Gene Simmons on The Henry Rollins Show
Those of you with IFC (The Independent Film Channel) may be familiar with Henry Rollins’s show. It’s a half-hour that begins with a brief rant from Rollins, then moves on to an interview with a guest, then another brief rant, then a musical guest (nine out of ten of which I can’t fucking stand.)
Last night’s guest was Gene Simmons. It was the first time I’d seen Rollins rendered virtually speechless. After Simmons’s well-practiced replies to Rollins’s questions, Rollins could only muster a shell-shocked “…Nice!”
A typical exchange:
HR: “What do you think KISS’s legacy will be?”
GS: “I don’t care. I’ve got tons of money BABABABABABABA Also, I have tons and tons of money. Also, I’ve never drank alcohol or taken drugs. P.S. Money.”
HR: “…Nice!”
HR asked him if he was more proud of his success as a businessman or his success as a rock star. Simmons’s answer was hilarious to me. He said about his business acumen “I’m no genius, I just have the ability to be able to tell what the masses will like just slightly before they know it. For instance, I discovered Van Halen. As soon as I saw them, I knew they were going to be the biggest band in the world at that time. Then, I came up with a concept for a series that’s been on Nickelodeon for four seasons now and is a huge success.”
I thought it was hysterical that he listed his “great accomplishments” in business and they were thirty years apart. Hey Gene, why no mention of when you were Liza Minnelli’s manager? Surely that made you a ton of cash, right? Certainly, the man knows how to make money, it was just an odd statement, I thought.
Simmons did make an interesting point when asked about the state of the record industry. He said the industry is in its death throes due to illegal file sharing. He castigated the industry for not being litigious enough. The interesting point he made was about the “state of rock”. He said that somewhere along the line, rock stars stopped being rock stars. They stopped being “larger than life” and became self-conscious whiners. (I’m assuming he meant the early nineties.) He said people–more specifically kids–want their rock stars to be like super heroes. He said this explains why hip-hop is so huge–because rappers are constantly flaunting their money, cars, planes, gold teeth, diamond goblets, women “with big tits”, etc. and today’s rock stars don’t want to be seen driving nice cars or dating hot women. (They do it, they just don’t want to be seen doing it.)
I hadn’t actually thought of it in those terms, that today’s rappers are to today’s twelve and thirteen-year-olds what KISS was to me when I was twelve.
Interesting, at any rate.
June 24th, 2007 at 12:13 am
You’re an interesting dude, for sure! Been following your blog for over a year, I enjoy it profoundly! Especially since I’m a former dbag from Omaha.
This rap phenomenon is not news to me, man. I like some of it, I guess. Beastie Boys and such… but that’s probably stupid. I’m mainly a left-over Mats Fanatic. Point is, you’ve stumbled on the “inevitable.” Rap freaks people out. So be it. It’s “Rock” now. But I’m super-thrilled Saddle Creek gets the attn. it deserves. It may be a “wave” of sorts but it’s better than some of the other bullshit this city is known for - hope you know what I’m talkin’ about.
I love your site! I check it out once a week at least. We have very similar attitudes toward… well… all of it, I guess!
HST hates The Pig, Meese. Know what I mean?
ML
June 25th, 2007 at 1:45 am
Hi, wanted to alert you to something very cool that Henry Rollins is doing. He’s offering a chance to sound off on an issue for a national audience — and the one person he personally chooses will be flown to LA to co-host the “Henry Rollins Show” marathon on IFC (Independent Film Channel) with Henry.
Rollins is inviting you to tape a short video “rant” and the person who does the one he chooses will be flown to L.A. (the winner and a guest for 3 days/2 nights), meet Henry and host the upcoming “Rollins Show” Marathon.
Go to ziddio.com/myrollinsrant and record and upload a 30-second video “rant” on one of the 11 hot topics Henry has selected (including abortion rights, has the Iraq war made us safer? Bush’s response to Hurricane Katrina, is America a dumb country? global warming, etc.)
All entries will be watched by, and the winner chosen solely by, Henry. He encourages anyone to enter, no matter their political persuasion - his only requirement: have “passion and attitude!”
An amazing opportunity. And a chance to sound off on some issues!
Henry explains it all, and upload your “rant” at: ziddio.com/myrollinsrant
June 25th, 2007 at 11:05 am
Jbk, what, do you work for IFC or something?
“The interesting point he made was about the “state of rock”. He said that somewhere along the line, rock stars stopped being rock stars. They stopped being “larger than life” and became self-conscious whiners. (I’m assuming he meant the early nineties.)”
I call bullshit. We heard all of this same whining in the early ’90s when grunge was popular from all the ’80s glam rockers who were pissed off because no one was buying their records anymore. They always talk about it like grunge, and punk before it, was something that was being forced on the public. The mean old record companies were taking away all that awesome glam rock and making us listen to boring, non-glittery blue-collar rock.
The truth is that punk and grunge came about because there was a significant demand for it. People were sick of millionaire ubermensch rockers flaunting their wealth and playing down to them. People wanted something more accessible, and down on their level, that they could identify with. Eventually, they get bored with that and want the big arena rock stuff again. It’s a natural cycle.
Sorry Gene, but the fact that the fans have outgrown you is in no way a sign of rock’s “end times”. As much as I hate Nickelback, they do seem to do pretty well for themselves despite their lack of platform boots and fire-breathing.
June 25th, 2007 at 1:13 pm
OG said: “. . . a musical guest (none out of ten of which I can’t fucking stand.)”
Knowing you, shouldn’t that be “10 out of 10″? (Since, if I’m not mistaken, primarily it’s the newer, younger bands that tend to play his show.)
June 25th, 2007 at 1:20 pm
It was a typo. Thanks for the heads-up.
June 25th, 2007 at 2:36 pm
“After Simmons’s well-practiced replies to Rollins’s questions….”
no kidding.
I was never a big fan of KISS and even less so of Gene Simmons, and that line reminded me of a time he was on Leno promoting some movie or something. Jay asked him a question about how many women he had slept with, to which Simmons gave some obviously “well-practiced” answer, then they cut to a clip from the movie and it was VERBATIM what he had just said… down to “swapping spit.” He’s a clown.
And I agree with what Ol Swerdlow says above, punk to me always seemed to be a rebellion against corporate greed, big $$, excessiveness, etc….. bringing rock-n-roll back to the basics…. delivering it back to the common man. Of course that’s arguable now when you’ve got bands like Green Day. (who put on a great show, btw…. I took my daughter for her 7th b-day - it was her favorite band at the time, and I wanted to give her bragging rights for life.) I suppose there is something to be said for the larger-than-life show, but in no way to punk/grunge/whatever ruin music.
June 25th, 2007 at 2:38 pm
sorry, that should read: but in no way DID punk/grunge/whatever ruin music.
June 26th, 2007 at 12:42 am
yeah, just saw the gene interview on IFC’s rerun of THRS. gene was even more over-the-top than i’ve come to expect. he was basically an id amok. or a coke fiend. your choice.
regardless, i agree with almost everything he said regarding what people want with respect to money, idols, money, tits and money. i also loathe every bit of it. a very bracing experience due to this dynamic.
the best news i got from the interview was that “the record industry is dead.” i’ve been looking forward to this obit for some time now. those price-gouging bastards ripped me off for 20+ years and i’ve been happily recouping my losses at various p2p outlets for quite a while.
so gene got one thing wrong when he said that folks steal music because they reason that artists/companies have too much money. he was wrong when said that “I’LL decide when i have too much money!” actually, no, gene — i’ll decide. the consumer is always right. and, btw, your anthology sounds great archived and downloaded in 256kbps. without the ridiculous cover art.
on rap: gene’s plumping for Dre-style pimp rap is utterly consistent with his own lurid career. the music is trash, though. Dre consciously killed rap dead as an art form with The Chronic a decade and half ago. it’s had nothing to say since, and it’s saying it too loudly. to hear anything interesting musically or lyrically in the genre these days, get a shovel and dig underground till you get to the likes of Sage Francis and Spearhead.
poor henry: i’d love to hear henry’s comments on the interview. especially of the “off the record” variety. throughout, he looked as though he was trying to be polite after discovering a huge turd in the punchbowl at a william shatner house party. he was having difficulty deciding whether to exit the interview via haste or grace. in the end, he kind of split the difference.
musical guest: queens of the stone age sucked, as usual. henry’s guests have been more notable for their crappiness than for their excellence. mars volta in particular stand in my memory as pure jackoff. on the flipside, billy bragg, peaches, bob mould and the stooges weren’t as i good as i’d hoped. didn’t see cornell but imagine his performance was a letdown too, given that his new record trades audioslave’s clarity for self-indulgent indecisiveness.
henry oughta book ian mackaye for an interview, the evens as musical guest and just call it good.
July 6th, 2007 at 2:35 pm
“The truth is that punk and grunge came about because there was a significant demand for it. People were sick of millionaire ubermensch rockers flaunting their wealth and playing down to them. People wanted something more accessible, and down on their level, that they could identify with. Eventually, they get bored with that and want the big arena rock stuff again. It’s a natural cycle.”
Well said, Swerd.
July 10th, 2007 at 3:05 pm
I’m a KISS fan from when I was a kid, but I never really liked Gene even then. He was kind of pompous then, and even more so now. His “reality” show is saved only by his kids who show a bit of spontaneity.
July 12th, 2007 at 10:53 am
“so gene got one thing wrong when he said that folks steal music because they reason that artists/companies have too much money. he was wrong when said that “I’LL decide when i have too much money!” actually, no, gene — i’ll decide. the consumer is always right.”
Hey Beat Weazel, you do understand that you change the definition of what a consumer is when the consumer stops paying for things don’t you?
A consumer who doesn’t pay for anything is technically a thief.
Rationalize and justify all you want.
BTW I’d love to see a shoplifter try and say “but I’m a customer and the customer is always right” as they’re getting dragged out of my store by the cops.
November 19th, 2007 at 6:56 am
this whole interview disgusted me. i was actualy going to miss it on purpose, but i heard a little bit of it and had to keep listening. i was so shocked at gene simmons spitting feces in HR’s face, i just couldn’t look away!
also, has anyone else noticed that you can’t find this interview anywhere on the internet? i’ve been looking all over you tube and i’ve been googling for a transcript but i can’t find anything. the only thing i found was a preview of the interview that makes it look a decent, like minded interview. and as we all know, that’s bullshit. i think maybe gene is pulling some strings to cover it up a little. i mean, he was a HUGE ass in that interview. he was a huger ass than i have ever seen him be in any past interview.
well, let me know if you have or know where i can find a video of the interview or a copy of the transcript.
December 2nd, 2007 at 6:24 pm
Well for once i thought Simmons made sense and it was a good interview!
It’s true the music industry is on it’s knees and it’s their own fault, why has Kiss not put out a new album for ten years? He doesn’t want to give it away for free, can’t say i blame him.
The Physical product is doomed and who will pay for the acts to emerge?
Who will pay for a Producer, Engineer, Mastering and who will finance the tour? Record companies will not exist in five years time and neither will a lot of rock bands. The only bands that still make money touring are the dinosaurs, Elton, Springsteen, U2, etc
Every act from the past is making a comeback soley based on their name from another era….The Pixies have been back for 4 years and still no new album but try and get a ticket to one of their shows, it’s impossible.
December 4th, 2007 at 9:37 pm
The deal with Gene is he wants everything he touches to be his property, under his strict control… so he won’t sign releases, etc.
He pulled the same shit when he was on NPR’s “Fresh Air w/Terry Gross” a few years ago…. he acted like a complete asshole, she outwitted him and made him look like a complete bafoon, and wouldn’t you know it’s one of the few Fresh Air episodes that you can’t find in their archives (there is an explanation posted that basically says what I just explained about him not signing the release, etc.).
anyway, there you have it!
Take care,
Dennis
December 13th, 2007 at 12:01 am
I saw that interview. First of all i never liked KISS. Second, i absolutely hate Gene Simmons. During the whole interview i thought Henry was about to fly out of his seat and break Gene’s neck. You can even see his face go red and veins start to pulse.
May 27th, 2008 at 9:39 pm
gene simmons ,so he’s done well for himself ,but doe’s he have to be so arrogant,all he doe’s is talk about how good looking he is .Gene if wasnt for your tongue and tha band you were in do you really think as much women would even look twice at you .get off your high horse ,you still shit just like everyone else and wipe your own ass.And as for your practiced answers why even give interveiws any more they all sound the same ,blah blah blah..