Wow

[Dave's Bitch]

He's a pile of shit.

An extremely wealthy pile of shit

[TJMKID]

An extremely wealthy pile of shit

Wealthy people are judged harshly by how they became wealthy. Bill Gates and Steve Jobs are admired because they used brains & innovative ideas to generate wealth.

Gene Simmons and Sammy Hagar are piles of shit because they chose to whore out their integrity for the Almighty Dollar. They are on the same level and hookers and drug dealers.

[Nitro Express]

EXACTA-MUNDO !!!

I'm not buying into the "Gene is such a nice guy because he wanted to help young bands get signed" bullshit. Gene only cares about one thing ---- his bank account. Getting pussy is a very distant second.

Gene had $$$ signs in his eyes when he saw VH playing the Starwood. Guaranteed he would've have weaseled his way into a $1 million "finder's fee" if he actually got VH signed to a label. When the record label search didnt work out for him ---- he decided to try and steal away Eddie for his own selfish gains. Eddie thought about it and decided not to join KISS in 1981 ---- so Gene fabricates story about telling EVH to "stay in Van Halen".

Gene is the ultimate example of GREED and NARCISSISM in the music biz. If he didnt become a rock star, he would've been a Ponzi schemer like Bernie Madoff. He's a pile of shit.

Gene is a money motivated sex addict. Fully admits it. Who cares. What you have to ask yourself is did he make his money fair and square? Look at it this way. Some of the best VH bootlegs are off that Gene financed demo tape and did you like KISS growing up? I mean what did the guy ever do to you? He was instrumental in bringing out some good rock and roll and just have a good laugh at his horny egoed out self.

[bantonelli]

Gene is a money motivated sex addict. Fully admits it. Who cares. What you have to ask yourself is did he make his money fair and square? Look at it this way. Some of the best VH bootlegs are off that Gene financed demo tape and did you like KISS growing up? I mean what did the guy ever do to you? He was instrumental in bringing out some good rock and roll and just have a good laugh at his horny egoed out self.

My personal opinion of Gene is a narcissist and opportunist. The story of Gene's involvement (if you want to call it that?) is written in black and white in DLR's CFTH. Dave explains it all and for that - we know the truth. Dave makes it very clear he can't stand the guy for his slimmy ways.

Gene brought the tapes to peeps in NY back in the day, making it appear as though he was trying to help the band in good faith. But somehow there was no interest? I wouldn't put it past Gene to have paid those peeps off to tell VH they weren't good enough and possibly they would go away. KISS was huge at the time and Gene wanted to make sure his band stood above the rest. He was smart enough to go out there and make sure he knew who his competition was and manipulate the situation. In the meantime, he would have hired EVH for his own band and left DLR, AVH & MA to rot.

[TwoFoolsAMinute]

Wow, just wow. I've never even heard of anyone who was motivated by money OR sex. And, I think you could make the argument that Gene created an innovative product.

[Dave's Bitch]

Wealthy people are judged harshly by how they became wealthy. Bill Gates and Steve Jobs are admired because they used brains & innovative ideas to generate wealth.

Gene Simmons and Sammy Hagar are piles of shit because they chose to whore out their integrity for the Almighty Dollar. They are on the same level and hookers and drug dealers.

I am sorry but you just can't put Gene Simmons in a category with Sammy Hagar.Gene also got to where he is through innovation and brains.Without brains and innovation Kiss would not have 20 studio albums,10 live albums,5 box sets,50+ singles and a whole lot of other (music related) things for fans to get their hands on.People go on about Gene being an ass and a sell out but people still buy the non music merchandise,So it would be kinda stupid not to put it all out there.I own a host of Kiss stuff that i can't put in my stereo.I like having money,I would love to have more of it as i am sure a sizeable portion of people would,So I always find it unfair people give Gene and Kiss shit because they also like money.Anything a Kiss fan could want from the band they are able to get their hands on,Is that a bad thing?

[BumBahDeeDah]

One of my bigger =VH= pet peeves. I hate articles that toss in the "...discovered by Gene Simmons of Kiss..." as fact.

Gene noticed them. Tried to help them out. Didn't work. End of story. Ted Templeman and Mo Austin discovered them.

It's even more annoying when you consider that here in the atom age that these "journalists" should be faxed into - I couldn't help it- it's SO easy to research ANYTHING to get what you write 90% correct!!

[katina]

Geddy Lee also spoke highly of Gene and KISS in general. It seemed if you were an upcoming band and showed some talent, Gene was good about giving advice and even helping out. I mean Gene is a shameless merchandiser and bragger but a lot of bands like Van Halen and Rush say the guy was a big help early on in their careers.

Good to know

[Mrkramer]

Rodney Bingenheimer was a fan from the start , he deserves more credit than he gets. I remember back in the day I think on the Atomic Punks bootleg record the band thank him from one of the Civic gigs.. Bingenheimer also pushed Kiss at the very start of there careers. No matter what you think of Gene or kiss in general , they worked fucking hard on the road and studio in the early to late 70's . 3 albums in 18 months a live lp another 3 Lps in 2 1/2 years another live lp alive 2 then solo Lps and then Dynasty.. Van Halen also had this work ethic as they also had a shitty record deal.
Also if you get a chance check out The Rodney Bingenheimer doco Mayor of sunset strip

[Mrkramer]

[fryingdutchman]

EXACTA-MUNDO !!!

[Yount]

Fuckn KISS. Novelty act right? What Bantonelli said. Van Halen were very much a hated/hunted band and always have been. One look at Eddie and you too would be asking him to join your group. One look at Dave and you too would be trying to sabotage their success and shoot Roth down.

"I just don't think the vocals are gonna hold up boys, sorry 'bout that."

Kudos to Dave for smelling a Gene Simmons RAT straight away.

[Seshmeister]

Those vocals held up for more US sales than Ki$$ in a much shorter time and that was without dressing up as monsters or whatever the fuck that crap was. 'Look at me my face is painted like a pussycat'. No offence to those that are fans but Jesus suffering anal on a unicycle I never got the Ki$$ thing at all.

And were Stanley's vocals so weely weely gwate?

[powell4]

MA said in one interview that Gene wanted to change the name from VH to Daddy Longlegs.... That would have sucked.

[Golden AWe]

Mock KISS as much as you want but DON'T talk bad about Ace Frehley!