KISS’ Gene Simmons spoke to Alan Cross about their current plans and life following their retirement announcement. He stated that anything is possible regarding KISS continuing without him and Paul Stanley.
KISS is one of the most influential bands in the music world, having sold over 75 million records worldwide. Their classic songs like ‘I Was Made For Loving You,’ ‘Dreaming’ and ‘Sure Know Something’ have left a mark in music history, giving the band its current reputation. Their unique stage make-up and outfits inspired by comic book characters also highly impacted their success and popularity.
The band became the representations of rock and roll as they used the stage wisely throughout their career. KISS used all sorts of dangerous features during their performances, like fire breathing and blood-spitting. According to Gene Simmons, this is their legacy; the combination of music with a visual feast.
Even though the band retired in 2018, they planned a farewell tour in 2019. They couldn’t conclude it due to the pandemic outbreak, and the dates got postponed to 2022. Even though there are a lot of projects the band is working on, their retirement from touring was a surprise for the fans. Their merchandise business has grown over the years, even though KISS hasn’t released any new records in years.
In his recent interview, Simmons addressed whether the band might continue without him and Stanley. He stated that anything is possible, but continuing their music is not important at this point. Showcasing his business personality, Simmons noted that doing cool things like opening a museum or creating memorable objects to remind fans of the band is much more important than creating something new.
Here is that he answered to the possible continuity of KISS without him and Stanley:
“Nothing is impossible. A few years ago, Mark Burnett and I were pitching a 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.
Anything is possible. Did I think there would ever be a KISS Kruise, the museum and ad infinitum, ad nauseum, and thousands of licensed products? No! The only thing that matters is doing cool stuff while you’re alive so that when you croak, people can point and say, ‘Yeah, that guy did cool stuff.'”
The band previously stated that there is no point in creating new songs or music because the fans will never forget their classics. It seems like currently, the band’s goal is to ensure their legacy’s continuity by incorporating their logo, faces, and art onto products that the fans can buy physically.
