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00:00Well, coming up on September 20th on your WCSX calendar of rock events,
00:04it's the USPBL Fall Music Classic.
00:08And the promoters were looking for the best of the best to play.
00:13And who did they choose?
00:14None other than the Gene Simmons Band.
00:17Ladies and gentlemen, welcome to our visuals.
00:20Mr. Gene Simmons himself.
00:22Gene, how are you?
00:23I'm deliriously happy.
00:25By the way, you look really nice in your outfit.
00:27I think you're going to be popular in jail.
00:32Now, again, the promoters are looking.
00:35And boy, do we got a lineup for you.
00:37It's the Gene Simmons Band.
00:38Now, I know as a businessman yourself and with KISS for so many years,
00:43you wanted to always give the public the best show that they could see.
00:49What can we expect from the Gene Simmons Show at this venue?
00:54Well, look, life is short.
00:55You don't want to go through it and miss any bus stops.
00:59So we're going to give you exactly what you want.
01:01All your favorite tunes, rock and roll all night, and Dr. Love and all that.
01:06But there are going to be a lot of surprises because the guys that play with me,
01:11and I don't mean that physically.
01:12See what I just did there?
01:14That was a joke.
01:15See that?
01:19And the guys are all monsters on their instruments, and each of the guys can sing lead, actually.
01:25So there are any number of surprises that can happen.
01:28And literally, if I see a 9, 10-year-old kid in the front who's singing along and everything,
01:36I may pull that little putz right up on stage with us, and all of a sudden you're a rock
01:41star.
01:42I've got a lot of freedom in doing this.
01:45If somebody yells out, hey, why don't you do some obscure song that Kiss has never played live,
01:51I'll look at the guys and the key of G, let's go.
01:53Two, three, and boom, you're off.
01:56It's really free-flowing.
01:59We'll give you what you want, but there's also going to be a lot of surprises.
02:03You know, I had this kind of epiphany, kind of a big word like gymnasium.
02:10You know, Kiss was actually sold, the makeup and the tunes and the publishing and all that,
02:17for a million dollars.
02:19Sorry, I had a cough.
02:22And a great company called Pop House is our partner.
02:26You know, we're involved together in the future, so there's going to be a motion picture,
02:31which is being cast now, and there's going to be, I don't know, cartoon shows, theme parks,
02:37you name it, it's all coming up.
02:39So it's going to be bigger and better than you've ever heard, including the Avatar show.
02:44But that also means that Kiss can't play live without Pop House's permission,
02:51because they own the makeup and everything.
02:53But I didn't want to stay away from the stage.
02:55It's the most fun, being up on that stage and rocking out is the most fun I can imagine
03:00with my pants on.
03:05And there's a magic that happens there.
03:07You know, we can sit here and kind of glibly talk about it,
03:11but imagine being a painter and you paint something and you're really proud of it,
03:15and it just stays in your living room and nobody sees it.
03:18Or if you write a song and you really like it, you go,
03:23well, this thing rocks, but you're the only one who hears it.
03:27No, no, no.
03:27Whether you write a book, you don't want to be the only one that reads your own book.
03:32No, you want to share it with people.
03:33Or if you're going to throw a party and you're the only one in the room
03:37eating potato chips and drinking Coca-Cola, that's not much of a party.
03:41Right.
03:41I need you to be in the party.
03:46What's a party without you?
03:48So I can't stay off the stage.
03:51I love it too much.
03:52Well, I love the surprises.
03:54I meant just your solo album of the four Kiss members.
03:59You charted the highest, of course.
04:02Huh?
04:03Huh?
04:03Can we hear any of the solo songs from the solo Gene Simmons album maybe popping up?
04:10You never know.
04:10It depends if the fans want to hear it.
04:14If they yell out radioactive or see you tonight or something, sure, we'll go into it.
04:18But you have to understand that part and parcel of putting together a set list is listening to the bosses.
04:25Right.
04:25And the bosses are you guys.
04:27You want to hear what you want to hear.
04:30And we'll make sure we give you that.
04:33But there are also going to be surprises.
04:35There are going to be deep cuts.
04:36I mean, Kiss never did Rocket Ride, which Ace wrote live, live.
04:42But we'll do it.
04:44Wow.
04:44In honor of Ace.
04:46Yeah.
04:46That's something to look forward to.
04:48Now, somebody else that's also on the bill that's very familiar with Gene Simmons and Kiss is our own Derek
04:53St. Holmes.
04:54And you got to tour with the Ted Nugent band back in that.
04:59Actually, a little bit backwards.
05:01Ted Nugent got to tour with us.
05:04Oh, okay.
05:05Okay, yeah.
05:07But Derek St. Holmes, there's a tie-in here with something else that you are promoting that I thought I'd
05:14bring up.
05:15Derek St. Holmes played with Ted Nugent.
05:17And you did this huge outdoor venue in Anaheim.
05:23Yeah.
05:2442,000 fans got to see you, Ted Nugent, Bob Seger, and Montrose, all in one great big show.
05:35And it's coming out.
05:36It's the 50th anniversary, a Destroyer Tour Anaheim box set, and that's coming out August the 21st.
05:47Any memories from that tour that stand out in that show?
05:51Yeah, Kiss Destroys Anaheim is being released.
05:54In fact, Paul and I are going to be at Anaheim Stadium August 15th to throw out the first ball
06:01of the game to celebrate the 50th anniversary of us headlining Anaheim Stadium.
06:08It was the first stadium we ever played.
06:10That was a year and a half after we formed.
06:14And everything happened so fast.
06:16We didn't have any hit songs, no nothing.
06:18It just kind of took off.
06:19And maybe that's what America is about.
06:22Of the people, for the people, by the people, whether you have hit singles or not, the people decide who
06:30the big bands are.
06:32You know?
06:32I'll name you 10 bands that have had number one singles that the people just, you know, didn't want to
06:39buy tickets for.
06:40That doesn't mean they're not good.
06:42You remember, everybody have, everybody wang chung tonight.
06:47You remember that?
06:48Not really.
06:51Well, that was the number one song, but, you know, the band just didn't pop.
06:56So something about that, and it bears noting Zeppelin never had hit singles.
07:01So what?
07:03So the point here is that it begins and ends with the fans.
07:08And, yeah, we're celebrating 50 years, and Derek certainly has that history going back.
07:14We're going to have a lot of fun.
07:16And you guys, if you're going to miss this show, you're a knucklehead.
07:21Now, you mentioned throwing out a first pitch.
07:24I remember seeing you throwing out a first pitch at a Cubs game.
07:30I did.
07:31And believe that you threw a strike.
07:33It was a great catch.
07:34Of course.
07:35Of course.
07:37But now you have to do it with Paul.
07:39So who goes first throwing a pitch?
07:42Is it you or Paul?
07:44Whatever Paul wants.
07:45But I'm good.
07:46I used to play baseball in school, and I can put it right across the plate.
07:51What position did you play?
07:56I can't do.
07:59The doggy style position.
08:01Oh, okay.
08:03I played left out.
08:04That's pretty much my baseball career.
08:09They actually moved me around in high school, depending on who was weak.
08:14So sometimes I'd pitch.
08:16Sometimes I'd be in left field.
08:19They wouldn't put me on first, second, or third, or catcher.
08:24But I was out in the field or pitching.
08:28Now, believe it or not, you and I have talked together.
08:31Oh, by the way.
08:32Oh, by the way.
08:32My ego demands it.
08:34And yes, I'd be up third or fourth at bat.
08:39Now, last time you and I actually spoke together was a very special occasion.
08:43It was back in April of 1996.
08:46I got the proud pleasure of interviewing you for my very first time in the radio.
08:51And it was discussing a big reunion playing Tiger Stadium.
08:57You just got off, I believe, as the USS Intrepid, I believe, was the battleship,
09:02where you did the official concert announcement.
09:04Yeah, the aircraft carrier, the Intrepid.
09:07And we did our press thing.
09:11Conan O'Brien introduced us.
09:13And all the press was there to announce that the band had reunited.
09:17Ace and Peter rejoined us.
09:20That was the first time.
09:22And then they would leave again.
09:24And then they'd come back again.
09:26All in all, Ace and Peter had been in and out of the band three different times.
09:30You know, you try to make it work as family is everything.
09:34But not everybody's designed to run a marathon.
09:37Look, it's tough being in a band.
09:40You know, you're in each other's faces 24 hours a day.
09:44You travel together.
09:45You eat together.
09:45You do concerts together.
09:48It's tough.
09:50Now, you've done so many shows over the years.
09:53I mean, some have released, you know, Rockin' Rio and stuff,
09:55where you've got 200,000, 400,000 people.
09:58How does the Tiger Stadium 1996 show rank amongst KISS shows for you?
10:06Oh, it's right up there.
10:08Everybody.
10:08Well, Detroit has always been very close to the band.
10:11We popped in Detroit first.
10:14We started doing three nights at Cobo Hall when the rest of the country
10:19was just catching up.
10:20Because, look, you've got to understand, that was before digital,
10:24before cell phones, before MTV.
10:26It was just word of mouth.
10:29People just started talking about it.
10:31And we didn't have hit singles.
10:32So Rock and Roll All Night, as a matter of fact, was recorded live,
10:36was recorded at Cobo Hall at Detroit when we first started.
10:40And the live version became the big song.
10:44So when Ace and Peter were no longer in the band,
10:48and when we reunited in 1996, the first show had to go back in Detroit.
10:54So we were going to play, you know, one of the arenas,
10:57maybe do a few shows.
10:58But the promoter said, no, no, no, you've got to play the stadium
11:03because the fans want to see you.
11:06And we put tickets up on sale.
11:08And I think in a half hour, they went clean.
11:11Yesterday was a big anniversary for you.
11:13August 11, 1999, where all four members got together.
11:18You received your star on Hollywood's Walk of Fame.
11:23Where is your star actually located?
11:26Right across the street from Grauman's Chinese Theater.
11:30That's the big...
11:31Good spot.
11:32Yeah, that's the big...
11:34It used to be where all the movie stars would go for premieres.
11:39And it's still there.
11:40It's still a rocking place.
11:42But since then, oh, my God.
11:46Kiss just got the Kennedy Center honors from the president,
11:49which is the highest award civilians can get in America.
11:55That was a big hoot.
11:56We got the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame thing.
12:01And Paul and I were inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame.
12:05And ASCAP, which is a publishing entity that collects royalties,
12:11they gave Paul and I the ASCAP award.
12:14And Dave Grohl got up and, you know, said some kind words and all that.
12:18Look, it's been a thrill ride.
12:21It ain't over.
12:22And I don't want to stop.
12:24I just love doing this.
12:27And I still look real good.
12:29And I can move it.
12:32And I've never lost my voice.
12:33It bears noting.
12:34It's a very strange thing.
12:36I think genetics has something to do with it.
12:38I never warm up.
12:40I don't do any, I don't particularly work out much or anything.
12:44You just kind of, you're either born with a certain genetic or you're not.
12:49So I'm a lucky guy.
12:51And while I've got it, I intend to use it.
12:55Now, with that, you've got quite a musical family.
12:58I meant your son, Nick, is doing fantastic and on tour right now.
13:02Stanley, Stanley Simmons.
13:04That's their logo.
13:06Great hat.
13:06Sovy has had a great musical career also.
13:10Your beautiful, beautiful wife also had awards in Canada for singing back in the day.
13:17Now, has Shannon ever thrown out a first pitch at a baseball game?
13:23No, but she's been with me.
13:26But I sang the national anthem.
13:31As a matter of fact, the NFL invited me to sing the national anthem in London at Wembley Stadium.
13:38Because, you know, the Americans, the NFL has American football at the stadium in London to show the Brits how
13:45American football is played.
13:48And it's worth looking up on the, have you got a computer on you?
13:52Not with me.
13:53Okay.
13:54All right.
13:54Well, later on, all the kids listening can get on there.
13:58So the day before, I was chewing gum and doing a TV show, doing an interview promoting, hey, I'll be
14:04singing the American national anthem and we love England and so on.
14:09And they said, well, you got to take your gum out of your mouth, Mr. Simmons.
14:12We're about to film.
14:13I said, oh, okay.
14:14So I took it out and because I'm a wise guy, I said, eBay.
14:19Unbeknownst to me, they actually put my gum, my chewed gum on eBay.
14:24I'll give you, I'll give you two, two guesses.
14:26How much did my chewed gum sell for on eBay?
14:32300,000.
14:34That's quite a guess.
14:36How did you come up with that?
14:38I just, I, when I think of Gene Simmons, I go big.
14:43Size does count.
14:44No, the actual selling price was $247,000.
14:50That's a fact.
14:51You can look it up on Google or Schmogel or whatever buttons you press.
14:56I hate that stuff.
14:57Tortures me.
14:59And it comes up right away.
15:00Just put in Gene Simmons and then gum, G-U-M.
15:04And, of course, all the money went to the children's hospital there.
15:07So that was a good thing.
15:09You ever had a kidney stone?
15:11Oh, many.
15:13Yes.
15:14I say that because William Shatner puts his kidney stones up on eBay and makes a fortune.
15:20Yes.
15:20Yes.
15:21And I have sold one of mine.
15:24Really?
15:2418 grand.
15:25Yeah.
15:26Wow.
15:27An actual kidney stone from Gene Simmons.
15:30Who'd have thought?
15:31And gum and poop, if I can get away with it.
15:34Yeah.
15:35Now, of course, you've been the king of merchandising for more than anybody I know.
15:42You had success with the first original Kiss pinball machine from Bally, the secondary pinball machine that has just come
15:49out over the past couple of years, which is a fantastic game to play.
15:53Would you ever consider doing a pinball version of the Kiss solo albums, like each individual band member, their own
16:05pinball machine?
16:07I think that would be you.
16:09You know, that's a great idea.
16:10But life doesn't work that way.
16:14Ideas are a dime a dozen.
16:16You've heard that before.
16:17I didn't come up with that.
16:18The way the real world works is there are distributors and then there are manufacturers, people that actually spend money
16:28and make something.
16:28And they try to figure out, how do I sell more stuff?
16:31And they try to attach themselves often to, I don't know, Mario Brothers or something that has a fan base
16:39so that the fan base goes and buys the product, right?
16:44So Kiss has, you know, millions of fans.
16:48So Bally and 10,000 other companies that we've had relationships with jump on because we've got a loyal fan
16:56base who loves the stuff.
16:59So the answer to your question is, it's a great idea.
17:04Now what?
17:05Yeah.
17:06I've got a great idea.
17:08Man goes to the moon.
17:09Wow, that's a great idea.
17:10Great idea.
17:11Okay, I just have some questions.
17:13Who's going to pay for it?
17:14Right.
17:14Who's going to be in the rocket?
17:16Who's going to design it and build it?
17:17Oh, I don't know any of that.
17:18It's just an idea.
17:20So if you had no ideas, if you had no ideas and you say, I've got a ton of money
17:27or I've got a manufacturing company, the ideas are not the important point.
17:32The idea is the wherewithal to make it happen.
17:37I still think it's a great idea.
17:39I bet I would have a designer for you.
17:41Okay.
17:41So no, the designer means nothing.
17:43Everybody wants to get paid.
17:45Even God passes.
17:46I do it for free.
17:48No, that's the end.
17:50That's at the end.
17:50Right.
17:51A car is going to go nowhere without the fuel, no matter how good it looks.
17:56Right.
17:56Money is the thing that makes everything happen.
18:00Well, speaking of tremendous success, congratulations on another Rocket Brews, the one we have right here in the Motor City
18:07in downtown Royal Oak.
18:09It is indeed a beautiful, beautiful establishment.
18:14I have to tell you, the staff there is incredible, too.
18:18The live acts.
18:19Now you've got it.
18:21You've got the main thing on the menu, which is the most important thing.
18:25You can have the best food.
18:27You can have the best climate, music, and all that stuff.
18:29But if an asshole greets you walking in, the whole thing is a disaster.
18:34That's exactly the point.
18:35And if any one of our staff treats you badly or you're not happy with them, they're gone.
18:41Because the bosses are the people, your fan base, listening to you.
18:46You depend on your fans.
18:48You better be appreciative of that.
18:51I'm the same.
18:52The president is the same.
18:53Everybody is exactly the same, which is the masses.
18:57The people decide stuff.
18:58And by the way, for people who don't know what we're talking about, Rock and Brews, I'm a founding partner
19:04of a restaurant chain across America.
19:06We have two at Los Angeles Airport and another 30 across America.
19:11And now they're going to be Rock and Brews casinos.
19:15Uh-oh.
19:16There goes my wallet.
19:19And I've got a film company just released, a film not too long ago called Deep Water.
19:25And that was in 2,000 movie theaters across America that had Sir Ben Kingsley, Aaron Eckhart, directed by Rennie
19:33Harlan.
19:34And that's streaming now on DirecTV and Demand.
19:39You know, all the various ways people stream.
19:41You should check it out.
19:42It's a great film.
19:43I will do.
19:44Now, what is the time frame on the Avatar kiss?
19:49Within a year and a half, it will become a fact of life.
19:53But I can't tell you too much more about that.
19:56Okay.
19:56But I will just say that it will blow your mind.
19:59By the way, somebody just came in and gave me the stink eye, which means I've got to jump on
20:05to something.
20:06Right away?
20:07Give me five.
20:09Yeah.
20:09Well, Gene, thank you so much for your time.
20:12Again, September 20th, UWM Field in Utica for the WCSX USPBL Fall Music Classic.
20:21Again, the Gene Simmons Band.
20:24We have Derek St. Holmes and a special hometown heroes, Kaleido.
20:29Going to be rocking you.
20:30Tickets are available.
20:31And also, another shot for you to win them.
20:35Win them before you can buy them.
20:37Or why pay for it when you can get it for free?
20:39Just go to WCSX.com.
20:41Gene, thank you so much for the time that you've spent with me.
20:46And thanks for a wonderful interview.
20:48You're a powerful and attractive man.
20:50Thank you, sir.
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