Gene Simmons

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Gibson Gene Simmons EB-0

“Gene Simmons is breaking ground again”: Gibson unveils second signature bass guitar for the Kiss icon – and it’s the brand’s first 30.5” scale custom shop model

By Matt Owen published

Following Simmons' G² Thunderbird model from last year, the limited-edition EB-0 is based on the bassist's heavily modded '59 example, which he used throughout the 1970s

Gene Simmons (left) and Geddy Lee perform onstage

Gene Simmons says Geddy Lee "didn't understand what a blues scale was" when they first jammed together

By Jackson Maxwell published

At that point, the Kiss bassist says, "Geddy played purely by ear." Of course, he continued, "later on, he learned what the notes were and stuff like that“

(from left) Eric Clapton, Gene Simmons and Eddie Van Halen

Gene Simmons: “Eddie Van Halen talked about being a fan of Eric Clapton. I’m sorry, I don’t see that. What he did was closer to classical music”

By Matt Parker published

The Kiss frontman has been fretting over the guitar hero’s legacy, sharing concerns that “millennials need to know about the most important musician since Jimi Hendrix”

Photo of Sid VICIOUS and SEX PISTOLS, Sid Vicious performing live onstage at Randy's Rodeo Nightclub, San Antonio, on final tour

“I don’t buy the idea that the bass player is the quiet one”: The 5 most notorious bass guitarists in rock

By Nick Wells published

From Mötley Crüe hellraiser Nikki Sixx to GN‘R’s Duff McKagan

Gene Simmons (left) and Paul Stanley perform onstage with Kiss in 1984, (from left) Paul Stanley, Mark St. John and Gene Simmons, pictured on the back cover of Kiss's 1984 album, Animalize

Only known Kiss soundboard recording with Mark St. John set for official release this spring

By Sam Roche published

The latest installment of the band's Off the Soundboard live bootleg series showcases their November 28, 1984 set – one of the only to feature St. John on lead guitar – in Poughkeepsie, New York

Guitarist Jeff Beck (L) and bassist Tal Wilkenfeld perform at the Grammy Foundation's "Starry Night" Gala honoring Sir George Martin on July 12, 2008 in Los Angeles, California.

Tal Wilkenfeld on Jeff Beck: “We’ve lost our favorite guitarist, and one of the most intelligent, intuitive people I’ve ever met”

By Nick Wells published

Tal Wilkenfeld, Stanley Clarke, Paul McCartney, Bootsy Collins, Flea, Duff McKagan and many more pay tribute to guitarist Jeff Beck

Kiss

Paul Stanley and Gene Simmons talk classic Kiss tracks, including the lick they ripped off from the Rolling Stones, and the song they nearly gave to Rod Stewart

By Guitar World Staff published

In this classic 1992 Guitar World interview, Kiss's Starchild and Demon share the stories behind 18 key tracks, including Strutter, God of Thunder, I Was Made For Lovin' You and more

(from left) Gene Simmons, Vinnie Vincent and Paul Stanley perform with Kiss at Wembley Arena in London on October 23, 1983

Gene Simmons: "Everything Vinnie Vincent did sounded like Yngwie Malmsteen on crack"

By Andrew Daly published

Kiss's always-colorful bassist reflects on how he and Paul Stanley wrestled with the band's identity – and Vinnie Vincent's unorthodox, fleet-fingered ideas – on Creatures of the Night, 40 years on

Vinnie Vincent performs onstage with Kiss in 1983

Vinnie Vincent's controversial Kiss solos drove Gene Simmons and Paul Stanley mad – watch one of the guitarist's craziest live wigouts

By Jackson Maxwell published

Vincent brought an of-the-moment edge to Kiss's hard-rock sound in the early '80s, but his attention-grabbing antics proved to be unpopular with the band's two leaders

Gibson Gene Simmons G2 Thunderbird

Gibson Gene Simmons G2 Thunderbird review

By Amit Sharma last updated

Shout it out loud! The God of Thunder's Gibson collaboration is here, and it's pretty darn awesome

Gene Simmons

Gene Simmons says Kiss will “continue in ways even I haven't thought of” following conclusion of their End of the Road world tour

By Sam Roche published

The legendary hard rock bassist says he has no problem with four 20 year olds donning the makeup of the Starchild, Demon, Spaceman and Catman and taking to the stage after they hang up their boots

Gene Simmons and Ace Frehley

Gene Simmons says Ace Frehley lacks “physical stamina” to play a full Kiss show on the End of the Road tour

By Jonathan Horsley published

The God of Thunder maintains the door is open for Frehley to play encores, but claims Ace wanted to replace Tommy Thayer full-time as a condition for his return

[L-R] Ace Frehley and Gene Simmons

Gene Simmons still wants Ace Frehley to join Kiss on their End of the Road farewell tour

By Sam Roche published

“Jump up on stage with us for encores,” Simmons tells Frehley in a new tweet. “The fans would love it”

Gene Simmons with his new signature Gibson G2 Thunderbird bass

Gibson partners with Gene Simmons for new signature G² Thunderbird bass guitar

By Jackson Maxwell published

The Kiss bassist's first signature Gibson boasts a pair of T-Bird pickups and an ebony fretboard with pearloid reverse split diamond inlays

Gene Simmons (left) and Paul Stanley perform with Kiss at the Mediolanum Forum on May 18, 2010 in Milan, Italy

Paul Stanley and Gene Simmons rate Kiss's lead guitarists and reflect on the band's history in this classic 2014 GW interview

By Richard Bienstock published

In their five decades as a band, Kiss have had five lead guitarists. Here, the band's core members reflect on each of them – their strengths, their weaknesses, and how they meshed with the rest of the band

Ace Frehley

Ace Frehley on a potential future Kiss reunion: “Anything's possible”

By Sam Roche published

“If the money’s right and it’s presented to me in the right way, anything can happen,” the Kiss founding guitarist says

Kiss postpone tour dates as Gene Simmons tests positive for Covid-19

Kiss postpone four shows after Gene Simmons tests positive for COVID

By Matt Parker published

The band and their crew are all fully vaccinated and already at home in isolation following Paul Stanley’s previous positive test

Gene Simmons

Gene Simmons: “We are the hardest-working band in show business, but we do have an awful lot of fun. I have more fun than the Pope!“

By Jason Hunt published

With Kiss’s final world tour on hold, the Demon takes time out to partner up with Gibson on a new line of bass guitars, G2

Gene Simmons, Paul Stanley of KISS perform at The Forum on February 16, 2019 in Inglewood, CA

Four-hour career-spanning Kiss documentary to air in June

By Richard Bienstock published

A&E’s Biography: KISStory will feature new interviews with Gene Simmons and Paul Stanley

[L-R] Alice Cooper and Gene Simmons

Alice Cooper responds to Gene Simmons' comments on the death of rock music: “There's kids out there with guitars and they're playing hard rock”

By Sam Roche published

The School's Out rocker says the genre is “where it should be right now”