Gene Simmons, the bassist of KISS, recently opened up about the offers he received from organized crime figures during his career. In a conversation with Michael Franzese, he shared some insights into his past encounters with the mob.
Simmons explained that throughout his life, he has crossed paths with several individuals involved in both East and West Coast organized crime. “I’ve known quite a few gentlemen East and West Coast. I have to say there have been many offers of ‘if there’s anything I can do for you’ kind. I’ve never taken that up because sometimes it means now you got to do me a favor, which is by the way only fair. I did you a favor now you got to do me a favor, but no nothing like that.”
Although money was often offered, Simmons said he never accepted it. What he found more interesting were the offers of protection. “There were offers of money, never did that, but the other thing was which nobody else does if anybody bothers you kind of thing, that always struck me as interesting,” he shared.
Simmons made it clear that, even though these offers might sound appealing, he chose not to get involved.
A few weeks ago, the rocker announced a brief run of Spring 2025 U.S. tour dates with his band. The group had scheduled five shows for late April and May until recently. Simmons has added more shows to his 2025 tour schedule, including new dates in San Antonio, Texas, Bethlehem, Pennsylvania, and Rohnert Park, California.
Gene Simmons Band features guitarists Brent Woods, Zach Throne, and drummer Brian Tichy. The band played its second concert of 2024 on April 26 at the Summer Breeze festival at Memorial Da América Latina in São Paulo, Brazil. Their setlist included several KISS classics and covers of Motörhead’s ‘Ace Of Spades’ and Led Zeppelin’s ‘Communication Breakdown.’
