Gene Simmons has opened up about why KISS is now restricted from performing live, revealing that the band sold the rights to their makeup, music and more to a company called Pophouse.
The comments come nearly three years after KISS wrapped up its final concert of the “End Of The Road” farewell tour. Simmons explained the nature of the deal and why he continues to perform with his solo band despite the restrictions placed on KISS.
“I had this kind of epiphany. You know, KISS was actually sold — the makeup and the tunes and the publishing and all that — for a [a lot of money]. And a great company called Pophouse is our partner,” Simmons said. “We’re involved together in the future, so there’s gonna be a motion picture, which is being cast now, and there’s gonna be — I don’t know — cartoon shows, theme park, you name it, it’s all coming up.”
“So it’s gonna be bigger and better than you’ve ever heard, including the avatar show. But that also means that KISS can’t play live without Pophouse’s permission, ’cause they own the makeup and everything. But I didn’t wanna stay away from the stage. It’s the most fun. Being up on that stage and rocking out is the most fun I can imagine with my pants on. And there’s a magic that happens there.”
Simmons went on to describe why performing and sharing his work matters to him personally.
“We can sit here and kind of glibly talk about it, but imagine being a painter, and you paint something, and you’re really proud of it, and it just stays in your living room, and nobody sees it. Or if you write a song, and you really like it, you go, ‘Whoa, this thing rocks,’ but you’re the only one who hears it. No, no, no,” he continued. “Whether you write a book, you don’t wanna be the only one that reads your own book. No, you wanna share it with people. Or if you’re gonna throw a party, and you’re the only one in the room eating potato chips and drinking Coca-Cola, that’s not much of a party. I need you to be in the party. What’s a party without you?”
“So I can’t stay off the stage. I love it too much,” Simmons said.
The arrangement Simmons describes traces back to a deal that reshaped KISS’s future well before he made these remarks.
KISS sold its entire music catalog, brand name and intellectual property to Pophouse Entertainment in a transaction estimated at more than $300 million. The Swedish company, founded by ABBA’s Björn Ulvaeus, now controls the band’s makeup, imagery and name. This explains why KISS cannot take the stage without Pophouse’s sign-off.
The avatar show Simmons referenced is not a new concept. KISS first unveiled its digital avatars during that same farewell performance at Madison Square Garden in December 2023. The unveiling signaled the band’s intention to keep its legacy alive on stage even after retiring from live touring. Those digital versions of the band are expected to headline a full-fledged avatar production launching in 2027.
Pophouse’s involvement with KISS fits into a much larger strategy the company has pursued across the music industry. Beyond KISS, Pophouse holds stakes in the catalogs and likenesses of artists including Cyndi Lauper and Tina Turner. The company recently acquired a 50% stake in Iron Maiden’s publishing and master rights along with the band’s name, image and likeness. Pophouse built its reputation on ABBA Voyage, the hologram concert experience that set the template for turning legacy acts into ongoing digital franchises.
That broader pattern underscores why KISS’s live performances now require outside approval. Pophouse treats the acquisitions not simply as catalog investments, but as the foundation for franchise-building efforts spanning film, merchandise, theme park attractions and digital avatar technology. This is exactly the kind of expansion Simmons alluded to when he mentioned a forthcoming motion picture and other projects tied to the KISS name.
