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Gene Simmons explained that Kiss “selling its catalogue” is an entirely different kettle of fish than it is for other bands. While pitching his latest endeavor — the new vodka, called Moneybag to A Journal Of Musical Things, Simmons was asked if he and Paul Stanley would ever sell off their interest in Kiss. He answered, “How much have you got? Bob Dylan sold his stuff for $300 to 400 million. The problem — and I love the guy and worship the ground he walks on — but (his music) isn’t going to mean a lot to a 20-year-old. They don’t care about ‘The Times They Are A-Changin” (or) ‘Maggie’s Farm’ — they just don’t. Very few pieces of music stand the test of time. What Kiss has that no other musical entity has is trademarks. Our faces are bigger than the music, bigger than anything.”
He went on to explain, “(Bruce) Springsteen just sold for $500 million and what you get is the music, not the imagery. I’ve never seen a Springsteen cartoon, comic book, or action figures. Kiss is the only one. So what you’re buying into — if anyone does the right price — you’re into buying the imagery that has stood the test of time. Our analogy is Santa Claus/Superman: Imagery that is trademarked so that no one can reproduce. And no other musical act has that.”
When pressed as to whether Kiss could continue as a live act without him or Stanley, Simmons said, “Anything is possible. Did I think there would ever be a Kiss Kruise, the museum, and thousands of licensed products? No! . . . Nothing is impossible. A few years ago, (producer) Mark Burnett and I were pitching a (TV) show called Kiss: The Next Generation, which was going to be kind of a competition show to find out who’s worthy to wear the crown — who’s got the stuff, the physicality, and the ability to write songs.”
Regarding the health of the Kiss brand, Simmons went on to list the plans for 2022: “We’re busy building the Kiss Museum in Las Vegas at the Rio Hotel. There’s a Kiss motion picture that’s about to start filming. And there’s going to be a cartoon show and other things. So Kiss will continue to exist in various forms. But the touring band should stop . . . I’m 72. Still have some hair. And I don’t want to stay on stage too long. I’ve seen so many bands I’ve liked. . . and what’s missing now are wheelchairs. Have some self-respect. Go out on top. And that’s what we’re doing.”
A while back, Gene Simmons told us that his basic philosophy is very simple — always take care of yourself before you do anything else: “Go through life, and completely avoid and disregard what you’ve been told, in terms of the Puritan ethic — which is to say that you’re not supposed to be selfish. They’re wrong — you are supposed to be selfish. You should be selfish above and beyond everything. And people that often say, ‘Hey, it’s not about you’ — it is about you. ‘Me’ is the most important word you should ever get comfortable with.”
Kiss kicks off a 17-date tour of Down Under and South America on March 19th in Melbourne, Australia.