What do you think?
Rate this book
KISS and Make-up
You wanted the truth, you got the truth—the hottest book in the world!
Fueled by an explosive mix of makeup, costumes, and attitude, KISS burst onto the music scene thirty years ago and has become a rock institution. The band has sold more than eighty million records, has broken every concert attendance record set by Elvis Presley and the Beatles, stands behind the Beatles alone in number of gold records from any group in history, and has spawned more than 2,500 licenses.
There would have been no KISS without Gene Simmons, the outrageous star whose superlong tongue, legendary sexual exploits, and demonic makeup have made him a rock icon. KISS and Make-Up is the wild, shocking, unbelievable story, from the man himself, about how an immigrant boy from Israel studied to be a rabbi, was saved by rock and roll, and became one of the most notorious rock stars the world has ever seen.
Before Gene Simmons there was Chaim Witz, a boy from Haifa, Israel, who had no inkling of the life that lay ahead of him. In vivid detail Gene recounts his childhood growing up in Haifa under the watchful eye of his beloved, strong-willed mother, a concentration camp survivor; his adolescent years attending a Jewish theological center for rabbinical studies in Brooklyn; his love of all things American, including comic books, superheroes, and cowboys; and his early fascination with girls and sex, which prompted him to start a rock band in school after he saw the Beatles on The Ed Sullivan Show.
KISS and Make-Up is not just the classic story of achieving the American dream through the eyes of an immigrant boy making good, but a juicy, rollicking rock and roll read that takes you along for the ride of your life with KISS, from the 1970s, when they were the biggest band in the world, through the ’80s, when they took off their world-famous war paint, and into the ’90s, when they came back bigger and badder than ever to become the number one touring band in the world.
In his own irreverent, unapologetic voice, Gene talks about the girls (4,600 of them and counting); his tight bond with KISS cofounder Paul Stanley; the struggles he and Paul had with Ace Frehley and Peter Criss and their departures from the group; the new band members and Eric Carr’s untimely death; the enormous love and affection he has for the people who put him there in the first place—the KISS Army and the ever-loyal KISS fans around the world; his love life, including stories about his relationships with Cher and Diana Ross and with Shannon Tweed, Playmate of the Year, mother of his son and daughter, and his companion of eighteen years; and much more.
Full of dozens of photographs, many never-before-seen pictures from Gene’s private collection, KISS and Make-Up is a surprising, intimate look at the man behind the mask. For the first time Gene reveals all the facets of his complex personality—son, rock star, actor, record producer, businessman, ladies’ man, devoted father, and now author.
Fueled by an explosive mix of makeup, costumes, and attitude, KISS burst onto the music scene thirty years ago and has become a rock institution. The band has sold more than eighty million records, has broken every concert attendance record set by Elvis Presley and the Beatles, stands behind the Beatles alone in number of gold records from any group in history, and has spawned more than 2,500 licenses.
There would have been no KISS without Gene Simmons, the outrageous star whose superlong tongue, legendary sexual exploits, and demonic makeup have made him a rock icon. KISS and Make-Up is the wild, shocking, unbelievable story, from the man himself, about how an immigrant boy from Israel studied to be a rabbi, was saved by rock and roll, and became one of the most notorious rock stars the world has ever seen.
Before Gene Simmons there was Chaim Witz, a boy from Haifa, Israel, who had no inkling of the life that lay ahead of him. In vivid detail Gene recounts his childhood growing up in Haifa under the watchful eye of his beloved, strong-willed mother, a concentration camp survivor; his adolescent years attending a Jewish theological center for rabbinical studies in Brooklyn; his love of all things American, including comic books, superheroes, and cowboys; and his early fascination with girls and sex, which prompted him to start a rock band in school after he saw the Beatles on The Ed Sullivan Show.
KISS and Make-Up is not just the classic story of achieving the American dream through the eyes of an immigrant boy making good, but a juicy, rollicking rock and roll read that takes you along for the ride of your life with KISS, from the 1970s, when they were the biggest band in the world, through the ’80s, when they took off their world-famous war paint, and into the ’90s, when they came back bigger and badder than ever to become the number one touring band in the world.
In his own irreverent, unapologetic voice, Gene talks about the girls (4,600 of them and counting); his tight bond with KISS cofounder Paul Stanley; the struggles he and Paul had with Ace Frehley and Peter Criss and their departures from the group; the new band members and Eric Carr’s untimely death; the enormous love and affection he has for the people who put him there in the first place—the KISS Army and the ever-loyal KISS fans around the world; his love life, including stories about his relationships with Cher and Diana Ross and with Shannon Tweed, Playmate of the Year, mother of his son and daughter, and his companion of eighteen years; and much more.
Full of dozens of photographs, many never-before-seen pictures from Gene’s private collection, KISS and Make-Up is a surprising, intimate look at the man behind the mask. For the first time Gene reveals all the facets of his complex personality—son, rock star, actor, record producer, businessman, ladies’ man, devoted father, and now author.
288 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 2001
56 people are currently reading
1314 people want to read
About the author
Gene Simmons
58 books68 followersLibrarian’s note: There is more than one author in the Goodreads database with this name.
From genesimmons.com
Gene Simmons was born in Haifa, Israel in 1949, and is the only child of his mother, a German Nazi Concentration Camp survivor. He has always attributed his ethics, morals and drive to his mother's notion's about life. "Every day above ground, is a good day," his mother is apt to say.
He came to America at eight and a half years of age. He graduated State University (NYSU) and City University (CUNY) and got a Bachelor of Education degree. He taught sixth grade in Spanish Harlem in New York City.
He then became the Assistant to the Director of the Puerto Rican InterAgency Council, a government funded research and demonstration project. He worked at Glamour and then at Vogue, as the assistant to the editor, Kate Lloyd.
Gene speaks a few languages: English, Hungarian, Hebrew, German and is getting better at Japanese every day.
Gene Simmons has never been married.He has had live in relationships with Cher and Diana Ross. He has been happily unmarried for 25 years to Shannon Tweed, the mother of his two beautiful children.*
*Simmons and Tweed finally wed on October 1, 2011
From genesimmons.com
Gene Simmons was born in Haifa, Israel in 1949, and is the only child of his mother, a German Nazi Concentration Camp survivor. He has always attributed his ethics, morals and drive to his mother's notion's about life. "Every day above ground, is a good day," his mother is apt to say.
He came to America at eight and a half years of age. He graduated State University (NYSU) and City University (CUNY) and got a Bachelor of Education degree. He taught sixth grade in Spanish Harlem in New York City.
He then became the Assistant to the Director of the Puerto Rican InterAgency Council, a government funded research and demonstration project. He worked at Glamour and then at Vogue, as the assistant to the editor, Kate Lloyd.
Gene speaks a few languages: English, Hungarian, Hebrew, German and is getting better at Japanese every day.
Gene Simmons has never been married.He has had live in relationships with Cher and Diana Ross. He has been happily unmarried for 25 years to Shannon Tweed, the mother of his two beautiful children.*
*Simmons and Tweed finally wed on October 1, 2011
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 226 reviews
October 20, 2012
I picked this up at the library on a whim - great cover! Before this book, I could have only named two KISS songs. I don't own any of their albums; although I do own an awesome KISS lunchbox. Never saw Gene's reality show either. So I came to this book with hardly any preconceived notions about Gene Simmons or the band.
The book turned out to be a really interesting read. I had no idea he was Israeli or that his mom had been in the camps during the war & had most of her family killed by the Nazis. He & his mom immigrated to NYC when he was 9. And then he went to a yeshiva in Brooklyn! He was a good boy who did well in school. Gene explained that his decision to never drink or do drugs or smoke stemmed from not wanting to hurt his mother. She had been through so much and lost so much, who was he to break her heart by turning to drugs or drink?
I'm glad he never used, because it made his clear headed account of KISS much more interesting. I've read rock memoirs where the musician was such a complete & utter fuck up that it is hard to follow the story of the band. Looking at you, Keith Richards! And Ron Wood. And Vince Neil. And Belinda Carlisle. A memoir where the musician is so flummoxed by how the music industry works that they can't give any explanation or insight as to what was going on. It becomes a story about how "the suits" fucked him over and how he is a musician, man, not a square. And did I tell you about this celebrity I hung out with? Or the wacky high times I had destroying hotel rooms and blowing through money like water? Those memoirs are like reading a memoir written by a 12 year old with an IQ of 90.
Gene is nobody's fool. He got a BA in education before starting a band so he'd have something to fall back on if music didn't work out for him. A back up plan! Wow. He taught 6th grade for a while & worked in various offices(including Vogue) while attempting to build a successful band.He actually read contracts before signing them. He looked at bills before he paid them. He spent his money on practical things like houses for his family rather than gold toilets and marble statues of himself. He got to know people in the industry who could teach him things & give him opportunities. In terms of the band, I found it fascinating to read about why things were done the way they were. About the costumes & stage design & tours and the marketing & merchandise.
I think the one aspect he did not fully deal with was his incredible promiscuity. At the beginning of the book he writes that he has had sex with 4,600 women. I immediately wondered how he came up with that number - he must be rounding to the nearest even number, right? And estimating? Later in the book he talks about how he would take a photo of a woman after he had sex with her. Sort of like keeping baseballs cards but with pics of naked women instead. So I am guessing that he counted the photos. He does mention that several people told him he needed to be in therapy to deal with his intimacy issues. And he does admit that since he did not get drunk or high, his chosen vice was one night stands. I started thinking he might be slightly Asperger-ish. He doesn't understand small talk, he didn't really have close friends, he never got close with women, he is smart etc.
I think this memoir is worth reading even if you aren't a KISS fan. Anyone interested in the music industry would find his book engrossing.
The book turned out to be a really interesting read. I had no idea he was Israeli or that his mom had been in the camps during the war & had most of her family killed by the Nazis. He & his mom immigrated to NYC when he was 9. And then he went to a yeshiva in Brooklyn! He was a good boy who did well in school. Gene explained that his decision to never drink or do drugs or smoke stemmed from not wanting to hurt his mother. She had been through so much and lost so much, who was he to break her heart by turning to drugs or drink?
I'm glad he never used, because it made his clear headed account of KISS much more interesting. I've read rock memoirs where the musician was such a complete & utter fuck up that it is hard to follow the story of the band. Looking at you, Keith Richards! And Ron Wood. And Vince Neil. And Belinda Carlisle. A memoir where the musician is so flummoxed by how the music industry works that they can't give any explanation or insight as to what was going on. It becomes a story about how "the suits" fucked him over and how he is a musician, man, not a square. And did I tell you about this celebrity I hung out with? Or the wacky high times I had destroying hotel rooms and blowing through money like water? Those memoirs are like reading a memoir written by a 12 year old with an IQ of 90.
Gene is nobody's fool. He got a BA in education before starting a band so he'd have something to fall back on if music didn't work out for him. A back up plan! Wow. He taught 6th grade for a while & worked in various offices(including Vogue) while attempting to build a successful band.He actually read contracts before signing them. He looked at bills before he paid them. He spent his money on practical things like houses for his family rather than gold toilets and marble statues of himself. He got to know people in the industry who could teach him things & give him opportunities. In terms of the band, I found it fascinating to read about why things were done the way they were. About the costumes & stage design & tours and the marketing & merchandise.
I think the one aspect he did not fully deal with was his incredible promiscuity. At the beginning of the book he writes that he has had sex with 4,600 women. I immediately wondered how he came up with that number - he must be rounding to the nearest even number, right? And estimating? Later in the book he talks about how he would take a photo of a woman after he had sex with her. Sort of like keeping baseballs cards but with pics of naked women instead. So I am guessing that he counted the photos. He does mention that several people told him he needed to be in therapy to deal with his intimacy issues. And he does admit that since he did not get drunk or high, his chosen vice was one night stands. I started thinking he might be slightly Asperger-ish. He doesn't understand small talk, he didn't really have close friends, he never got close with women, he is smart etc.
I think this memoir is worth reading even if you aren't a KISS fan. Anyone interested in the music industry would find his book engrossing.
June 8, 2011
I purposely avoided this book for years. I really didn't have any desire to read this given that I already knew more about KISS than Gene Simmons and Paul Stanley combined. But out of sheer boredom and nothing else to read, I decided to give this one a shot at long last. My first impression when picking the book up and holding it in my hands was how small the book looked. For a band like KISS and it's author Gene Simmons, I would expect nothing less than 500 pages. But this looked like a book that I would finish in just a few days (3 days to be exact).
Upon reading the book, I quickly realized that I wasn't going to get anything new from the man himself. Everything that you have ever heard about KISS and its humble beginnings, and you KISS fans know exactly what I'm talking about, you have seen and heard the stories told a million times over from Gene himself either in on-camera interviews or print from magazines and other books over the years.
I was hoping to get a more detailed account of most of the pivotal moments of the band's history. But that was not the case here. Most of the back history from his days as a child all the way to the Farewell Tour is pretty much glossed over, recounting stuff that most KISS fan's already know. And when the band isn't being talked about in the book, Gene is bragging about his sexual exploits. But the way he paints the picture of each woman he banged, it comes off as a bad cliché of a porn plot. After awhile it just becomes laughable every time he talks about yet another conquest. I'm not saying that none of this happened or that it didn't happen the way he describes. It's just left me laughing more than admiring his ability to get any woman he wants.
The only thing that I found fascinating within the pages of KISS And Make-up was the dirt he dishes on Ace Frehley and Peter Criss. These are the only things that came off as "new" to me that I had never heard about. Sure I have heard both Gene and Paul slam both Ace and Peter for years and years. But getting first hand accounts of what Ace and Peter did to incur the wrath of Gene was somewhat eye opening here. But after awhile, it just seemed a bit harsh and started to feel more and more like character assassination on them for the sake of just getting back at them. I'm not saying that none of what Gene described didn't happen. But there are two sides to every story and it's why I anxiously await the release of Ace's book to hear what he has to say on the matter.
All in all, I would recommend this book only to those that know nothing about KISS and need a quick crash course on the band. For everyone else, I would just get it from the library, which is what I did here.
Upon reading the book, I quickly realized that I wasn't going to get anything new from the man himself. Everything that you have ever heard about KISS and its humble beginnings, and you KISS fans know exactly what I'm talking about, you have seen and heard the stories told a million times over from Gene himself either in on-camera interviews or print from magazines and other books over the years.
I was hoping to get a more detailed account of most of the pivotal moments of the band's history. But that was not the case here. Most of the back history from his days as a child all the way to the Farewell Tour is pretty much glossed over, recounting stuff that most KISS fan's already know. And when the band isn't being talked about in the book, Gene is bragging about his sexual exploits. But the way he paints the picture of each woman he banged, it comes off as a bad cliché of a porn plot. After awhile it just becomes laughable every time he talks about yet another conquest. I'm not saying that none of this happened or that it didn't happen the way he describes. It's just left me laughing more than admiring his ability to get any woman he wants.
The only thing that I found fascinating within the pages of KISS And Make-up was the dirt he dishes on Ace Frehley and Peter Criss. These are the only things that came off as "new" to me that I had never heard about. Sure I have heard both Gene and Paul slam both Ace and Peter for years and years. But getting first hand accounts of what Ace and Peter did to incur the wrath of Gene was somewhat eye opening here. But after awhile, it just seemed a bit harsh and started to feel more and more like character assassination on them for the sake of just getting back at them. I'm not saying that none of what Gene described didn't happen. But there are two sides to every story and it's why I anxiously await the release of Ace's book to hear what he has to say on the matter.
All in all, I would recommend this book only to those that know nothing about KISS and need a quick crash course on the band. For everyone else, I would just get it from the library, which is what I did here.
February 5, 2021
Very interesting and funny book.
June 11, 2017
I guess I’m on some kind of Gene Simmons kick. In this autobiography, Gene tells of his youth in Israel, his interest in comics, music and girls, his band’s rise to superstardom, the dissolution of the original line-up (according to the author, due to Ace and Peter’s drug abuse and unprofessionalism), the come-back, and last but not least, of finding the love of his life Shannon Tweed and the birth of their two kids.
Simmons is far less self-aggrandizing, and more realistic, in this earlier book than the one I just read (Sex Money Kiss) — which is to say, he still comes off as a posturing egomaniac, but at least he knows it. I don’t know exactly what I was looking for in reading this — there is, at its heart, the classic American Dream story: clueless immigrant comes to the land of opportunity, makes it big, which is worth something — but I am disappointed at how much Simmons glosses over regarding the rise, decline and rise of KISS. Motley Crue’s The Dirt: Confessions Of The World's Most Notorious Rock Band this ain’t: where are the sordid tales of life in the studio and on the road? Few and far between, unfortunately.
Simmons is far less self-aggrandizing, and more realistic, in this earlier book than the one I just read (Sex Money Kiss) — which is to say, he still comes off as a posturing egomaniac, but at least he knows it. I don’t know exactly what I was looking for in reading this — there is, at its heart, the classic American Dream story: clueless immigrant comes to the land of opportunity, makes it big, which is worth something — but I am disappointed at how much Simmons glosses over regarding the rise, decline and rise of KISS. Motley Crue’s The Dirt: Confessions Of The World's Most Notorious Rock Band this ain’t: where are the sordid tales of life in the studio and on the road? Few and far between, unfortunately.
July 15, 2011
This book surprised me. I was a KISS fan as a teen and have recently started watching his reality show, Gene Simmons Family Jewels. On a whim I picked this up and have to say that it was a quick and enjoyable read. Fine literature, no but it was fun.
Told in a very stream of consciousness manner the book takes you from Gene's childhood as Chaim Whitz from Haifa, Israel to the mega success of one of the most innovative rock bands ever. He spills the dirt on every aspect of his life whether it be his early days in Brooklyn attending a Hebrew Day school or the details of his many, many "conquests" on the road as a member of KISS. You are privy to a behind the scenes look at the workings both musical and business of a band. Not being of a music background it was interesting to see the development of the band and the problems that they faced along the way.
Gene doesn't hold back at all, he lets it all hang out. Fights with band members, hard decisions the band had to make and then later, his complete turnaround on the subject of commitment and fatherhood.
Again, not great literature but a fun look into a man who doesn't take himself or the world around him too seriously.
Told in a very stream of consciousness manner the book takes you from Gene's childhood as Chaim Whitz from Haifa, Israel to the mega success of one of the most innovative rock bands ever. He spills the dirt on every aspect of his life whether it be his early days in Brooklyn attending a Hebrew Day school or the details of his many, many "conquests" on the road as a member of KISS. You are privy to a behind the scenes look at the workings both musical and business of a band. Not being of a music background it was interesting to see the development of the band and the problems that they faced along the way.
Gene doesn't hold back at all, he lets it all hang out. Fights with band members, hard decisions the band had to make and then later, his complete turnaround on the subject of commitment and fatherhood.
Again, not great literature but a fun look into a man who doesn't take himself or the world around him too seriously.
March 8, 2015
I waited quite awhile to read this book and when I found it online for a dollar I figured what the hell. Maybe Gene had written an awesome tale drenched in blood and fire. This is the demon after all right?
The problem is that the book is quite boring. Gene isn't a great story teller and the book just feels like a bunch of stuff thrown together without any excitement. Hell, this guy had more ass than a toilet seat yet he just randomly throws liasons into various stories but it's all matter of fact.
There's nothing new here so if you're a fan of the band there's really nothing here we as Kiss fans haven't already heard a million times. Gene is a very boring man and as I continued to read I kept asking myself why. It wasn't entertaining at all. If he had made an effort to add something new or at least made an attempt to be less matter of fact the book would've been better.
The only spark of life we get from Gene is when he talks about his kids and that's near the end of the book. We get nothing about his relationship with Paul Stanley or anything new about the band. As I finished it I was dissapointed. It was like listening to The Elder. You have to check it out because it is a piece of Kisstory but after it's over you throw it on a shelf and forget about it.
The problem is that the book is quite boring. Gene isn't a great story teller and the book just feels like a bunch of stuff thrown together without any excitement. Hell, this guy had more ass than a toilet seat yet he just randomly throws liasons into various stories but it's all matter of fact.
There's nothing new here so if you're a fan of the band there's really nothing here we as Kiss fans haven't already heard a million times. Gene is a very boring man and as I continued to read I kept asking myself why. It wasn't entertaining at all. If he had made an effort to add something new or at least made an attempt to be less matter of fact the book would've been better.
The only spark of life we get from Gene is when he talks about his kids and that's near the end of the book. We get nothing about his relationship with Paul Stanley or anything new about the band. As I finished it I was dissapointed. It was like listening to The Elder. You have to check it out because it is a piece of Kisstory but after it's over you throw it on a shelf and forget about it.
February 28, 2008
This is a review of the audio recording of “Kiss and Make-Up” read by Gene Simmons, the author. You haven’t really experienced the absurdity of his autobiography until you’ve heard The Man himself reading his own thoughts, read with a drop-dead seriousness that would make Yul Brynner’s ghost jealous. I once listened to all 6 CD’s in my car on an endless trip to Las Vegas. My ears screamed in pain. I liked the rock gossip but whoever thought his childhood was fascinating (I was a teenage lifeguard in the Catskills) must be crazy. How anyone can make their first sexual experience sound dull is beyond me!
Final advice: If you buy the CD set start with disc 4. Toss out the first three discs.
Final advice: If you buy the CD set start with disc 4. Toss out the first three discs.
April 11, 2017
Great! I enjoyed this as an audiobook on a long plane ride. Gene Simmons had a very interesting childhood.
January 7, 2026
A few things to keep in mind: This book was written in 2001, so needless to say, a lot has changed in his life over the past 25 years. Also, Gene Simmons himself says in his book that he's delusional. He's also a shameless self-promoter, which isn't exactly news to anyone who has followed Gene and his career.
Out of the four KISS memoirs I've read, Gene's is the least interesting, as it reads like a resume where he's listing off all of his accomplishments and he never goes too deep on certain topics, especially when it comes to himself. Everything is black and white with Gene, which makes the book quite boring at times.
The most interesting parts of the book are his reflections of the reunion tour, where he seems to have a real axe to grind with Ace and Peter, which is no surprise after having read their account of that tour. Other than that, Gene refuses to accept much if any blame, talk about the band's failures, and instead, he's simply here to tell us how great he is and how everything he does is great. It can be fun to read at times, but, much like Gene Simmons himself, it tends to get repetitive hearing about all of the women he supposedly slept with and how much of a genius he is. That is how Gene is, so I knew that going in, but it's still tedious at times.
Out of the four books written by the four original members, Paul Stanley's is the best, followed by Peter Criss, Ace Frehley, and then Gene's. It's worth reading to get all four of their perspectives, but it's disappointing overall.
Out of the four KISS memoirs I've read, Gene's is the least interesting, as it reads like a resume where he's listing off all of his accomplishments and he never goes too deep on certain topics, especially when it comes to himself. Everything is black and white with Gene, which makes the book quite boring at times.
The most interesting parts of the book are his reflections of the reunion tour, where he seems to have a real axe to grind with Ace and Peter, which is no surprise after having read their account of that tour. Other than that, Gene refuses to accept much if any blame, talk about the band's failures, and instead, he's simply here to tell us how great he is and how everything he does is great. It can be fun to read at times, but, much like Gene Simmons himself, it tends to get repetitive hearing about all of the women he supposedly slept with and how much of a genius he is. That is how Gene is, so I knew that going in, but it's still tedious at times.
Out of the four books written by the four original members, Paul Stanley's is the best, followed by Peter Criss, Ace Frehley, and then Gene's. It's worth reading to get all four of their perspectives, but it's disappointing overall.
July 23, 2024
Very entertaining listen. I’ve seen Kiss 2-3 times in concert and it’s always a good show. They know how to entertain.
The only knock on the book is that there are a few stories that he told multiple times. The timeline was a bit all over the place, but that’s normal for a memoir.
The only knock on the book is that there are a few stories that he told multiple times. The timeline was a bit all over the place, but that’s normal for a memoir.
April 7, 2019
To some, he's a god. To others, he's a devil. But one thing can't be denied — Gene Simmons IS an iconic superstar. And his autobiography, "Kiss and Make-Up," shines a bright light on the riveting tale of a boy who came to America with a dream — a really BIG dream.
At one point in my life, I was a faithful, fervent KISS follower. In fact, I actually felt somewhat honored when Simmons threatened to knock me out one night while at a hotel bar during the 1983 "Lick it Up" tour. It's a long story, but let's just say that I was very young at the time — I possessed limited people skills and probably needed to be put in my place. However, in my defense, I will say that the larger-than-life rock star did have his hand up my fiancée's skirt at that moment. And well, like I said, it's a long story.
Anyway, the point is, even for as much of a drooling fan as I was at one point, I still found "Kiss and Make-Up" to be an informative and highly entertaining read. And although the book reveals plenty of dirt on one of rock's greatest bands, it also tells a compelling personal story of a poor, eight-year-old kid who emigrated from Israel with his mother and ultimately achieved the American Dream.
When he first arrived in this country as Chaim Witz in the 1950s, Simmons couldn't speak a word of English. Perhaps it was due to his mother's experiences in Nazi concentration camps or her struggles as a single parent, but early on Simmons developed essential survival skills, a strong work ethic and a desire to succeed.
Simmons quickly fell in love with all things American — TV, comic books, music and movies. He promised his mother that he always would have something to "fall back" on in life, so he went to college and earned several degrees before completely pursuing his rock and roll dream.
From there, "Kiss and Make-Up" is filled with salacious accounts of Simmons' outrageous rock and roll life — most of which involve his favorite pastime, "chasing skirt." Big girls and little girls, fat girls and thin girls, younger and older — if you're a (legal age) female with a pulse, Gene Simmons wants to give you his room number.
Of course "Kiss and Make-Up" also contains KISS-related-dish that most fans won't believe and many may not want to read. But as Simmons' puts it, the book contains "the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth." While that may, or may not be, I'd still be curious to compare notes if and when Paul Stanley publishes his story.
-Christopher Long
(January 2003)
At one point in my life, I was a faithful, fervent KISS follower. In fact, I actually felt somewhat honored when Simmons threatened to knock me out one night while at a hotel bar during the 1983 "Lick it Up" tour. It's a long story, but let's just say that I was very young at the time — I possessed limited people skills and probably needed to be put in my place. However, in my defense, I will say that the larger-than-life rock star did have his hand up my fiancée's skirt at that moment. And well, like I said, it's a long story.
Anyway, the point is, even for as much of a drooling fan as I was at one point, I still found "Kiss and Make-Up" to be an informative and highly entertaining read. And although the book reveals plenty of dirt on one of rock's greatest bands, it also tells a compelling personal story of a poor, eight-year-old kid who emigrated from Israel with his mother and ultimately achieved the American Dream.
When he first arrived in this country as Chaim Witz in the 1950s, Simmons couldn't speak a word of English. Perhaps it was due to his mother's experiences in Nazi concentration camps or her struggles as a single parent, but early on Simmons developed essential survival skills, a strong work ethic and a desire to succeed.
Simmons quickly fell in love with all things American — TV, comic books, music and movies. He promised his mother that he always would have something to "fall back" on in life, so he went to college and earned several degrees before completely pursuing his rock and roll dream.
From there, "Kiss and Make-Up" is filled with salacious accounts of Simmons' outrageous rock and roll life — most of which involve his favorite pastime, "chasing skirt." Big girls and little girls, fat girls and thin girls, younger and older — if you're a (legal age) female with a pulse, Gene Simmons wants to give you his room number.
Of course "Kiss and Make-Up" also contains KISS-related-dish that most fans won't believe and many may not want to read. But as Simmons' puts it, the book contains "the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth." While that may, or may not be, I'd still be curious to compare notes if and when Paul Stanley publishes his story.
-Christopher Long
(January 2003)
April 25, 2017
My review will take the form of the FB posts I made while listening to the audiobook. FULL DISCLOSURE: I am a big KISS fan.
You may hate Gene Simmons. It doesn't matter. He was my teenage hero and KISS has been one of my favorite bands since I was 12. I am listening to the audio version of the book read by Gene Simmons himself. It is nothing short of amazing to me. I am not telling you to admire him. I am not telling you to like him or even care. It's just a great story of a famous American immigrant. And his voice, as always, is incredibly soothing.
Here's the difference between the Italian Mother and the Jewish Mother. The Italian Mother says, "if you don't do what I tell you, I am going to kill you." The Jewish Mother says, "If you don't do what I tell you, I am going to kill myself." ~ Gene Simmons.
So far my takeaways on the Gene Simmons book (yeah, I know this is kind of a big deal because I never read) are the following:
1) Don't disappoint your mother.
2) See opportunity.
3) Work hard.
4) Don't promise what you can't deliver.
5) When your dad doesn't do his job, super heroes can be a sufficient stand in.
6) Maintain childlike optimism.
7) DIY until you can afford not to and then still DIY.
Further takeaways from the Gene Simmons autobio audiobook:
1) sexual assault is going to make being emotionally intimate difficult or impossible
2) paternal abandonment makes commitment hard or impossible
3) Cake is superior to fancy food.
4) Small talk about other people is boring
5) It's possible to be really successful and still only pay $200/month in rent and not spend a bunch of cash on things. SAVE.
Final takeaway from the Gene Simmons book. I try to run my life/business/endeavors like Gene Simmons. That's my intention---to be professional, successful and respected. But at my heart I am Ace Frehley --self indulgent, paranoid, prone to extreme laziness, never quite living up to my potential. Cursed! ACK!
The book gets a little sentimental and preachy about not doing drugs at the end but hey, Gene can say whatever. People are still going to love it or hate it (and him).
You may hate Gene Simmons. It doesn't matter. He was my teenage hero and KISS has been one of my favorite bands since I was 12. I am listening to the audio version of the book read by Gene Simmons himself. It is nothing short of amazing to me. I am not telling you to admire him. I am not telling you to like him or even care. It's just a great story of a famous American immigrant. And his voice, as always, is incredibly soothing.
Here's the difference between the Italian Mother and the Jewish Mother. The Italian Mother says, "if you don't do what I tell you, I am going to kill you." The Jewish Mother says, "If you don't do what I tell you, I am going to kill myself." ~ Gene Simmons.
So far my takeaways on the Gene Simmons book (yeah, I know this is kind of a big deal because I never read) are the following:
1) Don't disappoint your mother.
2) See opportunity.
3) Work hard.
4) Don't promise what you can't deliver.
5) When your dad doesn't do his job, super heroes can be a sufficient stand in.
6) Maintain childlike optimism.
7) DIY until you can afford not to and then still DIY.
Further takeaways from the Gene Simmons autobio audiobook:
1) sexual assault is going to make being emotionally intimate difficult or impossible
2) paternal abandonment makes commitment hard or impossible
3) Cake is superior to fancy food.
4) Small talk about other people is boring
5) It's possible to be really successful and still only pay $200/month in rent and not spend a bunch of cash on things. SAVE.
Final takeaway from the Gene Simmons book. I try to run my life/business/endeavors like Gene Simmons. That's my intention---to be professional, successful and respected. But at my heart I am Ace Frehley --self indulgent, paranoid, prone to extreme laziness, never quite living up to my potential. Cursed! ACK!
The book gets a little sentimental and preachy about not doing drugs at the end but hey, Gene can say whatever. People are still going to love it or hate it (and him).
May 10, 2008
I'm sorry to say that Mr. Simmons is a very self satisfing and self serving human being who all he cares about is making money, and working working working. I feel for his
family. I don't recomend this read to anyone willing to care
about someone other than themselves.
family. I don't recomend this read to anyone willing to care
about someone other than themselves.
January 20, 2016
I've been a Kiss fan for a long time and regret never having seen them live. I have a new respect for Gene Simmons, he is truly one of a kind. Great read, although watching him and Paul tolerate Ace and Peter's shenanigans over and over was hard to handle after a while.
December 27, 2017
Just as self-centered as you would expect from him.
October 29, 2019
I've been a fan of KISS's music (I phrase it like that over saying I've been a fan of KISS per se because for most of my life I knew little about the band beyond their music- and I can't stress enough how that needs to be normalised, as opposed to knowing up to the band's pooping schedule) since I was a kid. Ever since I first heard a song, I liked the band's sound. That song must have been Rock n Roll All Nite, I'm almost sure. I always liked their music, even when I couldn't understand (due to language barier) their lyrics, even when I had very little idea of who exactly was behind that killer sound.
Growing up, I grew acquainted with the particulars more closely: namely, the identities each member had created. Even though (true to my drummer-loving nature) I would grow up to be a Catman girl through and through, I was always intrigued by the Demon. Although I was aware of the fact that his character didn't necessarily have to match his actual personality, I still couldn't help but feel intimidated, to some level, by Gene's onstage persona.
Reading this book was one big step into unveiling the "mystery" I had grown up cherishing as a child (even though the reading process was a culmination of something that had started ever since I got in touch with a thing called the internet). The Demon was a great figure to get to know while growing up, getting familiar with his antics onstage was a fabulous experience (one that will come full circle once I see the band live at last, not half a year from the time this review is being written). As an adult, I wanted to see more of Gene.
This book caters to all my needs as a reader: there's a great job that was put into "character building", both within the human factor of the contextual build, as well as the more unreachable aspect, namely everything that has to do with the unique experience as a member of *The Hottest Band In The World*. Gene Simmons has no time for bullshit: he says what he means, he means what he says- and even when he is an asshole, he owns it completely. Love him or hate him, you can't help but still respect him for it. He is a complex man through and through, and it's been a pure delight to see all the little elements (some of them gloriously contradictory) that make up his personality.
Extra kudos for the impressive work that was put into this account of Gene's world. It was both informative, entertaining... In escence it was a biography, but it was written in such a way that it feels unfair to just reduce it to the genre and that's it. It's fair to say that, what's true in terms of the band- that you can't just reduce KISS to being one thing, because it doesn't really fit into preexistent molds- can be said about its members. It can also be said about this book.
I enjoyed reading this way more than I was anticipating. I'm always a sucker for discovering the human side of "big" personalities, such as rockstars. And when there is such a character, that seems even bigger (in image) than the average rockstar, coming face to face with the man behind the Demon, with the considerable shock such a contrast may entail, the ride gets even more exciting.
Growing up, I grew acquainted with the particulars more closely: namely, the identities each member had created. Even though (true to my drummer-loving nature) I would grow up to be a Catman girl through and through, I was always intrigued by the Demon. Although I was aware of the fact that his character didn't necessarily have to match his actual personality, I still couldn't help but feel intimidated, to some level, by Gene's onstage persona.
Reading this book was one big step into unveiling the "mystery" I had grown up cherishing as a child (even though the reading process was a culmination of something that had started ever since I got in touch with a thing called the internet). The Demon was a great figure to get to know while growing up, getting familiar with his antics onstage was a fabulous experience (one that will come full circle once I see the band live at last, not half a year from the time this review is being written). As an adult, I wanted to see more of Gene.
This book caters to all my needs as a reader: there's a great job that was put into "character building", both within the human factor of the contextual build, as well as the more unreachable aspect, namely everything that has to do with the unique experience as a member of *The Hottest Band In The World*. Gene Simmons has no time for bullshit: he says what he means, he means what he says- and even when he is an asshole, he owns it completely. Love him or hate him, you can't help but still respect him for it. He is a complex man through and through, and it's been a pure delight to see all the little elements (some of them gloriously contradictory) that make up his personality.
Extra kudos for the impressive work that was put into this account of Gene's world. It was both informative, entertaining... In escence it was a biography, but it was written in such a way that it feels unfair to just reduce it to the genre and that's it. It's fair to say that, what's true in terms of the band- that you can't just reduce KISS to being one thing, because it doesn't really fit into preexistent molds- can be said about its members. It can also be said about this book.
I enjoyed reading this way more than I was anticipating. I'm always a sucker for discovering the human side of "big" personalities, such as rockstars. And when there is such a character, that seems even bigger (in image) than the average rockstar, coming face to face with the man behind the Demon, with the considerable shock such a contrast may entail, the ride gets even more exciting.
November 15, 2017
Opinionated and to the point, Simmons doesn’t pull punches in telling the story of his life and career as co-founder of the rock band KISS and the various members. For any diehard, KISS Army fans this book would be mandatory reading comparable to the old “Behind The Music” television series that focused on one band or artist. But for the less dedicated who are simply rock music fans, this is an inside look at someone who could be deemed “least likely to become a rock star” and eventually ended up in The Rock Hall.
*
Keeping that scenario in mind, anyone that has achieved mega-success from scratch will have an interesting life story. Simmons certainly fits that category.
*
Obviously this was written before The Rock Hall induction when rock stars were still larger than life characters even without KISS makeup and superhero costumes. It’s a story that relives Simmons’ youth and the days of glam, disco and big hair. In the politically correct era four plus decades removed from when KISS combined comic books and the circus with heavy guitars drums and volume, it reads as being a memoire from the distant past. He brags about being alcohol and drug free, but when it comes to sex… Well, times have changed and an addiction is still an addiction. But Simmons has no problem bringing it all back with a writing style that sometimes lacks a rags to riches “charm” (for lack of better term) found in many autobiographies and has replaced it with opinion, attitude and bravado.
*
Of course those are almost mandatory rock star traits and Simmons makes it clear he has them. But I’ll admit feeling more judgmental than when reading about other artists. I won’t say it was all good or all bad and will leave that to the individual readers. Then again, I have a feeling that’s what Simmons would expect – an opinion – which is what he has carried into his personal and professional life so far.
*
Keeping that scenario in mind, anyone that has achieved mega-success from scratch will have an interesting life story. Simmons certainly fits that category.
*
Obviously this was written before The Rock Hall induction when rock stars were still larger than life characters even without KISS makeup and superhero costumes. It’s a story that relives Simmons’ youth and the days of glam, disco and big hair. In the politically correct era four plus decades removed from when KISS combined comic books and the circus with heavy guitars drums and volume, it reads as being a memoire from the distant past. He brags about being alcohol and drug free, but when it comes to sex… Well, times have changed and an addiction is still an addiction. But Simmons has no problem bringing it all back with a writing style that sometimes lacks a rags to riches “charm” (for lack of better term) found in many autobiographies and has replaced it with opinion, attitude and bravado.
*
Of course those are almost mandatory rock star traits and Simmons makes it clear he has them. But I’ll admit feeling more judgmental than when reading about other artists. I won’t say it was all good or all bad and will leave that to the individual readers. Then again, I have a feeling that’s what Simmons would expect – an opinion – which is what he has carried into his personal and professional life so far.
June 4, 2024
You wanted the misogynist? You GOT the misogynist! The least appealing man in the world... GENE SIMMONS!
I think that this could be a good book about KISS if you don't intend to learn very much about KISS and haven't read anything else about the band. I don't think that's a bad thing, maybe it could be good for some people, so lack of detail isn't my main issue with the book. Gene is so repetitive at times that I thought I had somehow lost my place in the book, but this also could be a plus for some readers, especially if you are reading over a longer period of time.
A major issue I found with this book was that when what Gene writes contradicts what the rest of KISS and even himself have later said it makes it difficult to believe stories that I would really like to believe in this book. Even for things that seem true based on corresponding accounts from other members of KISS, I don't understand why he left out context and major details that make the stories he's telling make sense. I come away with every KISS memoir feeling less certain about the story of the band, which bothers me. Why mince words about the recording of KISS Alive, but tell all when it comes to what tracks Ace and Peter played on from other albums?
What REALLY bothers me about this book is Gene's politics and attitude towards women. In his own words, Gene says being in a band is "about chasing skirt, [he] couldn't have cared less about another man playing guitar". He admits to being surprised to "feel the presence of another person in the conversation" when speaking to Cher compared to other women. Also worryingly, Gene refers to Japanese women as "little girlish" in nature before going on to talk about how their orgasms are somehow different than those of American women.
A story of fourteen-year-old Gene being raped by an older woman on his paper route is quickly glossed over and used as a segway to discuss how much pussy he got in high school. Maybe this has something to do with his attitude towards women, but I have no idea. Not an excuse, but maybe an explanation.
Gene also has no problem in this book talking about feeling tormented by Arabs and not wanting to have a black member of the band. He talks about seeing protests against the Vietnam War as a social club for white college students and feeling no need to get involved because it didn't pertain to him. Not all of these things hold the same weight, but oh my God.
I did find it amusing that he referred to baby carrots as fancy food, and that he talked about disliking vegetables. I thought it was interesting that he learned to drive in his thirties. The details of Gene's relationship with Cher were also very interesting.
I think that this could be a good book about KISS if you don't intend to learn very much about KISS and haven't read anything else about the band. I don't think that's a bad thing, maybe it could be good for some people, so lack of detail isn't my main issue with the book. Gene is so repetitive at times that I thought I had somehow lost my place in the book, but this also could be a plus for some readers, especially if you are reading over a longer period of time.
A major issue I found with this book was that when what Gene writes contradicts what the rest of KISS and even himself have later said it makes it difficult to believe stories that I would really like to believe in this book. Even for things that seem true based on corresponding accounts from other members of KISS, I don't understand why he left out context and major details that make the stories he's telling make sense. I come away with every KISS memoir feeling less certain about the story of the band, which bothers me. Why mince words about the recording of KISS Alive, but tell all when it comes to what tracks Ace and Peter played on from other albums?
What REALLY bothers me about this book is Gene's politics and attitude towards women. In his own words, Gene says being in a band is "about chasing skirt, [he] couldn't have cared less about another man playing guitar". He admits to being surprised to "feel the presence of another person in the conversation" when speaking to Cher compared to other women. Also worryingly, Gene refers to Japanese women as "little girlish" in nature before going on to talk about how their orgasms are somehow different than those of American women.
A story of fourteen-year-old Gene being raped by an older woman on his paper route is quickly glossed over and used as a segway to discuss how much pussy he got in high school. Maybe this has something to do with his attitude towards women, but I have no idea. Not an excuse, but maybe an explanation.
Gene also has no problem in this book talking about feeling tormented by Arabs and not wanting to have a black member of the band. He talks about seeing protests against the Vietnam War as a social club for white college students and feeling no need to get involved because it didn't pertain to him. Not all of these things hold the same weight, but oh my God.
I did find it amusing that he referred to baby carrots as fancy food, and that he talked about disliking vegetables. I thought it was interesting that he learned to drive in his thirties. The details of Gene's relationship with Cher were also very interesting.
February 16, 2013
Throughout the blood-stained, pyro-singed tomes of KISStory, the one unspoken rule has always been this: Gene Simmons is an asshole. Long villainized by former KISS members Peter Criss and Ace Frehley, Gene has been portrayed as everything from a money-grubbing, ego-driven madman to a clueless self-promoter to everything in between. And indeed, after reading Ace and Peter's autobios first, I was predetermined to hate everything Gene had to say. I was ready to simply roll my eyes at, what I assumed would be, pretentious drabble and simply think "Yeah, well, you're a jerk, Gene!" and call it a day. And yet, as I read the Words of the Demon, I slowly began to understand this man. I may not have always agreed with him, but I now feel I have a better understanding of the man born Chaim Witz.
We often hear stories of the American Dream, yet no one seems to be able to pinpoint on what exactly that is. To some, it's a quiet country church tucked away on a dirt road somewhere where the air is thick with mulberry and wildflower and the sweet chirps of birds sing for anyone who is listening. To others, it's sitting down at the dinner table and enjoying a hearty, home-cooked meal with the folks you love the most. And yet to others, it's none of the above. But to me, Gene Simmons IS the American Dream and I'm not afraid to back up that statement.
If there's one phrase I hear in political discussion that always makes me cringe, it's the term "boot straps." Usually spoken with smug satisfaction from egotistically bloated WASP-y talking heads on 24/7 cable news networks, I've felt a Pavlovian reflex to silently gag when the word is spoken. And yet, you'll find no better definition of "boot straps" than Gene Simmons. Here is a man who came from the tiniest of beginnings, living in abject poverty in a small village in newly formed Israel, to selling out Madison Square Garden in a blood-soaked orgy of sex and rock and roll. The whole thing seems like a story Paul Harvey would tell, before segwaying into an on-air promo for an electronic air purifier. ("And that boy....grew up to be....Gene Simmons.")
For most people, being the only child of a single Mom (Gene's Dad ditched him when was a young child), a Mom who was a Holocaust survivor and had the horror of watching her mother (Gene's grandmother) shipped off to the gas chambers, would be a Very Special Story that would wind up as a tear-jerking episode of Oprah or an episode of Dr. Oz that touts the health weight-loss benefits of cranberry-kale smoothie enemas. But Gene had other ideas and when he and his mother moved in with some relatives in pre-irony Williamsburg, he started a new life in a country in which he had only heard of via cowboy movies. He couldn't speak a word of English and from 7 am to 9:30 PM, he was enrolled in the Yeshiva Torah Vodaas (a Jewish educational school)in Brooklyn and had to learn to adapt to a completely different lifestyle.
Chaim decided to change his name to Gene and soon discovered comic books (Marvel's Black Bolt was the original inspiration for his Demon's alter-ego costume)and when he saw the Beatles play on TV, he knew he wanted to be in a rock band. Why? Not for the fame or the glory, but for the girls. 40+ years later, not much has changed.
Love or hate him, the man is honest about why he's in this. Not for fame or glory ("fame is fleeting", he says), but for the power. Hell, he quotes Machiavelli in the book's prologue! And I think that's why the man rubs people the wrong way. Most people start a rock band because they want the fame, the glory, the adulation of the fans. And whereas Gene doesn't take the KISS Army for granted, he makes it clear his goal has always been power. And with a resume that includes comic books, video games, television, movie, 100 Million albums sold and a devoted fan base, (I consider myself a General in the KISS Army, thank you very much), I'd say he's damn well accomplished that.
I also believe that's why Ace and Peter have had their problems with him, even to this day. To Ace and Peter, a band should be a partnership, an "all for one, one for all" type of deal. But Gene seems to view the band as "survival of the fittest" and when Ace and Peter struggled with drugs and booze during the 70's and 80's, that lowered their potential value in his eyes. It's a business to him and like any business, when the employees don't live up to company standards, they're free to find work elsewhere.
Now that's not to say I agree with Gene entirely, because Ace and Peter are founding members of KISS and the legacy of this band wouldn't be the same without these two. You can't write KISStory without songs like 'Beth' or 'Hard Luck Woman' or 'Shock Me' or anything of that nature. But at the same time, there are no hidden strings with Gene. What you see is what you get. Simply give 100% and Gene is satisfied and with a long history of drugs and alcohol abuse (Ace even admits in his autobio that he has trouble remembering entire decades due to his history of rampant chemical misuse), I can see why Peter and Ace are no longer in the band.
I really expected to walk away with this book with a sense of loathing and contempt for Gene, but in the end, I find myself with a respect for the Demon. He IS the American Dream. Love him or hate him, the man has worked his ass off to get where he is, and, yeah, we may snicker at some of his failed business opportunities (KISS Meets the Phantom of the Park, anyone?), but at least he tried. He's not content to rest on his laurels, but is always constantly striving to push through boundaries and redefine himself and the band. And you can't get much more American than a constant sense of innovation and invention.
FINAL RATING: Four of Five GOD OF THUNDERs.
We often hear stories of the American Dream, yet no one seems to be able to pinpoint on what exactly that is. To some, it's a quiet country church tucked away on a dirt road somewhere where the air is thick with mulberry and wildflower and the sweet chirps of birds sing for anyone who is listening. To others, it's sitting down at the dinner table and enjoying a hearty, home-cooked meal with the folks you love the most. And yet to others, it's none of the above. But to me, Gene Simmons IS the American Dream and I'm not afraid to back up that statement.
If there's one phrase I hear in political discussion that always makes me cringe, it's the term "boot straps." Usually spoken with smug satisfaction from egotistically bloated WASP-y talking heads on 24/7 cable news networks, I've felt a Pavlovian reflex to silently gag when the word is spoken. And yet, you'll find no better definition of "boot straps" than Gene Simmons. Here is a man who came from the tiniest of beginnings, living in abject poverty in a small village in newly formed Israel, to selling out Madison Square Garden in a blood-soaked orgy of sex and rock and roll. The whole thing seems like a story Paul Harvey would tell, before segwaying into an on-air promo for an electronic air purifier. ("And that boy....grew up to be....Gene Simmons.")
For most people, being the only child of a single Mom (Gene's Dad ditched him when was a young child), a Mom who was a Holocaust survivor and had the horror of watching her mother (Gene's grandmother) shipped off to the gas chambers, would be a Very Special Story that would wind up as a tear-jerking episode of Oprah or an episode of Dr. Oz that touts the health weight-loss benefits of cranberry-kale smoothie enemas. But Gene had other ideas and when he and his mother moved in with some relatives in pre-irony Williamsburg, he started a new life in a country in which he had only heard of via cowboy movies. He couldn't speak a word of English and from 7 am to 9:30 PM, he was enrolled in the Yeshiva Torah Vodaas (a Jewish educational school)in Brooklyn and had to learn to adapt to a completely different lifestyle.
Chaim decided to change his name to Gene and soon discovered comic books (Marvel's Black Bolt was the original inspiration for his Demon's alter-ego costume)and when he saw the Beatles play on TV, he knew he wanted to be in a rock band. Why? Not for the fame or the glory, but for the girls. 40+ years later, not much has changed.
Love or hate him, the man is honest about why he's in this. Not for fame or glory ("fame is fleeting", he says), but for the power. Hell, he quotes Machiavelli in the book's prologue! And I think that's why the man rubs people the wrong way. Most people start a rock band because they want the fame, the glory, the adulation of the fans. And whereas Gene doesn't take the KISS Army for granted, he makes it clear his goal has always been power. And with a resume that includes comic books, video games, television, movie, 100 Million albums sold and a devoted fan base, (I consider myself a General in the KISS Army, thank you very much), I'd say he's damn well accomplished that.
I also believe that's why Ace and Peter have had their problems with him, even to this day. To Ace and Peter, a band should be a partnership, an "all for one, one for all" type of deal. But Gene seems to view the band as "survival of the fittest" and when Ace and Peter struggled with drugs and booze during the 70's and 80's, that lowered their potential value in his eyes. It's a business to him and like any business, when the employees don't live up to company standards, they're free to find work elsewhere.
Now that's not to say I agree with Gene entirely, because Ace and Peter are founding members of KISS and the legacy of this band wouldn't be the same without these two. You can't write KISStory without songs like 'Beth' or 'Hard Luck Woman' or 'Shock Me' or anything of that nature. But at the same time, there are no hidden strings with Gene. What you see is what you get. Simply give 100% and Gene is satisfied and with a long history of drugs and alcohol abuse (Ace even admits in his autobio that he has trouble remembering entire decades due to his history of rampant chemical misuse), I can see why Peter and Ace are no longer in the band.
I really expected to walk away with this book with a sense of loathing and contempt for Gene, but in the end, I find myself with a respect for the Demon. He IS the American Dream. Love him or hate him, the man has worked his ass off to get where he is, and, yeah, we may snicker at some of his failed business opportunities (KISS Meets the Phantom of the Park, anyone?), but at least he tried. He's not content to rest on his laurels, but is always constantly striving to push through boundaries and redefine himself and the band. And you can't get much more American than a constant sense of innovation and invention.
FINAL RATING: Four of Five GOD OF THUNDERs.
October 12, 2019
I read this book last in my exercise of reading all the KISS member autobiographies. I rank them Paul, Gene, Ace, Peter. It's not surprising that I enjoyed the books written by the smarter members more. I felt like Paul's was the most objective, and that all band members sort of fell into their stereotypes given to them by other band members. Gene went a little overboard talking about his experiences with women, but that's to be expected. I don't think anyone really needs to read all four books. Paul's was by far the most comprehensive, so I knew the story each time it was told. It's interesting because this book was written in 2001, during their first "final" tour, and I felt like it ended kind of abruptly, talking about that being the last time he'd take the stage being in the near future.
September 28, 2023
How does one approach reviewing this book in 2023? To be clear, it hasn't stood the test of time. Written in 2001, it is a personal memoir looking back on a career approaching its end. I frequently jest that I went to my first KISS final tour in that era, and now, 22 years later, the band is still perpetually going out of business, like a used mattress store.
It's also worth noting that a fair amount of the book was declared an exaggeration by Gene during his hit reality series, Gene Simmons Family Jewels, circa 2012.
Nonetheless, this book was recently given to me as a gift, and having completed it, I admit it's an entertaining read.
It's reads as part autobiography, part expose, and part softcore porn. Hardly a chapter goes by where Gene doesn't manage to work in one of the alleged >4,000 women he's bedded in his lifetime. And between, he doesn't hold back in painting individuals he knows as good, bad, or ugly. And no one, make no mistake, NO ONE is more praised in this book by Gene Simmons than Gene Simmons.
My gosh, the man has an ego. But to any KISS fan, it should be of no surprise that this book is over 200 pages of the author praising himself; frankly any Gene fan would be disappointed if he did any less. He has long flaunted his image of being a self-made and self-appreciating celebrity, and he doesn't miss an opportunity to play up that persona in this book.
The writing is simplistic and there's no incredible or deep insight; anyone with a third grade education could take in and understand the story, even if the content is suited for a 21+ gentleman's club crowd. That said, it is lighthearted at times, reads like a tabloid, and feels like a backstage pass to a heavy metal world that few 0utside of the industry would understand. As my husband jested, it is the perfect read for any aging man who lives in the past, believes he was supposed to be a rock star and never got his chance, and wants to make believe for a few hours that he IS Gene Simmons.
And so my synopsis - knowing and accepting that the story IS exaggerated as a memoir, AND untrue as a prediction of the future, it has its value. This is a glimpse into the mind of a media persona and a man who is bigger than life. It shows what he wants the world to think Gene Simmons and KISS is. And to be taken in that context alone, it's an entertaining and insightful read.
For the person that wants truth, it would a let down. For the person that wants political correctness, it would be offensive. And for the person who wants deep and meaningful content, you'll leave unsatisfied.
For anyone that wants a book about sex, NO drugs, rock and roll, and above all, KISS, this will give you a few hours of fun. It's a simple and silly read. No more and no less.
It's also worth noting that a fair amount of the book was declared an exaggeration by Gene during his hit reality series, Gene Simmons Family Jewels, circa 2012.
Nonetheless, this book was recently given to me as a gift, and having completed it, I admit it's an entertaining read.
It's reads as part autobiography, part expose, and part softcore porn. Hardly a chapter goes by where Gene doesn't manage to work in one of the alleged >4,000 women he's bedded in his lifetime. And between, he doesn't hold back in painting individuals he knows as good, bad, or ugly. And no one, make no mistake, NO ONE is more praised in this book by Gene Simmons than Gene Simmons.
My gosh, the man has an ego. But to any KISS fan, it should be of no surprise that this book is over 200 pages of the author praising himself; frankly any Gene fan would be disappointed if he did any less. He has long flaunted his image of being a self-made and self-appreciating celebrity, and he doesn't miss an opportunity to play up that persona in this book.
The writing is simplistic and there's no incredible or deep insight; anyone with a third grade education could take in and understand the story, even if the content is suited for a 21+ gentleman's club crowd. That said, it is lighthearted at times, reads like a tabloid, and feels like a backstage pass to a heavy metal world that few 0utside of the industry would understand. As my husband jested, it is the perfect read for any aging man who lives in the past, believes he was supposed to be a rock star and never got his chance, and wants to make believe for a few hours that he IS Gene Simmons.
And so my synopsis - knowing and accepting that the story IS exaggerated as a memoir, AND untrue as a prediction of the future, it has its value. This is a glimpse into the mind of a media persona and a man who is bigger than life. It shows what he wants the world to think Gene Simmons and KISS is. And to be taken in that context alone, it's an entertaining and insightful read.
For the person that wants truth, it would a let down. For the person that wants political correctness, it would be offensive. And for the person who wants deep and meaningful content, you'll leave unsatisfied.
For anyone that wants a book about sex, NO drugs, rock and roll, and above all, KISS, this will give you a few hours of fun. It's a simple and silly read. No more and no less.
February 21, 2025
As a casual KISS fan, I enjoyed learning about the chronological history of the band and its members. If you're a super fan, this is probably all stuff you already know, but it's all news to me, so I gobbled it all up.
Gene being really admant on how "great he is with the ladies" just came off as funny to me, and I don't think any of this is to be taken too seriously.
At one point Gene claims to have been the creator of the "rock on" hand gesture, which is so ludacris.
Do I believe him?
No.
Do I respect him for claiming to do so? Honestly...Yes.
I can say that for most of the information in this book tbh.
Gene Simmons is a rock star and honestly a pretty smart guy from beginning to end, and I love him for that.
Gene being really admant on how "great he is with the ladies" just came off as funny to me, and I don't think any of this is to be taken too seriously.
At one point Gene claims to have been the creator of the "rock on" hand gesture, which is so ludacris.
Do I believe him?
No.
Do I respect him for claiming to do so? Honestly...Yes.
I can say that for most of the information in this book tbh.
Gene Simmons is a rock star and honestly a pretty smart guy from beginning to end, and I love him for that.
January 20, 2025
Confirms Gene Simmons is an insufferable individual, quite funny at times but I don’t think that was his intention. Skims over some interesting eras of the band, particularly the 80’s as he’s more interested in talking about ‘chasing skirt’.
February 2, 2021
Gene Simmons is such a character. He narrated the audiobook, and it was fascinating to hear his stories. One of those books that you just don't want them to end. Awesome.
July 14, 2020
One of my earliest memories as a person or of my relationship with my father is listening to Kiss. My favourite band member has always been Gene Simmons, with his awesome theatrics and he simply wrote the songs I liked best. But as an adult I kept hearing over and over again how much of a rude dick he is. Sometimes from other Rock musicians or even his own band members. So that kind of put my image of him in a weird purgatory. So this book helped me reach my own conclusion. I thought that Gene is a man that is extremely successful, driven man that is brutally honest with his goals and objectives which are actually the same goals as most other people but he is just more clear and successful about it. He wants power, money and women. Can you blame him? No. It doesn't diminish any of his musical achievements and doesn't distinguish his achievements from others either. Which is something that he makes clear. I was fascinated by his childhood in Israel, born to Hungarian parents that suffered in concentration camps during the war. His father left his mother for another woman, which gene discovered and was the last time he's seen him as a young child. He has no brothers or sisters so his protective mother was the only real family he had. This made him sorry of a native nerd as a child but later on in life he would admit that the lack of a father figure would play a big part in his arrogance and confidence as he was never put in his place. His conservative, organised, goal orientated way of life with a strong awareness of money is something that's heavily influenced of course from his Jewish community which he also got in New York, once his mother and him moved to America. I was deeply interested in his details about his Israeli and new York life, learning several languages, religious schooling and his obsession and influence from tv and the movies. I found that even in this part of his life, Gene is suprisingly honest about embarrassing childhood stories and fears. Gene's sexual escapades in his teen years sound like something out of an American pie movie and he takes full advantage of his famous long tongue. I was amazed to hear that he was no fan of Elvis as he somehow "missed the train" but he liked how the women love the Beatles despite them being short of cute. So this had a major influence over him want to become a musician. He explains wanting to be different from others so thereby choosing to play the bass guitar instead and then the few bands and band members that eventually lead up in 1974 to Kiss. Gene always speaks highly of long time band member and co founder of kiss because I guess they've always shared the same vision despite having different personalities. Not a single part in the book does he talk well about Peter Criss which is very interesting. Infact quite the opposite. Ace Frehley is also portrayed as weird and an unprofessional alcoholic but being still talented. A particularly shocking story which is amazing that gene even admits this in this book was that in the audition period to get a guitarist for the band, an incredible talented black guy played for them but they rejected him solely on the reason that he was black and didn't fit with the image of the band. This is the type of story that regardless of perspective, would be really hard to hold up for a general audience. Which brings me to my next point which is how important their image was to them. I mean this as the highest compliment but Kiss are the McDonald's of the music industry. They had a huge focus on the live performance with the big banner in the back, makeup and outfits and the incredibly pyrotechnics. Even the name of the band is easy and recognisable everywhere. They would study other live performances to see what would be better, especially in the American market. Even suggestions from the band that didn't for good and Paul's vision, wouldn't fly like Peter Criss's drum solo on the second album. This focus on the image is also how they got contracts, bigger shows and not have anyone follow them. Their first album was so good! Reading this book makes me revisit their songs which is always a pleasure. Their third album cover, dressed to kill, is my favourite but neither this not the second one said very well despite having one of their all time best songs, rock'n'roll all night. "Alive!" Was their fifth album and their first live album which might seem early but that's such an important part of the band and was actually their most successful album to date and their real breakthrough. Destroyer, their next album, is widely considered their greatest album that really cemented who the band was and their classic hits. The cover was inspired by Frank frazetta but was to expensive to be done by the great artist so was done by a cousin of his. Gene wanted the 4 band members not to be holding any instruments on the cover, so it could be more than just music and focus on the personas like super Heroes. This is when they truly become super rockstars in a league of their own at the time, doing arenas and making a lot of money. Gene explains how the music was just a means to the end of building an empire like Disney, where they could sell merchandise and open other businesses. Destroyers biggest hit single was actually Beth, of all fucking songs, sung by Peter Criss. I don't consider it being even remotely the best song of that album. I personally like God of thunder best which was apparently written by Paul. In this chapter in particular, gene is ruthless with Peter, describing him as being an cheating, incompetent, poor musician. If he was so bad, it makes me question why he was even in the band in the first place. Not to mention the drums are infinitely harder to play than the bass guitar and all of them are self taught musicians so it's hard to understand the constant disdain for Peter and Ace. Someone that Gene gives plenty of credit on the step up of Destroyer is the producer, Bob Ezrin, that Porter and Ave apparently didn't like. Gene details on how much influence he had over the mixing and the songs and the band members musical skills. Even the lyrics and subject of the songs were supposed to be easy in order to be anthems and the subject not a story but rather the way they were feeling.
Of course throughout the book there are many many scenes of Gene's sex life which I thought would be annoying but because he isn't crass about it, is fairly light hearted and some of them even impressive. What was though absurd and makes me have huge sceptical eyes is Gene claiming that he invented the rock'n'roll Devil horns sign.
You see how things must have gotten bitter later on because Gene practically said that Ace was a Neo Nazi with all his Nazi memorabilia and off the cuff jokes. Goes in length about how dumb and superstitious he is as opposed to any friendship or talent. It reminds me a lot of how Trump is with people who just turned against him. Love gun was the next album and alive 2 next. He talks about their tour to Japan and more conflict within the band in regards to side projects that gene often got the better end of the deal, not surprisingly. They took then a break to work on their solo stuff. The book takes a different turn as he meets Cher and has a serious relationship with her and moves in with her in California. For a man that lives a superstar life, I found it interesting how he still didn't quite fit in the California celebrity community as Kiss have always been sort of separate to other stars. The cultural differences between California and new York in the late 70s were also something that Gene adjusted to with apparent fondness. But he talks about Cher in the highest regard and fondness which I was also surprised because these celebrity relationships rarely are long lasting or very friendly. During this time each member recorded their solo albums with the same record company and had the same artist for their album covers with their face on it. Gene's solo album sold the most but it was Ace that actually said it the most and he gained more confidence. Gene admits to his talent but still makes clear how lazy and distracted he is. After this they got together again to record their next album, Dynasty, which had one of their greatest hits, I was made for lovin' you. During the recording of Unmasked in 1980 is when things got apparently really complicated with Peter and his erratic behaviour and drug problem and he was voted out of the band by apparently all band members. I understand Gene's intense annoyance with Peter in this aspect at least because it must be infuriating having to rely on a drug addict when you are a sober businessman. So they hire another drummer who they name Eric Carr. Eric is regarded as young and more naive to their Rockstar lifestyle but am incredible talent and a step up from Criss. Their tour to Australia has been the biggest yet but this was a bad time for the band. Ace was not present part of the recording which eventually lead to him even leaving the band for his solo career despite Paul trying to make him stay, gene was not a very beloved part of the band either as he had become to Hollywood, which want cool or more importantly part of the image of the band as he was in a serious relationship with Diana Ross. They also had some awful albums at the time as well that didn't do very well either including Music from the Elder and Creatures of the Night. Ace was replaced by Vinnie Vincent which gene didn't like either and thought was unmanageable and annoying but contributed to their more popular songs on the next album. The eighties was a different time in the music industry and other artists like Michael Jackson were bigger and more importantly, hair metal, so kiss being a business, they followed the trend and finally took their makeup off which was a big shift in the band with their music and crowd. It was this time that Paul became a bigger star in the band. This album, Lick it up, was another success but I preferred the algum after which was Animalize. Gene then at the Playboy mansion meets playmate Shannon Tweed which he has a serious relationship with and they end up having 2 kids together. Gene has a big philosophical explanation on why he did not want to get married with Shannon for decades, but eventually I think he did get married with her. It's closely related on how would and free he wanted to be which is understandable from his perspective. As other rockstars had vices like drugs, his thing was women. But being a father is something that Gene speaks with great passion. This comes from wanting to be better than his father was to him. Paul later got married too and Gene was the best man. During the late 80s up to mid 90s, Kids was in a weird place, trying to find where they fit especially with the grunge music being popular. Gene was heavily involved in movies trying to get some roles and also trying to get other business ventures up and running like his own record label. The guitarists throughout this period were also up and down and the relationship with Vinnie went sour as well eventually being replaced by Bruce Kulick. In a rather sad turn of events, Eric got cancer and died soon after. Something really amazing that gene recounts is when Eric met Peter for the first time and said that he's sorry. His kindness the Peter of that to this day he speaks of Eric well. Eric was then replaced by Paul's drummer Eric Singer. The kiss fans started holding these kiss conventions that were like a great get together which the whole band would attend and then make a national tour out of it where they would play an acoustic set for the fans, answer questions and let fans, from multiple generations share their heartfelt stories that actually were very touching, especially this one with a man's dying wish was to be buried with his Kiss albums. This is a sort of very special love and adoration that I think few bands truly get to see. What is fascinating to me is that for even these sort of get togeethers, Gene takes advantage of it and somehow makes business out of it. That's truly impressive because ultimately, Kiss is a band of the 70s, that practically didn't make a good song in the 80s and 90s and STILL manages to make millions of dollars and sell out stadiums. That's a business thing and not a music thing. Anyway, it was during this meet and greet tour that they planned to do a set with Peter again and that eventually lead to Peter and Ace rejoining the band. But this was no easy matter. Gene goes on in length on how difficult the negotiations especially with Ace were to get him to play and act professionally in the band as he still wasn't sober and his managers were a nightmare. Gene makes it clear things were not the same, especially in the cut each of the band members would get. Surprisingly there were some good moments, especially with Peter because I guess lots of the immature stuff and drug related stuff was behind him now but ultimately, a person doesn't change their personality completely so Peter for one reason or another missed out on major international tours, was replaced again by Eric Singer and left the band. This book was written in the early 200s. So almost 20 years ago to when I'm writing this review and Kiss were technically still touring but Gene ends this book as if Kiss is already hanging it up so there is a lot of story still left untold I guess because by the time this book was finished, Kiss's last album was Psycho Circus. I liked that album but the production was apparently a headache and Ace was extremely unreliable and all round problematic and unprofessional.
In conclusion, I really glad I read this book and it made me like Gene even more than I did, especially his work ethic. The stories with the ladies is fun and the rock and roll stuff is a wonderful bit of nostalgia.The stuff with the other band members was definitely a major part of the book and was very gripping but I know there is clearly another side of the story to this.
Of course throughout the book there are many many scenes of Gene's sex life which I thought would be annoying but because he isn't crass about it, is fairly light hearted and some of them even impressive. What was though absurd and makes me have huge sceptical eyes is Gene claiming that he invented the rock'n'roll Devil horns sign.
You see how things must have gotten bitter later on because Gene practically said that Ace was a Neo Nazi with all his Nazi memorabilia and off the cuff jokes. Goes in length about how dumb and superstitious he is as opposed to any friendship or talent. It reminds me a lot of how Trump is with people who just turned against him. Love gun was the next album and alive 2 next. He talks about their tour to Japan and more conflict within the band in regards to side projects that gene often got the better end of the deal, not surprisingly. They took then a break to work on their solo stuff. The book takes a different turn as he meets Cher and has a serious relationship with her and moves in with her in California. For a man that lives a superstar life, I found it interesting how he still didn't quite fit in the California celebrity community as Kiss have always been sort of separate to other stars. The cultural differences between California and new York in the late 70s were also something that Gene adjusted to with apparent fondness. But he talks about Cher in the highest regard and fondness which I was also surprised because these celebrity relationships rarely are long lasting or very friendly. During this time each member recorded their solo albums with the same record company and had the same artist for their album covers with their face on it. Gene's solo album sold the most but it was Ace that actually said it the most and he gained more confidence. Gene admits to his talent but still makes clear how lazy and distracted he is. After this they got together again to record their next album, Dynasty, which had one of their greatest hits, I was made for lovin' you. During the recording of Unmasked in 1980 is when things got apparently really complicated with Peter and his erratic behaviour and drug problem and he was voted out of the band by apparently all band members. I understand Gene's intense annoyance with Peter in this aspect at least because it must be infuriating having to rely on a drug addict when you are a sober businessman. So they hire another drummer who they name Eric Carr. Eric is regarded as young and more naive to their Rockstar lifestyle but am incredible talent and a step up from Criss. Their tour to Australia has been the biggest yet but this was a bad time for the band. Ace was not present part of the recording which eventually lead to him even leaving the band for his solo career despite Paul trying to make him stay, gene was not a very beloved part of the band either as he had become to Hollywood, which want cool or more importantly part of the image of the band as he was in a serious relationship with Diana Ross. They also had some awful albums at the time as well that didn't do very well either including Music from the Elder and Creatures of the Night. Ace was replaced by Vinnie Vincent which gene didn't like either and thought was unmanageable and annoying but contributed to their more popular songs on the next album. The eighties was a different time in the music industry and other artists like Michael Jackson were bigger and more importantly, hair metal, so kiss being a business, they followed the trend and finally took their makeup off which was a big shift in the band with their music and crowd. It was this time that Paul became a bigger star in the band. This album, Lick it up, was another success but I preferred the algum after which was Animalize. Gene then at the Playboy mansion meets playmate Shannon Tweed which he has a serious relationship with and they end up having 2 kids together. Gene has a big philosophical explanation on why he did not want to get married with Shannon for decades, but eventually I think he did get married with her. It's closely related on how would and free he wanted to be which is understandable from his perspective. As other rockstars had vices like drugs, his thing was women. But being a father is something that Gene speaks with great passion. This comes from wanting to be better than his father was to him. Paul later got married too and Gene was the best man. During the late 80s up to mid 90s, Kids was in a weird place, trying to find where they fit especially with the grunge music being popular. Gene was heavily involved in movies trying to get some roles and also trying to get other business ventures up and running like his own record label. The guitarists throughout this period were also up and down and the relationship with Vinnie went sour as well eventually being replaced by Bruce Kulick. In a rather sad turn of events, Eric got cancer and died soon after. Something really amazing that gene recounts is when Eric met Peter for the first time and said that he's sorry. His kindness the Peter of that to this day he speaks of Eric well. Eric was then replaced by Paul's drummer Eric Singer. The kiss fans started holding these kiss conventions that were like a great get together which the whole band would attend and then make a national tour out of it where they would play an acoustic set for the fans, answer questions and let fans, from multiple generations share their heartfelt stories that actually were very touching, especially this one with a man's dying wish was to be buried with his Kiss albums. This is a sort of very special love and adoration that I think few bands truly get to see. What is fascinating to me is that for even these sort of get togeethers, Gene takes advantage of it and somehow makes business out of it. That's truly impressive because ultimately, Kiss is a band of the 70s, that practically didn't make a good song in the 80s and 90s and STILL manages to make millions of dollars and sell out stadiums. That's a business thing and not a music thing. Anyway, it was during this meet and greet tour that they planned to do a set with Peter again and that eventually lead to Peter and Ace rejoining the band. But this was no easy matter. Gene goes on in length on how difficult the negotiations especially with Ace were to get him to play and act professionally in the band as he still wasn't sober and his managers were a nightmare. Gene makes it clear things were not the same, especially in the cut each of the band members would get. Surprisingly there were some good moments, especially with Peter because I guess lots of the immature stuff and drug related stuff was behind him now but ultimately, a person doesn't change their personality completely so Peter for one reason or another missed out on major international tours, was replaced again by Eric Singer and left the band. This book was written in the early 200s. So almost 20 years ago to when I'm writing this review and Kiss were technically still touring but Gene ends this book as if Kiss is already hanging it up so there is a lot of story still left untold I guess because by the time this book was finished, Kiss's last album was Psycho Circus. I liked that album but the production was apparently a headache and Ace was extremely unreliable and all round problematic and unprofessional.
In conclusion, I really glad I read this book and it made me like Gene even more than I did, especially his work ethic. The stories with the ladies is fun and the rock and roll stuff is a wonderful bit of nostalgia.The stuff with the other band members was definitely a major part of the book and was very gripping but I know there is clearly another side of the story to this.
January 11, 2025
Brutally honest. Made me a Gene Simmons fan.
June 4, 2014
I was a huge Kiss fan in high school, as I wrote at the start of Paul Stanley's book and again, it's awfully interesting for me to hear about the band and their bumpy road. Here's a different perspective than Paul's but surprisingly not all that different. I was glad to see that they were so similar, but here Gene is refreshingly self deprecating and quite open about his missteps and star-trip.
I loved this. It really helps me to listen to a master egoist talk about how he rose to fame and the fortune he always felt he deserved because I so need some of that. I was born without this organ called ego or self confidence, or at least it's quite numb. Gene helps awaken and swell my self-confidence, just by listening to him tell me all about life. I need this, I'm so easily beaten down, probably by myself. This turned out to be a motivational speaking session as well as a history of Kiss, I wasn't expecting that.
I'm pretty sure that I'll be listening to this again in the near future, it actually made me feel feel good.
yeah, I'm surprised too.
I loved this. It really helps me to listen to a master egoist talk about how he rose to fame and the fortune he always felt he deserved because I so need some of that. I was born without this organ called ego or self confidence, or at least it's quite numb. Gene helps awaken and swell my self-confidence, just by listening to him tell me all about life. I need this, I'm so easily beaten down, probably by myself. This turned out to be a motivational speaking session as well as a history of Kiss, I wasn't expecting that.
I'm pretty sure that I'll be listening to this again in the near future, it actually made me feel feel good.
yeah, I'm surprised too.
June 16, 2013
This isn't your typical rock and roll memoir. Gene Simmons, born Chaim Witz in Haifa, Israel, tells all about sex and rock-n-roll, but leaves out any mention of drugs. That's because the Demon from KISS never engaged in the substance abuses that ruined the careers of fellow KISS members Ace Frehley and Peter Criss. Simmons had a vision, goals, ideas he meant to see through. It is, at times, the ramblings of an egomaniac. But there are lighter moments as well, like reading first hand what fatherhood has meant to this man who scarcely knew his own father. The fact that Simmons was at one time a school teacher should shock more than a few. If nothing else, this is an interesting look at a man about whom many have preconceived notions. If you're a fan of KISS, this one is for you. If you're a fan of rock-n-roll in general, there's a few other books in front of this one that should be read first. Not a bad read--not a great one, either.
March 13, 2012
Granted, whatever Gene says has his classic slant but it's absolutely true that he is a true pioneer and has seen and set some precedents in the music industry that will likely never be bested.
Second only to the Beatles in certified GOLD records, KISS is the Hottest Band in the World because both Gene and Paul Stanley preserved and protected it from going under and/or fading away like practically every other band of their era and they remain, something very special with today's amazing amount of crap out there in music land!
Luckily for us we now have Ace Frehley's account of some of the KISStoric events but even Ace admits, he was plastered during many of these times so his recollection isn't solid. I wish Paul and Peter would write their stories...hint, hint! :)
Anything KISS....I love it...LOUD!?!?!
Second only to the Beatles in certified GOLD records, KISS is the Hottest Band in the World because both Gene and Paul Stanley preserved and protected it from going under and/or fading away like practically every other band of their era and they remain, something very special with today's amazing amount of crap out there in music land!
Luckily for us we now have Ace Frehley's account of some of the KISStoric events but even Ace admits, he was plastered during many of these times so his recollection isn't solid. I wish Paul and Peter would write their stories...hint, hint! :)
Anything KISS....I love it...LOUD!?!?!
July 11, 2017
I'm a Hip Hop head and I think Gene Simmons is a prick, though a very successful one. There's a lesson to learn in this! One can still find motivation in someone who's successfully pissed off tons of people, including myself.
Overall, this was a great book. It was entertaining, and filled with many different fun facts that I didn't know about Gene Simmons and Kiss. I used to read this book to pass time, as I commuted an hour and a half to work. This was of course, when I was living in Brooklyn. It was cool, because Gene growing up in New York, gave me a story to parallel to my experience as a new New Yorker.
I'd recommend this to anyone who is into contemporary music history! Thanks Gene Simmons.
Overall, this was a great book. It was entertaining, and filled with many different fun facts that I didn't know about Gene Simmons and Kiss. I used to read this book to pass time, as I commuted an hour and a half to work. This was of course, when I was living in Brooklyn. It was cool, because Gene growing up in New York, gave me a story to parallel to my experience as a new New Yorker.
I'd recommend this to anyone who is into contemporary music history! Thanks Gene Simmons.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 226 reviews