Gene Simmons said he still shares that “rock is dead” stance, stressing that being a new band these days “has got to be horrible.”
During a recent CR interview, Gene was asked whether rock music “might be perhaps taking on a different form or evolving into something else? The idea being that this generation’s rock isn’t the same as their parents, just like their parents’ generation of rock wasn’t the same as their grandparents?”
The musician replied: “No. It’s not evolving at all, and that’s because there’s not really any record companies.
“That’s why it’s not evolving, because musicians can’t really spend full time working on their art. They have to go work for a living and live in their mother’s basement and give away their music for free. It’s very sad.
“It doesn’t affect us, but to be a new band today has got to be horrible. Because they will never have the chance we did.”
Gene added: “So from 1958 to 1988 we had Elvis, The Beatles, The Stones, Hendrix, and a thousand others that stand the test of time. Then you had Metallica, Madonna, Prince and U2 and all of that. But from 1988 to today, who is the new Beatles? Where’s Elvis? Where are the Stones? Who is taking their place?”