Who is Chaim Witz? The entertainment and rock world know Gene Simmon as is a Jewish rock bassist, singer, songwriter, musician, actor, and businessman. Known as "The Demon," he is the bassist/vocalist of Kiss, a hard rock band he co-founded in the early 1970s.
Simmons was ranked number 12 in Roadrunner's list of 50 Best Frontmen in Metal History.[1]Early life
Simmons) was August 25, 1949 in Tirat Carmel, Haifa, Israel in 1949. The family emigrated to Jackson Heights, Queens in New York City when he was eight years old.[2] His mother Flóra Klein was born in Jánd, Hungary. The German name Klein (means: small) translates to Hungarian as Kiss, that gave the rock band's name.[3] Florence and her brother, Larry Klein, were the only members of the family to survive the Holocaust. His father, Feri Witz, also Hungarian-born remained in Israel. Simmons says the family was "dirt poor," scraping by on bread and milk.[4] In the United States, Simmons changed his name to Eugene Klein (later Gene Klein), adopting his mother's maiden name. He attended Yeshiva Torah Vodaath in Williamsburg, Brooklyn as a child, from 7 a.m. to 9:30 p.m. [5] [6]Music career
Simmons became involved with his first band, Lynx, then renamed The Missing Links, when he was a teenager. Eventually, he disbanded The Missing Links to form The Long Island Sounds, the name being a play on words relating to the estuary separating Long Island from Westchester County, New York, Connecticut and Rhode Island. While he played in these bands, he kept up odd jobs on the side to make more money, including trading used comic books. Simmons attended Sullivan County Community College in Loch Sheldrake, New York. He then joined a new band, Bullfrog Bheer, and the band recorded a demo, "Leeta"; this was later included on the Kiss box set.Simmons formed the rock band Wicked Lester in the early 1970s with Stanley Harvey Eisen (now known as Paul Stanley) and recorded one album, which was never released. Dissatisfied with Wicked Lester's sound and look, Simmons and Stanley attempted to fire their band members; they were met with resistance, and they quit Wicked Lester, walking away from their record deal with Epic Records. They decided to form the ultimate rock band, and started looking for a drummer. Simmons and Stanley found an ad placed by Peter Criscoula, known as Peter Criss, who was playing clubs in Brooklyn at the time; they joined and started out as a trio. Paul Frehley, better known as Ace Frehley, responded to an ad they put in The Village Voice for a lead guitar player, and soon joined them. Kiss released its self-titled debut album in February 1974. Stanley quickly took on the role of lead performer on stage, while Simmons became the driving force behind what became an extensive Kiss merchandising franchise. The eye section of his "Demon" makeup with KISS came from the wing design of comic book character Black Bolt.[7]
In 1983, while Kiss' fame was waning, the members took off their trademark make-up and enjoyed a resurgence in popularity that continued into the 1990s. The band hosted their own fan conventions throughout 1995, and fan feedback about the original Kiss members reunion influenced the highly successful 1996–1997 Alive Worldwide reunion tour. In 1998, the band released Psycho Circus,. Since then, the original line-up has once again dissolved, with Tommy Thayer replacing Ace Frehley on lead guitar and Eric Singer (who performed with Kiss from 1992 up through 1996) replacing Eric Carr on drums. Psycho Circus was not the original members. Eric Carr took over for Peter Criss when Criss quit the band. Eric Singer took over when Eric Carr died from cancer.Instruments
Gene Simmons has used various bass guitars during his career including:- Axe Bass (Kramer or other brands, like Jackson)
- Punisher Bass (Made by a lot of brands, as seen, B.C Rich or Jackson)
- Spector Gene Simmons Signature
- Pedulla Basses (mainly in the 1980s and early 1990s)
- Gibson Grabber (mainly in Kiss' early years)
- Gibson Ripper (mainly in Kiss' early years)
- Cort Guitars Signature GS-1 Bass
Film and television career
Simmons has been the creative force behind such television projects as:- My Dad the Rock Star, a cartoon by the Canadian animation company Nelvana, about the mild mannered son of a Gene Simmons-like rock star.
- Mr. Romance, a show created and hosted by Simmons on the Oxygen cable television channel.
- Rock School, a reality show in which Simmons tries to make a rock band out of a group of students of Christ's Hospital School in the first season, and in the second, a group of kids from a comprehensive school in Lowestoft.
- Gene Simmons Family Jewels,[8] a reality show documenting the personal lives of Simmons, his girlfriend and his son and daughter.
Simmons appeared as a psychic working at the Mystic Journey Bookstore in Venice, California on the American hidden camera prank TV series I Get That a Lot.[10]
Political views
While a self-described social liberal,[11] Simmons was a supporter of the foreign policy of the George W. Bush administration.[12] He supported the 2003 invasion of Iraq, writing on his website: "I'm ashamed to be surrounded by people calling themselves liberal who are, in my opinion, spitting on the graves of brave American soldiers who gave their life to fight a war that wasn't theirs...in a country they've never been to... simply to liberate the people therein".[13] In a follow-up, Simmons explained his position and wrote about his love and support for the United States: "I wasn't born here. But I have a love for this country and its people that knows no bounds. I will forever be grateful to America for going into World War II, when it had nothing to gain, in a country that was far away... and rescued my mother from the Nazi German concentration camps. She is alive and I am alive because of America. And, if you have a problem with America, you have a problem with me".[13]During the 2006 Lebanon War between Israel and Lebanon, Simmons sent a televised message of support (in both English and Hebrew) to an Israeli soldier seriously wounded in fighting in Lebanon, calling him his "hero."[14]
In 2010, Simmons said he regretted voting for Barack Obama and criticized the 2009 health care reforms.[15] Following Obama's 2011 Mideast speech, in which the President called on Israel and the Palestinians to negotiate a settlement "based on the 1967 lines with mutually agreed swaps,"[16] Simmons told CNBC that Obama was gravely misguided. "If you have never been to the moon, you can't issue policy about the moon. For the president to be sitting in Washington D.C. and saying, 'Go back to your '67 borders in Israel' – how about you live there and try to defend an indefensible border – nine miles wide?" Simmons also accused the United Nations of being "the most pathetic body on the face of the earth."[17]
During his visit to Israel in 2011, he stated that the artists refusing to perform in Israel for political reasons are "stupid," referring to artists who canceled planned concerts in Israel.[18]
Personal life
He became a science fiction fan and published several science fiction fanzines, among them Sirruish, Id, Cosmos (which eventually merged with Stilletto to become Cosmos-Stilletto and then Faun), Tinderbox, Sci-Fi Showcase, Mantis and Adventure. He also contributed to other fanzines, among them BeABohema.[19]In the late 1960s, he changed his name to Gene Simmons, after legendary rockabilly performer Jumpin' Gene Simmons.[20]
Simmons, who has never married, lives in Beverly Hills, California with longtime partner, former Playboy Playmate and actress Shannon Tweed. They have two children: a son, Nick (born January 22, 1989), and a daughter, Sophie, (born July 7, 1992). He formerly had live-in relationships with Cher and Diana Ross.[2] Simmons speaks English, Spanish, Hungarian and Hebrew.
On his television show Gene Simmons Family Jewels, he bought a local island in an episode in August 2007, and he is the longtime owner of Gene Simmons Toyota in Newbridge, New Jersey.
Homecoming visit to Israel
In March 2011, Simmons had a homecoming visit to Israel where he was born. He described the trip as a "life changing experience". He talked how he still feels Israeli - "I'm Israeli. I'm a stranger in America. I'm an outsider". [21] Gene recently met his half brother Kobi, and sisters Sharon, Eugenia and Drora while in Israel. [22] Simmons has plans to bring his band, KISS to Israel. [23] He has always said that he is an ardent supporter of Israel. [24] At a press conference in Israel, he spoke both Hebrew and English.[25]Controversy
- In February 2002, Simmons was interviewed on the NPR radio show Fresh Air and asked about his claim of having bedded 4,600 women. He told Terry Gross: "If you want to welcome me with open arms, I'm afraid you're also going to have to welcome me with open legs," paraphrasing The Who's hit song "You Better You Bet". Gross replied: "That's a really obnoxious thing to say." At the time, Simmons refused to grant permission to NPR to make the interview available online.[26] However, it appears in print in Gross's book All I Did Was Ask (ISBN 1-4013-0010-3) and unauthorized transcripts are available. NPR re-broadcast part of the interview in August 2007.[27] Simmons's bandmate Paul Stanley has frequently used the phrase "... welcomed us with open arms and open legs" in onstage patter during Kiss concerts.
- In 2004, during an interview in Melbourne, Australia, while talking about Islamic extremists, Simmons described Islam as a "vile culture," saying that Muslim women had to walk behind their husband, weren't allowed to be educated or own houses. He said: They want to come and live right where you live and they think that you're evil." Amongst ensuing criticism, Australian Muslim of the Year Susan Carland argued that Simmons' stereotyping of Muslims was inaccurate.[28] Simmons later clarified his comments on his website, saying he had been talking specifically about Muslim extremists.
- In 2005, Simmons was sued by a former girlfriend, Georgeann Walsh Ward, who said she had been "defamed" in the VH1 documentary When Kiss Ruled the World and portrayed as an "unchaste woman." [29] A settlement was reached in June 2006.[30]
Awards and recognition
In 2011, Simmons was presented the key to the city in Dallas, Texas and a street, Gene Simmons Boulevard, was named for him.Filmography
| Year | Film | Role | Bandmates | Miscellaneous |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1978 | Kiss Meets the Phantom of the Park[31] | The Demon | Peter Criss, Ace Frehley, Paul Stanley | TV movie |
| 1984 | Runaway[32] | Dr. Charles Luther | ||
| 1986 | Trick or Treat[33] | Nuke (radio DJ) | Ozzy Osbourne also appeared | |
| 1986 | Never Too Young to Die[34] | Carruthers / Velvet Von Ragner | ||
| 1987 | Wanted: Dead or Alive[35] | Malak Al Rahim | ||
| 1988 | The Decline of Western Civilization Part II: The Metal Years[36] | Himself | Paul Stanley | Documentary |
| 1989 | Red Surf[37] | Doc | ||
| 1999 | Detroit Rock City[38] | Himself | Peter Criss, Ace Frehley, Paul Stanley | Simmons also produced[38] |
| 2002 | The New Guy[39] | Reverend | ||
| 2002 | Wish You Were Dead[40] | Vinny | ||
| 2008 | Detroit Metal City[41] | Jack lll Dark | Japanese movie | |
| 2009 | Extract[42] | Joe Adler | ||
| 2010 | Expecting Mary | Taylor | ||
| 2010 | Rush: Beyond the Lighted Stage | Himself | Documentary |
Television appearances
| Year | Show | Episode | Role | Bandmates | Miscellaneous |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1974 | The Mike Douglas Show[43] | June 11, 1974 | Himself | Peter Criss, Ace Frehley, Paul Stanley | Kiss' first national television appearance, performed "Firehouse" |
| 1976 | The Paul Lynde Halloween Special[44] | October 29, 1976 | Himself | Peter Criss, Ace Frehley, Paul Stanley | The band performed "Detroit Rock City" and "King of the Night Time World", Peter Criss performed "Beth" |
| 1985 | Miami Vice[45] | "Prodigal Son" | Newton Blade | ||
| 1997 | Action League Now![46] | "Rock-A-Big-Baby" | Toy version of himself | Peter Criss, Ace Frehley, Paul Stanley | Performed "Rock and Roll All Nite" |
| 1998 | MADtv[47] | October 31, 1998 (#406) | Himself | Peter Criss, Ace Frehley, Paul Stanley. | Halloween special; performed in five sketches |
| 2001 | Family Guy[48] | "A Very Special Family Guy Freakin' Christmas" | Animated version of himself | Peter Criss, Ace Frehley, Paul Stanley | |
| 2001 | Who Wants To Be a Millionaire?[49] | May 27, 2001 | Himself | Won $500,000 for a charity | |
| 2001 | The Daily Show with Jon Stewart[50] | June 12, 2001 | Himself | Almost licked Jon Stewart's face in response to Jon being unable to explain the difference between pleasure and joy to a man with a 'twelve-inch tongue' | |
| 2002 | Family Guy[51] | "Road to Europe" | Animated version of himself | Peter Criss, Ace Frehley, Paul Stanley | |
| 2002 | The Tonight Show with Jay Leno[52] | September 6, 2002 | Himself | ||
| 2003 | King of the Hill[53] | "Reborn to Be Wild" | Jessie | ||
| 2004 | Third Watch[54] | "Higher Calling" | Donald Mann | ||
| 2004 | Third Watch[55] | "Monsters" | Donald Mann | ||
| 2004 | Third Watch[56] | "More Monsters" | Donald Mann | ||
| 2005 | American Idol[57] | "Auditions: New Orleans" | Himself- guest judge | ||
| 2005 | Family Guy[58] | "Don't Make Me Over" | Animated version of himself/ Prisoner #3 | ||
| 2005 | Mind of Mencia[59] | Episode #1.7 | Himself | ||
| 2006 | The View[60] | August 1, 2006 | Himself | 2006 | Gene Simmons Family Jewels |
| 2007 | SpongeBob SquarePants[61] | "The Battle of Bikini Bottom" | Sea Monster | ||
| 2007 | Shrink Rap[62] | "Gene Simmons" | Himself | UK's More4 show | |
| 2008 | Entertainment Tonight[63] | January 2, 2008 | Himself | ||
| 2008 | Jimmy Kimmel Live![64] | January 18, 2008 | Himself | ||
| 2008 | Rachael Ray[65] | March 11, 2008 | Himself | ||
| 2008 | Criss Angel Mindfreak[66] | "Mindfreaking with the Stars" | Himself | ||
| 2008 | Ugly Betty[67] | "The Kids Are Alright" | Himself | ||
| 2008 | Ugly Betty[68] | "A Thousand Words by Friday" | Himself | ||
| 2008 | Are You Smarter Than a 5th Grader?[69] | Episode #3.9 | Himself | Won $500,000 for the Elizabeth Glaser Pediatric AIDS Foundation charity | |
| 2008 | The Celebrity Apprentice[70] | First three episodes | Himself | Fired in the third episode | |
| 2008 | Jingles[71][72] | Celebrity judge | Mark Burnett reality show | ||
| 2009 | Glenn Martin DDS | Glenn Gary, Glenn Martin | himself | no band mates were involved | |
| 2009 | American Idol[57] | Season Finale | Himself | Eric Singer, Tommy Thayer, Paul Stanley | Performed medley of 3 songs with contestant Adam Lambert |
| 2009 | The Fairly OddParents | "Wishology – Part 1: The Big Beginning" | Animated version of himself | Eric Singer, Tommy Thayer, Paul Stanley | |
| 2010 | I Get That a Lot | Episode 2 | As Himself | No Band Mates Associated | Simmons appeared as a psychic working at the Mystic Journey Bookstore in Venice, California |
| 2010 | Extreme Makeover: Home Edition | Episode 160 | As Himself | No Kiss Band Mates Associated | The band Kiss made a personal appearance during the Wagstaff family's vacation in Disneyland and honored them as special guests at one of their concerts. Kiss also made a personal appearance at a local school where a donation of new musical instruments was made in the Wagstaff family's name. |
| 2010 | I'm in a Rock 'n' Roll Band! | Episode 1 And 5 | As Himself | None | Discussing the requirements of being in a rock band. |
| 2011 | Castle | To Love and Die in LA | As Himself | None |
[edit] Video appearances
In 2007, he appeared alongside other celebrities, as well as regular people, in the music video for "Rockstar" by Nickelback.Video game appearances
Gene Simmons is a playable character in Tony Hawk's Underground, unlocked when completing the story mode on Normal difficulty, and also appears with his Kiss bandmates in the Hotter Than Hell level to play one of three songs upon collecting the four K-I-S-S letters.Gene Simmons' Kiss character, The Demon, is a playable character in Kiss: Psycho Circus: The Nightmare Child.
Simmons also has a large role in the 2010 music video game Guitar Hero: Warriors of Rock. In addition to narrating the main storyline and doing advertising for the game, the Kiss song "Love Gun" is playable.
Discography
Kiss
Main article: Kiss discography
Gene Simmons bass guitar at the hard rock in Seattle, WashingtonSolo
- Gene Simmons (1978)
- Sex Money Kiss (audiobook CD), 2003)
- Asshole (2004)
- Speaking in Tongues (spoken word CD, 2004)
Publishing career
In 2002, Simmons launched Gene Simmons' Tongue, a men's lifestyle magazine.[73] The magazine lasted five issues before being discontinued.[74]Published works
- Kiss and Make-Up, Gene Simmons (ISBN 0-609-81002-2)
- Sex Money Kiss, Gene Simmons (ISBN 1-893224-86-4)
- Kiss: The Early Years, Gene Simmons and Paul Stanley (ISBN 0-609-81028-6)
- Kiss: Behind the Mask, David Leaf and Ken Sharp (ISBN 0-446-96524-6)
- Ladies of the Night: A Historical and Personal Perspective on the Oldest Profession in the World, Gene Simmons (ISBN 1-59777-501-0)
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