Cindy Watts | The Tennessean
Britta Pedersen
Tongue-wagging, fire-spitting Gene Simmons of KISS is 64 years old and every night on the band’s 40th anniversary tour, “I have to wear more makeup and higher heels than you ever wore,” he said.
To be exact, those heels are eight-inch platforms and he does it carrying 50 pounds of gear.
Not that he’s complaining.
“I’m happy every day I get up,” said the over-the-top bass player who will appear with KISS tonight at Bridgestone Arena. Def Leppard will also perform. “You open your eyes, you win.”
Simmons said the stage production has been 40 years in the making and he doesn’t want to divulge a single detail because he wants fans to come see it for themselves. He said the fans are his highlight every night.
“The highlight that happens almost every show is when you look out and you see somebody in their 40s or 50s, that’s great,” he said. “When you look out and you see teenagers, they’re cool and they’re seeing their first KISS concert, that’s great. But the amazing thing is when you look out and you see a father and he’s got KISS make up on. And you see his five-year-old kid on his shoulders and he’s got KISS make up on and they’re both doing my hand gesture, it just chokes me up. It’s amazing.
“When I was growing up rock and roll divided the generations and now it’s finally something the whole family can get behind. It’s a unifier and not a divider. I love that about KISS.”
KISS bassist Gene Simmons recently discussed the still-current matter of Rock Hall, suggesting an interesting idea – to buy it.
