Gene Simmons

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Left-Gene Simmons of Kiss performs on stage during a concert at the Rod Laver Arena on August 20, 2022 in Melbourne Australia; Right-Jimmy Page performs onstage during the 38th Annual Rock & Roll Hall Of Fame Induction Ceremony at Barclays Center on November 03, 2023 in New York City

“He came up to me after the show and said, ‘Mate, you can give John Entwistle a run for his money’”: Gene Simmons recalls the moment Jimmy Page complimented his bass playing – and turned out to be a KISS fan

By Janelle Borg published

The KISS bassist on that time he nearly passed out after Jimmy Page praised his bass playing

Ace Frehley

“Paul Stanley and Gene Simmons have tried to destroy my reputation over the years. 10,000 Volts is going to make them look like imbeciles”: He may have missed Kiss’ last-ever performance, but Ace Frehley is set to make a statement with his new solo album

By Matt Owen published

The former Kiss guitarist says he's “always been the kind of guy to let the music do the talking” – and that's exactly the plan for his forthcoming record

Session guitarist Ryan Wariner performs live with Ann Wilson

“Chris Cornell said I created ‘a symphony of chaos’ – it was his favorite thing about the track. It meant even more because he was gone less than a year later”: Meet Ryan Wariner, go-to session guitarist for everyone from Dave Mustaine to Ann Wilson

By Andrew Daly published

He may be a Nashville session cat, but Ryan Wariner doesn’t play country. Music City’s resident rock guitar enthusiast reveals how he ended up playing slide with Megadeth, what it takes to perform a last-minute show with Gene Simmons, and why he sought a different path to his father, country legend Steve Wariner

Paul Stanley of Kiss performs during the 2023 AFL Grand Final match between Collingwood Magpies and Brisbane Lions at Melbourne Cricket Ground, on September 30, 2023, in Melbourne, Australia.

The widow of Paul Stanley’s former guitar tech is suing Kiss for wrongful death

By Matt Parker published

The crew member died in 2021, after contracting Covid on the End of the Road tour

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