances, even though neither were mentioned in the official report. Gene even went as far as to accuse the legend of lip-syncing her performances in the past. Published. I dont care, it doesnt mean anything to me.. Ever the savvy businessman, Simmons ended up trademarking the term Axe as it refers to a musical instrument, as well as the shape of the bass. Talking about rap and hip-hop was enough to get plenty of people talking about Gene Simmons and his ever-changing music views. So what is the Axe Bass, then? It wasnt long before people were outraged by the comments, and Gene was forced to apologize. The idea that it was a built-in fuzz is much less likely. [*] Its first appearance is the photo shoot that was set up the day of the Return of KISS dressrehearsal, 79.06.14. An interesting aside is that the Grabber was the least expensive instrument in the Gibson 1975 catalogue, even cheaper than the Marauder that Paul smashed on a nightly basis. Its one of the most distinctive signature models of all time, but how did the KISS Demon come up with his trusty four-string? During the time they were selling in Spencer's, various companies manufactured the . However, Gene Simmons had his own views on it all and they werent very popular. There's a high-gloss, mirror-like finish on the body and headstock, added rivules on the body near the pickup, and, true to form, a hole where there should be (or had been) a tone knob. It can be easy to think that any of Gene Simmons children would have tried to walk in his footsteps after seeing the success their dad has enjoyed over the years. The offstage shot also gives us the first look at the tape coverup of the original bridge holes as discussed below, thus beginning Gene's long use of tape coverups. The iconic Kiss bassist promises his new signature instrument is "The most fun you'll be able to have with your pants on". There is a bass resembling the Grabber, based on the headstock, standing offstage in a pic from 76.02.01, in. Biography reports that Gene actually worked a host of jobs as he tried to raise money to start his own band. Rock fans everywhere might disagree as Gene Simmons believes its time to give up on the genre. 1 bass for Gene and the exceedingly brief appearance of the Fender Precision is only in the role of backup. . It turns out Gene accidentally rubbed host Terry Gross up the wrong way during an interview with the star. This phenomenon can also be spotted at the start of the Return of KISS tour. [*] Much later Gene would remember it a little differently: "So he made me a one of a kind natural wood custom made bass, no name, no nothing." Right after the guitar was purchased, it was immediately packed in its hard case along with all of the items the guitar came with, which included: The Certificate of Authenticity, the original Gene Simmons hard . This obviously reflected the economic state of the band at the time, Paul and Ace also had very clear no. It's not immedeately obvious but if one looks closely at the pics below there are pieces of tape that are there to hold it in place. Sadly, things didnt quite work out for the star. One can also see that the material under the studs is completely different from the rest of the bass. It seems that not using Gene Simmons name meant she was on her own, and Sophie quickly had to find another way to make her dreams come true. Fans of the band get to enjoy an entire performance thats been carefully choreographed to be an experience like none other in the world. Guitar World is part of Future plc, an international media group and leading digital publisher. The courts fired back that hand gestures themselves cant be trademarked, meaning Genes case was thrown out, and he was forced to let others pull the pose. Princes cause of passing was ultimately ruled as an accidental overdose. Gene Simmons inspects the folder with the documents about his mother's persecution. These pics, which found their way into the later versions of the tour book, show the bass with a black blade and black knobs. The bass(es) were high-gloss black with white trim and a very distinct "point" on the back where the body finish met the unfinished neck (see further down). Unfortunately it is exceedingly difficult to try and identify which Spector is which in most photos, even if they are well-lit. . On the one hand it has an inlay of Gene's makeup on the headstock that looks very similar to the one that Carr did on Spector #1. The picture on the far left here clearly shows that the body was beveled where Gene rested his right arm. PURCHASE & PAYMENT PLANS. Gene was walking backward when he took the fall, and it wasnt long before someone rushed in to help the star back to his feet. The prior owner believed this to be a late '90s, and when comparing with other listings on Reverb that appears to hold true. In 2016, Gene told Rolling Stone that he cant wait until rap music is gone for good and thinks it will only take a decade for it to disappear. Unlike the EMG PJ set typically found in Simmons Punisher and Axe, however, these high-output humbuckers arent active, so theres no need to worry about battery power. There was suppose to be 1,000 . According to Gene, hes through with listening to music thats just talking and wants to go back to a time when music focuses on lyrics and melody. We guess Kiss were never known for their rap tunes. Overall there were some factual errors regarding the instruments during the Convention and the tour book was laughably incorrect. Gene Simmons has occupied the public consciousness since 1973, when Kiss first burst into the scene. This particular version of the bass doesn't last long as both the bridge and the pickup are soon changed for mk IV. All of the basses are built at a shop in South Korea [although there are some specialty one-off builds done in the USA by master builder, Jim Cara]. As with everything he does, Simmons has big plans . Like many, the rockstar was forced to take any job that came his way, including a role as a deli cashier. "[The Grabber] was a well built instrument that weighed a ton, [] the body was too big and I couldn't move as easily with the thing. Theres a lot to like about this costly Thunderbird, from its searing hot tones to that striking mirror-on-black aesthetic. Gi. Though he speaks measuredly . We now know that Gene Simmons doesnt always have the most popular opinions on people who use illegal substances. Sadly, Steve Carr passed away in 2006 which probably means that this part of the Axe story will forever be shrouded in mystery. Kiss legend Gene Simmons fondly recalls the days when a fledgling Rush would regularly play support to the panstick-sporting rockers. There's very nice video of it from both Houston and Anaheim in August that show the mk VI in action. Like the best signature models, this is an instrument that ultimately inspires you to sound and play like the musician behind it, while also being capable of a lot more, from Motown to country, and with the right kind of EQ scoop and compression, even slapped funk even if its not aimed at such musicians. The axe-shape body has the same style and flare as the demon's own, complete with a painted silver blade on a shiny black . However, he's also been known for the varied love life he's led over the years, with his numerous relationships having been . From lunch boxes to credit cards and everything in between, it seems theres no shortage of Kiss-themed things on the market as even caskets are on the menu, meaning the brand is estimated to be worth $1 billion. I still have 50 or so that are from the 70s but theyre available for sale. To those who might call Simmons a sellout, Simmons has a message, Damn right, bitch. We asked the man himself. As Simmons explains, I started out playing Ampeg SVTs and for a while we were going to do a line of SVT amps and they were originally going to be called The Punisher, and I was able to beat Marvel to the trademark for the name Punisher, even though they had a character named The Punisher. The rockstar was born in Israel where Gene says his family lived in extreme poverty before they saved enough to emigrate to the States and start a new life. As a subscriber enjoy big savings off the shop price! Together the two pickups complement each other very well indeed, with serious weight and bite that can be easily tamed through the respective volume controls. Designed to meet the musical needs of modern bassists, it features the classic Reverse Thunderbird body and headstock shape. An erstwhile acquaintance of LoBue's who handled the bass in its mkVI incarnation in New Jersey 76.07.10 has suggested that almost all the modifications were done by Charlie or the Guitar Lab rather than Gene's tech. After all, his stage show is often filled with performances of him showing off his impressive tongue skills and has been argued as one of the most iconic poses of all times. That one night he dropped it and the neck broke in half." Gene Simmons and his son, Nick, have been spotted at a handful of events together over the years. Nady 950 wireless. The photo shoot at Stuart Air Force base during the rehearsals on 77.11.09 and shots from opening night in Oklahoma City on 77.11.15 show the original silver knobs but by the time the band hits St. Louis on 77.12.02 the new knobs are in place. The offstage shot shows Gene with the bass and the action on that thing could make a grown man cry. Bath Or maybe the rather strange decision to use the Axe for a song like Reason to live during the Crazy Nights tour drove home the point that the Axe was a somewhat odd fit for the image at the time. The Kiss aesthetic wont appeal tonon-fans. However, it wasnt long before people learned that he was talking about the hand gesture he was pulling at the time. Before we move forward we need to take a step back (and get a little ahead of ourselves) and adress a slight "wrinkle" in the photos. It looks as though Gene Simmons has plenty of opinions that he wants to share with the world, but not all of them have landed. The LoBue worked tirelessly night in and night out and didn't go through any changes except the wear and tear of heavy use. A subscription makes a thoughtful gift for both family and friends. According to Steve Carr his first version of the Axe shown below was made for Gene in 1978 and even used for a few shows that year but no photographic evidence of that exists. Two or three years ago, Gibson and I connected and decided to do a joint venture - the G2: Gene and Gibson, or Gibson and Gene. Just because Gene was a part of the scene doesnt mean that he took part in everything that came his way. According to the Spector web site "Gene Simmons of mega-group KISS commissioned several Brooklyn Era SB-1 basses from Stuart in the late 1970's. Some of the modifications included a special gloss black paint job with white binding along the sides of the body. Find out more about how we test. The Return of KISS!! Spector #2 In 1987 Gene turns up with what looks like a slightly altered version of the Jackson. Whatever the new binding was actually made with it was one of the least durable materials in the known universe. The bass icon on bass rigs, riches and 50 years of music. Among the promo pics taken at Stewart Air Force Base 77.11.09 is the photo on the left below which seem to show a hole where the above coverup was placed. As Simmons explains, because I owned the name and the design, it qualifies as an invention in the library of congress. The basic design of the bass has changed a little through the years and it's been made by several luthiers and companies. Because of this I will "narrate" this story as if there's a single Spector until much later when they are more easily identifiable. It turned out that some people thought the reason Incarnate was doing so well was all because Nick allegedly stole ideas from other major mangas. 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