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NEWS HEADLINES
September 28th - The new boots/jackets and pants collection by Designer Rick Owens features a point of view that is distinctive.
"Gene Simmons from KISS APPEARED ON THE MIKE DOUGLAS SHOW IN THE 70'S. WEARING ONE OF THE FIRST DO-IT-YOURSELF INCARNATIONS OF HIS STAGE LOOK. I FORGOT HOW EXTREME IT MUST HAVE BEEN AT THE TIME AND THE INCONGRUITY OF HIM SITTING NEXT TO TOTIE FIELDS (COMEDIENNE) TICKLED ME SILLY. I LOVED HIS SILHOUETTE AND BASED THE COLLECTION ON IT.
---Rick Owens, INTERVIEW MAGAZINE - Sept '08.
New letters posted...
You're everywhere! Saw this photo on SportsIllustrated.com
September 25th -
This night’s for you, Jeff
Last week’s benefit for Jeff Young welcomed Gene Simmons and Tommy Thayer from KISS – and friends and family who raised funds for Young’s ongoing medical expenses
BY NICOLE DECOSTA
VERN UYETAKE / LAKE OSWEGO REVIEW
The evening fund-raiser for Jeff Young was held at Roger Pollock’s home in Lake Oswego, left. Tommy Thayer and Gene Simmons from the band KISS encourage guests to donate funds to help Jeff Young pay for his high medical expenses. Young suffers from ALS, also known as Lou Gehrig’s disease.
The Lake Oswego Review, Sep 25, 2008In the driveway, they slip their car keys to the valet, glide through the arches that lead into the yard.
Overlooking the Willamette River, where the partygoers mingle and banana trees sway in a soft breeze, the stage is set for more than just the typical Lake Oswego gala.
At the adobe-styled house of Roger Pollock, owner of Buena Vista Custom Homes, guests pay handsomely to attend the buffet and auction.
The guest of honor?
Jeff Young, among the longest- living ALS sufferers, smiles amid friends and family. (The average life expectancy of an ALS patient is between two and five years, yet Young was diagnosed in 1983).
And Young’s guests?
Bassist Gene Simmons and guitarist Tommy Thayer from the band KISS, encouraging donations to aid Young, who faces $120,000 a year in medical expenses.
Maybe Simmons sets this scene best, standing in Pollock’s over-the-top ballroom under chandeliers and basketball hoops, taking the microphone and chiding guests.
“I will personally embarrass anyone who cheaps out,” Simmons says. “We want you to show how big your heart is by showing us where the money is, baby. Do we understand each other?”
And they do.
September 24th -
Started the day at 6:30 am.
Went to an industrial location to shoot my scenes for the film.
Then, Sophie has a volleyball game. Oh yes, she's the Captain of the team...comprised of girls a year older than Soph. (But, of course!!!)
This evening, we do couch interviews for the upcoming Season IV of GENE SIMMONS FAMILY JEWELS.
...end of day? 1 am.
New letters posted...
Gene,
We were watching Dancing With The Stars last night and saw comedian Jeff Ross wearing a KISS shirt during his rehearsal. Maybe he’s reminiscing how he “reamed you a new one” at your roast at the Key Club a few months ago.
We hear KISS is gearing up for “WORLDWIDE EVENTS to celebrate their 35th Anniversary” and we pray that means there will be lots of North American concerts (especially in Los Angeles because that’s where we live). We are patiently waiting.
Your KISS ARMY VIXENS
Response from Gene:
Jeff Ross first came to my attention when he started out. He sent me his demo reel. On it, he had a KISS-style comedy routine. There was a big, lighted ROSS sign in back of him (with the two KISS-type "ss"), and he intro-ed himself with: "You wanted the best, and you got the best. The best comedian in the world, ROSS"...and then fireworks went off.
That's why he wears KISS t shirts.
And, so should everyone.
September 23rd -
It's been busier than usual, and I wouldn't have it any other way.
Worked with BRUCE KULICK on a new song called "AIN'T GONNA DIE" for his solo album.
Yesterday, did voice overs for a SECOND TV SERIES I have, debuting in a month or two. More news when I'm free to comment.
GENE SIMMONS FAMILY JEWELS Series IV is also concurrently shooting new episodes. Season IV order has also been expanded to include more new episodes. If you guys missed out on Season's I, II and III, you can order them on Amazon or here.
Shooting a MOVIE at the same time. Can't release title, director or studio just yet.
SIMMONS ABRAMSON signed new clients -- and we'll post that info soon. And, we continue to have meetings to maximize and cross pollinate our existing clients -- INDYCAR SERIES, FRANK'S ENERGY DRINK, FIND.COM and others.
I'm going up to Canada to be the Keynote Speaker at the ENTREPENEUR ORGANIZATION.
Continue to do press for my LADIES OF THE NIGHT (Simmons Books/Phoenix Books) Best Seller.
SIMMONS COMICS/IDW Pub is about to release PHANTASMAGORIA -- which will feature all of our characters in one book -- ZIPPER, DOMINATRIX and stories from GENE SIMMONS HOUSE OF HORRORS. All new stories, writers and artists. Coming soon.
We also have FOUR NEW TELEVISION PROJECTS in the "active" area. More news soon.
NGTV.COM is going gangbusters. I'm Chairman of the Board. Check it out.
And KISS is gearing up for BIG, WORLDWIDE EVENTS, to celebrate our 35th Annivesary!!!And more.
Lots more.
September 20th -
THE USUAL SUSPECTS
Here we are taking a break from SEASON IV shooting of GENE SIMMONS FAMILY JEWELS.
From left to right, Tracy (Lulu Von Stadt)Tweed, Beautiful Sophie, yours truly (as Derrik Lovejoy), Gorgeous Shannon and the Mysterious Nick (Saul Melon).
What are we doing and why are we dressed this way? Stay tuned.Nick finished his College classes and drove 2 hours to get here in time to shoot this evening.
I just flew back from Portland, Oregon where I was a guest of Tommy Thayer's Jeff Young Foundation -- a charity that's devoted to raising money for ALS.
September 18th -
Gene Simmons Becomes 'Emperor' of Japan
Posted Sep 18th 2008 by Karen Bliss
Makeup and role play isn't out of the ordinary for Gene Simmons. That said, it only seems fitting that the Kiss bassist makes a cameo in Japan's No. 2 box office hit, 'Detroit Metal City,' as Jack Ill Dark, a legendary American death metal guitarist who holds the title "The Emperor."Simmons flew to Japan last March for five days of shooting after director Toshio Lee tracked the rocker down with the help of Sony Music Japan. "He was a complete professional," Lee tells Spinner with the aid of an English-speaking translator. "He didn't even want to rest. He said, 'I'm here for business.'"
At first, Lee and Simmons communicated through an interpreter, but Lee soon just started showing him physically what to do. "[Gene would say] 'Let me see that one more time so I can really master it,'" Lee says. When Lee screwed up, Simmons responded promptly: "That's not the same thing you did the first time." "He was really watching and very attentive," Lee says.
As for the character's attire, Simmons wears an outlandish horned costume with most of his face hidden under a mask. And yes, even his guitar has spikes. The rocker utters a few English lines, including "Command the beast" and "You're still wet behind the ears."
"It would be weird if he spoke Japanese," Lee says. "He had to speak in English. He's the king."
http://www.spinner.com/2008/09/18/gene-simmons-becomes-emperor-of-japan/
New letters posted...
Dear Gene:
Although I have been a KISS fan for a long time, I didn't purchase your book "Sex Money Kiss" when it was first released in 2003.
But about a year and half ago, I spent about $15.00 and I bought the 5-CD "Audio Book" of "Sex Money Kiss." I have never received a better return on an investment as I did in investing that $15.00 in your book.
A couple of years ago, I was $10,000 in credit card debt. I used to stay awake at night trying to figure out how to get out of it. I began to realize that I was on the wrong path.
Then I listened to "Sex Money Kiss." I want to thank you personally for having changed my life. You presented ideas that had never really occurred to me before. Indeed, you gave me a "kick in the butt" to wake me up from the "thick soup." I have listened to the CD's multiple times and I still enjoy listening to them- I can actually recite sections of the first CD for memory- "CASH BABY" HA HA HA!!!!!
At one time, I used to be depressed because I always wanted to married, and could never find the "right person." But because of you, I now realize just how damn lucky and blessed I am to never have been married. And let's hope I never get married!
And today, I am no longer $10,000 in debt. As of today, I have saved $50,000. And I continue to save...and work...and save.
And thanks to you, I now appreciate the value of a penny- and I now bend over and pick it up if I see one on the ground!!!!
Thank you Gene.
Sincerely,
David Phillips
September 15th -
NEW BRUCE KULICK SOLO ALBUM
Was happy to lend a hand to the powerful and attractive BRUCE KULICK, who is in the midst of his solo record.
Bruce, as you all know, was lead axe grinder in KISS for many years. He's now playing with Grand Funk Railroad. My son, Nick recently went to one of the gigs and came back raving about it.
Anyway, Bruce and I wrote a toon called 'AIN'T GONNA DIE' -- pretty cool stuff. The songwriting happened very fast. We sat around the house and came up with chord patterns and the basic melody came to me almost immediately.
Then, we met at Henson Studios in Hollywood, and between Jeremy (who played my Axe bass on the track), Bruce and myself, hashed out the lyric in one sitting.
The vocals and the track were mostly done in one day.
My good lookin' son NICK also came down to the studio and found himself in the vocal booth scatting his own melody/lyric. What a voice this kid has, if I DO say so myself.
Nick will be working with Bruce on a song or two, as well. Singing lead.
And, we brought down our GENE SIMMONS FAMILY JEWELS tv crew to film some of the recording.
For more info, check out Bruce's website: KULICK.NET.
From left to right..
Jeremy Rubolino (bass), Kevin Churko (engineer), GS, BK, Brent Fitz (drums)
Here's Nick with Bruce Kulick in the studio.
New letters posted...
Gene,
I just saw the Gene Simmons for President t-shirts. You really should run some time. I think you would make a GREAT president. With your astute knowledge of people, money savy you would get this country out of the red in no time.
Consider it. I'd vote for you.
Pam
Response from Gene:
Thanks.
But, I only have two problems with public office. 1. It doesn't pay much (and everyone mostly, dislikes you). 2. While Democracy is wonderful on paper, I would prefer a Benevolent Dictatorship. Things get done.
Now, everyone send your hate mail to ________________
New letters posted...
I just saw you on Criss Angel Mindfreak. I was glad to see more since Gene Simmons Family Jewels had a limited amount from the store opening. How did you ever let that million dollar check slip through your hands?!? It's pretty cool how Criss fools our mind and eyes. He's just amazing, but not quite as amazing as you.............
New letters posted...
Hi Gene,
no question just a link to a very creative artist who did a CG(computer graphics) painting of you .............
http://forums.cgsociety.org/showthread.php?f=121&t=667529
...... enjoy.Rock on!!!!
A fan
New letters posted...
Hey Gene,
Your Brother From Another Mother,
Rod Whitenack
September 7th -
GENE SIMMONS on TODAY SHOW
September 6th -
September 5th -
SUCCESS STORIES September 5, 2008
A Conversation with KISS' Gene Simmons
The legendary rock star shares his business philosophy, explains why flying economy is OK, and urges aspiring entrepreneurs to become 'voracious readers'
As the fire-spitting front man for the rock band KISS, Gene Simmons has put on his kabuki make-up and donned his platform dragon boots for the past 35 years. But for Simmons, KISS is just, well, his night job. Born Chaim Witz in Haifa, Israel, Simmons came to America as an eight-year-old boy and says he has been living the American Dream ever since. Known for both his music and his business acumen, he's the force behind thousands of licensed KISS products and numerous ventures, including his discontinued magazine Gene Simmons' Tongue, Simmons Records, clothing line Moneybag, and the brand marketing firm Simmons Abramson Marketing, the outfit behind the "I Am Indy" Campaign. He's also continuing to keep his brand in the public spotlight: His reality TV show Gene Simmons Family Jewels is coming back for a fourth season on A&E, he has a new reality show called Jingles on tap, and in July he released his tome on prostitution, Ladies of the Night.
Simmons recently spoke with staff writer Stacy Perman about entrepreneurship, failure, and all things Gene Simmons. Edited excerpts of their conversation follow.
Which do you consider yourself first, a rock star or an entrepreneur?
That's an interesting question and the simple answer is a bit of both. Nobody does just one thing. But the real difference between being an entrepreneur and everyone else in the world is the ability to monetize. I am an entrepreneur in the classic mold. No matter what I do—outside of sticking my tongue out—I tend to make money, and quite a bit in non-KISS stuff.
How did you understand so early that you could leverage KISS into other business ventures?
When the band was starting off, we noticed that T-shirts and non-music items were earning a substantial amount of money. KISS quickly became a multi-headed beast: rock band and rock 'n' roll brand—and the only one to have endured the ages and decades of fads and fashions. Today we have 3,000 licensed products, everything from condoms to caskets. We have you coming and going.
Where would you say got your business education?
The United States of America. The best school is the street, and most successful entrepreneurs did not go to Wharton. Both Google (GOOG) and Hewlett-Packard (HPQ) were created in a garage. The difference between those that become a Buffett success—and I don't mean Jimmy—have an innate inborn connection. Their snouts are close to the ground. If you look at the CEOs of some the most successful companies in the world like IKEA, they never fly first class. They always goes economy. Sam Walton of Wal-Mart (WMT) had a second-hand car and lived in the middle of nowhere.
So are you saying you don't fly first class?
I fly economy. I do often fly first class, but I don't travel with a posse, or bodyguard, or an assistant. I use other people's infrastructure. For instance, I am going to address the AARP convention in Washington, D.C. I will fly first class to New York on AARP's dime, get into a town car, stay not in a grand suite, but a nice hotel room. I don't pretend to be poor, but somewhere in the middle is O.K.
How do you identify a business opportunity?
I trust my gut. I have to have an emotional connection to what I am ultimately selling because it is emotion, whether you are selling religion, politics, even a breath mint. If you study Warren Buffett, he only invests in what he knows—and he knows what he doesn't know. Never throw money at what you don't know. Maybe I'm conservative that way.
Does anything from the experience of being in KISS translate into being an entrepreneur?
Besides the fact that fame is fleeting-except for me-it's also a door opener. Never underestimate the power of being popular in pop culture. You have to be able to do something. You can have a good seat at the restaurant but you still have to pay for the meal. Fame is important, but to be rich is more important.
Most rockers seem content to just make music. What drives you?
Rockers are idiots, come on. If strapping a guitar around their neck hadn't worked out, thanks to the grace of god, they'd be putting on an apron and asking the person next to them if they'd like fries with that.
One of the things that distinguishes most entrepreneurs is their ability to fail and pick themselves up and try again—has that been your experience?
I fail all of the time. It means nothing.
What would you say has been your biggest failure?
I haven't had too many big ones but for the past two years, I've been dancing with Gary Bettman [the NHL commissioner], trying to figure out some way to [get him to] hire Simmons Abramson. It hasn't happened yet.
That's a failure, your inability to seal a deal with Bettman?
I'm used to being in a meeting and grabbing it. Failure is relative to everyone. In the 1929 stock market crash, people jumped out of buildings although they were healthy and could do it again. In the real world, there is no failure because you are alive. My mother survived the Nazis and she taught me an ideal: If you are alive you've won, no matter what.
Who in business do you admire?
The Warren Buffets and the Bill Gateses of the world—they are not interested in putting on big shows, they are real, hard-core capitalists. It's a very romantic ideal. I am an avowed self-made capitalist. I earned every penny I made and I'm proud of it and I'm hungrier than ever.
With your level of success, you're still hungry for more?
There is no such thing as enough. Only small minds put barricades in front of themselves. If you perceive death, it is only a matter of time until you are dead. The guys with the most amount of money don't get caught up in the trappings—it's the lottery winners that buy all the stuff. Money, ironically enough, is beside the point. It's the hunt, not the kill.
At times you've been called more of a marketer than a business, what do you say?
Gee, I don't know what the difference is.
At one point in your varied career you managed Liza Minelli. She doesn't seem to automatically come to mind when one thinks of KISS and Gene Simmons.
All business models are the same: It's coming up with the price of goods and marketing and trying to make a profit. Capitalism is the same unless you are a charity, and even there you are figuring out how to pay yourself first.
What would you consider to be your best business advice?
Be a voracious reader. When I first came to America, I was blown away and blessed the day the founding fathers gave us free libraries. It was the first time since the Gutenberg Bible that all information became available to all levels of society. Everyone has the same access to information, which is access to power.
Conventional wisdom holds that small business is the engine of the American economy—what do you think?
No, it's not. It's big business. Wal-Mart is the largest employer. If Wal-Mart goes out of business, how many millions will be out of work? It is the biggest businesses that run the economy. That is why I say, be nice to rich people. I don't remember the last time a poor person gave you a job.
New letters posted...
Hey Gene,
Here's a picture of Olympic gold medalist Shawn Johnson saluting the crowd in Beijing.
Brad
September 3rd -
GENE SIMMONS Keynote Speaker
at AARP CONVENTION, WASH DCHeading out to NY to do the TODAY SHOW to promo my forthcoming Keynote Speech at the Annual AARP CONVENTION on September 6th in Washington DC, in front of 30,000 people.
Then head off to Toronto on September 7th for a Charity Event hosted by Magna, the world's largest auto parts entity.
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