Gene Simmons

We had no hit singles, nothing. Really? Yes, it became what the Germans called Zeitgeist, the water cooler conversation. The way you spread your brand in those days were rock magazines, circus and raves and all these colorful magazines that had posters. And we were always on the cover because the rest of the band is just boring. Yeah, they're not visual.

We had no hit singles, nothing. Really? Yes, it became what the Germans called Zeitgeist, the water cooler conversation. The way you spread your brand in those days were rock magazines, circus and raves and all these colorful magazines that had posters. And we were always on the cover because the rest of the band is just boring. Yeah, they're not visual.

So our brand and people, you know, the fans, we started selling out multiple days in arenas before we even had a gold record.

So our brand and people, you know, the fans, we started selling out multiple days in arenas before we even had a gold record.

You're giving us too much credit. We didn't know anything.

You're giving us too much credit. We didn't know anything.

But that's what happened. You were just rock and roll gypsies. Right. You were glad you didn't have to do nine to five.

But that's what happened. You were just rock and roll gypsies. Right. You were glad you didn't have to do nine to five.

And be in the same cubicle, doing the same thing.

And be in the same cubicle, doing the same thing.

None of that. Scientists either call it a singularity or an anomaly. We were rehearsing doing these songs that Paul Stanley and I wrote. Stanley Eisen. Eisenberger. Eisenberger. And I started writing and then Ace Fraley contributed a song or two. And as we heard, you know, this kind of sounds pretty good. And we had Peter Criss on drums and everybody could sing, everybody could play.

None of that. Scientists either call it a singularity or an anomaly. We were rehearsing doing these songs that Paul Stanley and I wrote. Stanley Eisen. Eisenberger. Eisenberger. And I started writing and then Ace Fraley contributed a song or two. And as we heard, you know, this kind of sounds pretty good. And we had Peter Criss on drums and everybody could sing, everybody could play.

And then instead of doing a market analysis or anything, I recall clearly, because I never got hired drunk, one of us, and I can't tell you who, said, let's go down to Woolworths, which was like a department store. And it was around Halloween, I believe, and they had a lot of gimmicky things like plastic ice cubes with fake flies in the middle that you could stick in your girlfriend's strings.

And then instead of doing a market analysis or anything, I recall clearly, because I never got hired drunk, one of us, and I can't tell you who, said, let's go down to Woolworths, which was like a department store. And it was around Halloween, I believe, and they had a lot of gimmicky things like plastic ice cubes with fake flies in the middle that you could stick in your girlfriend's strings.

Or whoopee cushions. You know what a whoopee cushion is? Yeah, yeah. Sit on it and make it part. Yeah, yeah. And we went down there and said, let's buy clown makeup. And we literally, almost like our hands were being directed, bought Steins, clown white, Steins, clown black, black stick.

Or whoopee cushions. You know what a whoopee cushion is? Yeah, yeah. Sit on it and make it part. Yeah, yeah. And we went down there and said, let's buy clown makeup. And we literally, almost like our hands were being directed, bought Steins, clown white, Steins, clown black, black stick.

Paul bought red lipstick, a few other things, and we went up to the rat-infested loft where we rehearsed and found ourselves hypnotically looking in the mirror and putting on makeup without anybody telling anybody what to do or what to think or do. It just... happened. It sounds suspicious. And then when we looked around the room, we were fascinated by, wow, that kind of... That kind of school.

Paul bought red lipstick, a few other things, and we went up to the rat-infested loft where we rehearsed and found ourselves hypnotically looking in the mirror and putting on makeup without anybody telling anybody what to do or what to think or do. It just... happened. It sounds suspicious. And then when we looked around the room, we were fascinated by, wow, that kind of... That kind of school.

Different. Yeah, different kind of cool. So much so that, and because I'm kind of a make a list, check it twice, find out I'm that kind of a guy, worked in offices all my life, there was no manager. So I was calling local gigs and clubs to try to get us. And then booked ourselves in for, I don't know, $35 a night to Coventry. And there was nobody there. We had my girlfriend, somebody else.

Different. Yeah, different kind of cool. So much so that, and because I'm kind of a make a list, check it twice, find out I'm that kind of a guy, worked in offices all my life, there was no manager. So I was calling local gigs and clubs to try to get us. And then booked ourselves in for, I don't know, $35 a night to Coventry. And there was nobody there. We had my girlfriend, somebody else.