Gene Simmons: ‘There’s Not Going To Be Another John Lennon, Paul McCartney Or Gershwin’

KISS bassist Gene Simmons brought the financial struggles of musicians as they try to build and pursue their career to the table while participating in ASCAP’s virtual ‘Stand with Songwriters’ and Simmons stated that there will not be brilliant musicians such as the late Beatles frontman John Lennon and bassist Paul McCartney due to the lack of financial support.

The American Society of Composers, Authors, and Publishers, also known as ASCAP, is a non-profit performance-rights organization that aims to protect its members’ musical copyrights. The main system of ASCAP is that the foundation collects licensing fees from listeners of music created by ASCAP members, then gives them back to its members as royalties. Every year, Ascap organizes advocacy events for the purpose of raising awareness and the events include appearances from the foundation’s songwriter and composer advocates.

Despite the fact that last year’s ASCAP advocacy event in Washington, DC was canceled just like every other public gathering due to the coronavirus pandemic, this year board members and musicians, as well as award-winning songwriters, gathered with Members of Congress. The event included the ‘We Write the Songs’ annual concert in addition to discussing songwriter’s struggles under the name of ‘Stand with Songwriters.’

As a member of the ASCAP, Gene Simmons also participated in this year’s virtual event and revealed his opinions on the main problems that have been deeply affecting American songwriters and composers, especially the biggest issue on this matter, the low payments regarding the songwriters when their music is played via online streaming platforms since listeners these days only listen to music via digital platforms, particularly with the effect of the pandemic.

According to the KISS bassist, this is the biggest reason why there aren’t many well-known songwriters and excellent ones such as John Lennon, Paul McCartney, and George Gershwin since most songwriters who have the actual talent cannot even focus their art as a full-time job since they have financial worries as a priority.

Gene Simmons said these during the event as ABC stated:

“The music that moves the world, R&B, rock, blues, country-western, various jazz was all invented right here in America by the people who now can’t even quit their day job to devote their time to art. There’s not going to be another Lennon, McCartney or Gershwin, or somebody else because, even though the talent is out there most people don’t realize every time you download a song, the songwriter is making minuscule amounts of one penny.”

It’s great to see Gene Simmons standing up and raising his voice to people that can actually make a change is incredibly thrilling since every member of the music industry can use help these days since the coronavirus pandemic hit one of the biggest punches to the entertainment industry with all the restrictions and shutdowns which deeply harmed every musician, songwriter, crew member, instrumentalist, and many more.