https://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=cZS-znRmfA4
Most of it’s just obvious and common sense, so, yeah, I’ll agree. It doesn’t make me want to punch him any less, though.
And how funny is Henry when he gets all star-struck and gay for his guests? He looks like he wants to whip it out and start rubbing one out.
I also like what Gene said about rock being hurt because of the death of the “rockstar” with the big bold imagery and everything. I’ve said this for a long time, actually. I WANT my rockstars to be untouchable, arrogant, larger-than-life, and alien.
I don’t want some flannel wearing Joe Blow looking like he shopped at Wal-Mart and showing us how “real” he is. Screw real! Reality is lame. Rock and roll should take me somewhere further.
I’m not listening to Gene Simmons talk for 3 and a half minutes. I’d never get that time back.
I’m not listening to Gene Simmons talk for 3 and a half minutes. I’d never get that time back.
Seriously. And really, you could at least warn us when that mongoloid is waiting at the other end of your link. Kiss sucks and Gene sucks the most.
I like KISS, but Gene Simmons needs a brick hurled at maximum velocity right into the center of his big spongey muppet face.
The fans didn’t kill the record industry. The record industry killed itself. Dishing out hundreds and thousands and millions to “artists” to record a fucking album, charging way too much for CDs, signing on “artists” who all sound the same, filling up albums with shitty and generic filler songs and a couple “stand out” singles.
Who the hell wouldn’t steal from these people? Was I going to pay $13.99-$19.99 for an overpriced piece of plastic with no thought put into it, made by some douche who sounds and looks like some other douche, who’s getting money tossed at them by out of touch clowns who dug their own graves and instead of embracing MP3s and file sharing as a new way to distribute music ignored it or sued it and tried to shut it down? No.
I’ll pay for the album made by the band/artist I respect and/or already liked or an album I downloaded and listened to earlier and enjoyed enough to support the artist who made it. There’s no reason or excuse to buy an album you think sucks anymore. I’ve forgotten what that feels like - buying an album that you bring home only to be disappointed in it and left feeling kinda ripped off.
Gene Simmons is all about making money and he’s extremely vocal [obnoxious] about it. So, it’s obvious that the death throes of the music industry would hurt him. A business and industry he made a lot of that money through is no longer able to give it to him - or at least give him as much as before - and he’s obviously really butthurt about it… which is good because I cannot stand that fucking idiot.
I like KISS, but Gene Simmons needs a brick hurled at maximum velocity right into the center of his big spongey muppet face.
That plastic surgery made an already unsightly mug even more unsightly…he looks like a cast member from Planet of the Apes…gahhh
Gene Simmons may be one of the most unlikeable people on the face of the planet.
He also sounds like John Philip Sousa lamenting that those goddamned kids and their newfangled “gramophone” contraption were going to be the death of music.
I rarely go to shows anymore. I’m not paying $75+ a ticket for a band that is just going to go through the motions
Hate to say it, but you have been going to the wrong shows my friend. The shows I go to the bands play until their hearts pop out of their esophagus and then they splatter it on the floor with their guitars, because if they don’t due their due diligence they don’t get your $5 at the door and you don’t buy their CD for another $5, they don’t eat the next day or they run out of gas for the next show. Sounds like you’re looking for authenticity in all the wrong places.
I agree with Davelybob. I’m very selective about the shows I go to, and if I know a band is one that puts in the work to deliver a great performance I am more than happy to pony up for the expensive tickets. Sure, sometimes it’s a bit of a gamble (I wasn’t sure how the Danzig gig would be but was very pleased and surprised) but I KNOW that when I go to see Iron Maiden or Metallica or Twisted Sister or AC/DC that they are going to give it 110% and make me happy as a clam and forget that I spent $100 just to be standing there.
I saw Slayer play a club show last night, cost about $65 or so, well worth it.
My point was that the music industry is killing itself with high prices and inferior product in general. Simmons and that fucktard Rollins ARE the problem they keep whining about.
The FANS determine the prices. It’s simple economics. An artist and their management will charge what they can. Like you said, Jay-Z and Justin charge $100-$1000 a seat. Why? Because they CAN. If you have something that can sell for $1000 and you sell it for $5, then business-wise, you’re an idiot.
If fans feel they’re getting their money worth, they’ll pay it. Gene talked about rockstars looking like bums and losing the bravado and such . . . . yeah, I don’t necessarily want to pay $100 for someone in jeans, a flannel, and an acoustic guitar singing about feelings.
But if AC/DC crashes a full-size locomotive train onto the stage, followed by a 50 foot high inflatable Rosie, a bunch of live cannons, Angus going nuts and mooning the audience . . . yeah, I’ll pay through the nose for that, because it’s not something I can just go see at Joe’s Bar and Grill or 3rd Street in Santa Monica.
No it has nothing to do with “authenticity”, I think you missed the point. Example, Jay Z and Justin Timberlake came to town recently. I couldn’t name 1 single tune either of them do or even what the look like unless someone pointed them out, but tickets ranged from about $65 to over $1000. I mean what the fuck is up with that? The show was sold out so somebody paid up, but I couldn’t see spending that kind of dough. Yes, there are bands that do put in the work, Metallica, fat Bob and the Cure come to mind but I’m still not going to pay $100 even though I know they are going to play for 2 1/2 hrs and look like they are enjoying themselves. …
My point was that the music industry is killing itself with high prices and inferior product in general. Simmons and that fucktard Rollins ARE the problem they keep whining about.
Simmons has said elsewhere that musicians have no choice but to charge outrageous ticket prices because of evil downloaders. Whereas before musician could survive on record sales alone, apparently.
Right. The average royalty rate is probably around 10%. Even at the highest, it’s seldom more than 25%. Once you factor in recoupment and the paying of producers and managers, well… It’s safe to say that probably no musician has ever been able to survive on album sales alone.
On the other hand, he’s also blamed the internet for record stores going bankrupt - when the most likely culprit is Wal*Mart. He’s delusional.
No it has nothing to do with “authenticity”, I think you missed the point. Example, Jay Z and Justin Timberlake came to town recently. I couldn’t name 1 single tune either of them do or even what the look like unless someone pointed them out, but tickets ranged from about $65 to over $1000. I mean what the fuck is up with that? The show was sold out so somebody paid up, but I couldn’t see spending that kind of dough. Yes, there are bands that do put in the work, Metallica, fat Bob and the Cure come to mind but I’m still not going to pay $100 even though I know they are going to play for 2 1/2 hrs and look like they are enjoying themselves.
I’m a hardcore guy and grew up at the Greystone in Detroit. The Greystone was the Mecca of midwest hardcore. Everybody that came to town played there. On any given night it might be ALD, Negative Approach, Misfits, Ludichrist, Necros, Cro-Mags, so many awesome bands. From the early 80’s to the mid 90’s it WAS the place to play. I saw hundreds of shows there. Most were $5 or less. Sometimes free. Best stage diving in the area. Just a great, great place to see a show. So much energy. So yeah, I know how to keep it real. Detroit had a fantastic hardcore scene. Sadly dead now.
My point was that the music industry is killing itself with high prices and inferior product in general. Simmons and that fucktard Rollins ARE the problem they keep whining about.
the detroit hardcore scene WAS badass. and yeah i agree that the self-fulfilling inflation of ticket prices is just insane. VIP packages that cost 500 bucks, meet and greets that run to 1000, so on and so forth, its really disheartening. but that said, Gunney makes a point when he says that fans dictate the price in the end. the music industry is somehow ahead of the curve as far as finding ways to gouge, but woefully behind the times in finding ways to survive sustainably.
but that said, the detroit hardcore scene was badass as fuck.
You kinda just proved my point, but I guess I might not have phrased it appropriately. Any show costing $75+ almost automatically WON’T be in the same category as the show going experience you just described. Even if it is the same bands that used to put on shows like that. You might keep it real, but those ain’t keeping it real shows. The shows you used to go to certainly were, but the “staying hungry” impetus has been lost to those acts now, and you need to look elsewhere for it. Not saying only the underground or obscure can be good, but the bang for the buck quotient almost always lies in favor of cheap shows. Fuck, I can go see SWANS for $20 in a 200 capacity club here in STL. Why would I pay $100 for nosebleed seats for a NIN arena show? Is there something in the NIN experience that I might be missing? Possibly. But for the same price I can have go to twenty basement shows and have just as much fun and get a more personal meaningful experience out of it. Just my two cents. LOVE DIY CONCERTS.
these same artists shouldn’t complain when people stop buying their crappy product and blame others for their own mistakes.
Totally agreed.
I’ve been over his house a few times, not his new one but his previous one.
Thanks for clarifying, haha.
I’ve actually always liked Kid Rock.
And yeah, I wasn’t meaning that rockstars should be dicks all the time, just that when it comes to delivering the goods on stage (or on wax) they should be UNREAL. I should never see something on stage or listen to something and go, “Pffftt, I’m pretty sure I could do this.”
And with your Kid Rock example, I think that’s actually kind of relative to the point . . . on stage the dude is KID ROCK and he gives it his all. He can be Bob and grill some corn up for the neighbor kids later, but if he’s not giving 100% on stage and in the studio and just seems like . . . . well . . . “Bob”, then what’s the point.
Did I mention that Gene Simmons sucks?
Simmons is full of shit.
He fails to realise that indeed, it’s all good and well to care about making money and aim to make squillions more, but it’s a lot easier doing that if making shit and simplistic music is something you love doing.
He’s never pushed any boundaries. He wrote some great rock songs in the seventies. Since then, it’s all been total fucking garbage. But it makes money. It’s easy to aim for making money if you love making garbage.
He’ll never get it. There’s people out there who do genuinely iconoclastic shit within whatever medium they feel needs to be challenged, and yet no amount of money could get them to stray from it.
Believe me, I’ve tried. I’ve done these corporate gigs playing music I don’t care for in a way I’d never play them… and I’m over it. Glad I didn’t die not knowing, but it’s strengthened my resolve in terms of sticking by what I believe in.
That’s a good point, Dildo. As for the money making aspect, I guess I was thinking of that as “get what you can for what you’re doing”. I certainly wouldn’t (and I think very few artists and fans would differ) advocate changing the product or your artistic vision merely to suit the masses and increase your bottom line (yes, I realize this is what producers and others are sometimes pushing for, but I don’t think it was what even Gene was implying).
And yeah, who can name even three songs from KISS done in the last 30 years? Bueller? Bueller?
Simmons and that fucktard Rollins ARE the problem they keep whining about.
I don’t see how Rollins and Simmons are even in the same category. Rollins seems sensible and down to earth and very fan friendly, while Simmons is completely inaccessible and wants to put a price tag on literally EVERYTHING. thought for sure you’d like simmons. he’s the epitome of a good capitalist.
Late,
grmpysmrf
That’s a good point, Dildo. As for the money making aspect, I guess I was thinking of that as “get what you can for what you’re doing”. I certainly wouldn’t (and I think very few artists and fans would differ) advocate changing the product or your artistic vision merely to suit the masses and increase your bottom line (yes, I realize this is what producers and others are sometimes pushing for, but I don’t think it was what even Gene was implying).
And yeah, who can name even three songs from KISS done in the last 30 years? Bueller? Bueller?
Totally agree with you. Gotta get the most out of what you’re doing… I’m not sure if you showed Gene Simmons anything remotely out there he’d have time for it. He’d furrow his brown and mutter ‘but how does it make money? it’s worthless’.
BUELLER