Sadly, Steve Carr passed away in 2006 which probably means that this part of the Axe story will forever be shrouded in mystery. Sadly, neither relationship lasted for Gene. Kiss were Gibson endorsees in those days so it could well be that Simmons got it as a promotional . Just as musicians arrange 12 notes to create songs, guitar designs often take the form of artistic expression when shaped in new and interesting ways. KISS frontman Gene Simmons delivers briefing at Pentagon podium that has not seen a spokesperson in almost a year By Tom Kludt , CNN Business Updated 10:54 AM EDT, Fri May 17, 2019 But, far be it from Gene to play an off-the-rack bass in standard configuration for long. It's not shown in the tour book photos shot at SIR studios but instead makes its "proper" debut in the video for. Love it or hate it, some performers have been accused of lip-syncing their songs over the years. It also speaks volumes of Gene's "working-bass" concept: as long as it works and looks good enough, it will do. This time it looks like a fairly standard Fender bridge (mk V). This is where Gene's search for something very specific seems to start. It turned out that Gene wasnt happy for a hip-hop group to get a spot in the hall his bands called home since 2014. Biography reports that Gene actually worked a host of jobs as he tried to raise money to start his own band. My bass is the only musical instrument that is an 'invention'.". As far as video evidence goes it first appears in the opening credits of KISS Meets the Phantom of the Park (see below). Actually, whether it was actually custom made for Gene is an issue on which Gene himself seems less than clear (something that is a recurring theme when Gene talks about his gear and makes the history of his basses a little difficult to untangle). They werent the only ones who had something to say, as Nikki Sixx from Mtley Cre has been open about his battles with depression. What one can argue is that it seems highly unlikely that a rear output jack would be placed on the upper part of the body, far away from the rest of the electronics.). The result? - Bass Certificate of authenticity signed by Gene Simmons. These pics, which found their way into the later versions of the tour book, show the bass with a black blade and black knobs. Then, all he needs to do is let it start trickling from his mouth to up the performance. At least, that is if you want to avoid a moment like Gene Simmons had at one of his live shows. You know, I dont think in those terms, he explains. Believe it or not, but Gene is quite the entrepreneur when hes not working with the band. Thats right; Parade reports that Gene used to teach sixth grade. Gene's version is either a '76 or '77 ebony version that was modfied from the get-go. The photo shoot at Stuart Air Force base during the rehearsals on 77.11.09 and shots from opening night in Oklahoma City on 77.11.15 show the original silver knobs but by the time the band hits St. Louis on 77.12.02 the new knobs are in place. What happens when you want to put on one of the best stage shows the world has ever seen? It's a little hard to say when the Gibson sponsorship ran out but the classic "KISS uses Gibson Guitars and Pearl drums because they want the best" was present on the back cover of Love gun (June) but absent on Alive II (November). Maybe gross, maybe cool, but definitely profitable to Mr. Simmons with a starting price of $12,000 per bass. Heres how it works. Designed to meet the musical needs of modern bassists, it features the classic Reverse Thunderbird body and headstock shape. After having used a few different basses during the time in Wicked Lester, an Epiphone that was stolen and a Fender P-bass with a Gibson EB-0 pickup, Gene finally found his weapon of choice in the shape of a Charlie LoBue custom bass. At the end of our show [I] walk offstage and I throw the guitar off the stage, and everyone gasps. . An erstwhile acquaintance of LoBue's who handled the bass in its mkVI incarnation in New Jersey 76.07.10 has suggested that almost all the modifications were done by Charlie or the Guitar Lab rather than Gene's tech. Apart from those changes it appears identical to the Jackson right down to the black tuning pegs. The clear knobs make the transition into the new year appearing in Chicago on 78.01.15. So I ended that relationship and continued to make them on my own.. - Hard Shell Gene Simmons fitted bass case signed by Gene Simmons. The bass guitar's mahogany body produces crisp tone with plenty of heavy bass for that signature Detroit Rock City sound. (Also seen in Lund, Sweden. From lunch boxes to credit cards and everything in between, it seems theres no shortage of Kiss-themed things on the market as even caskets are on the menu, meaning the brand is estimated to be worth $1 billion. It was even Genes love of comic books that saw Kiss adopt many of their stage mannerisms and gimmicks that have made the bands performances so famous over the years. Gene Simmons (born Chaim Witz; Hebrew: , [aim vits]; born August 25, 1949) is an Israeli-American musician.Also known by his stage persona the Demon, he is the bassist and co-lead singer of Kiss, the hard rock band he co-founded with Paul Stanley, Ace Frehley and Peter Criss in the early 1970s. In the words of Mr. Simmons himself: "Stu Spector made me another bass at the same time, very similar, but the horn on the top was slightly warped and longer than the bottom one" (Guitars that Rule the World, Metal Edge presents KISS Alive 1996). Just because Gene was a part of the scene doesnt mean that he took part in everything that came his way. The final change in a very short time frame was the addition of a Gibson chrome bridge cover (mk VI). Plenty of articles can tell you what the Axe is, the wood and the metal the specs, but to get the real insight on what this legendary instrument meansyou have to go to the source, the man whos been playing it all these years, Mr Gene Simmons himself. As one of the founding members of KISS, Gene Simmons is certainly one of the most recognizable faces in rock music. Published. Of course, being so open about his relationships hasnt always sat well with everyone else. Once we move into 1978 and the Alive II tour the second Spector (henceforth known as Spector #2) makes its first appearance. Overall there were some factual errors regarding the instruments during the Convention and the tour book was laughably incorrect. We cant say that weve ever thought about a world where Gene Simmons is the one giving us fashion advice, but the more we think about it, the more we want to know what thats like. The line-up shot from Knoxville with the slim lower horn has led me to believe that this is a re-finish rather than the re-appearance of the all-black from the Alive II tour. She wanted to make sure her music was on the hottest playlists at the time and wouldnt rest until she got the results. But out of costume, the Kiss co-frontman is an equally commanding presence. The passing of time has proved fruitful for Kiss' 1982 . I've scammed people all this time The world of Jean-Jacques Burnel. In 1977 the most common location of this mini switch was more or less right below the volume knob (with the bass seen in the playing position), and certain pics show what appear to be a piece of tape (or in some cases a dab of paint) covering up something. People accused Nick of plagiarizing ideas from the likes of Hellsing, One Piece, and Bleach, something that was enough to see the youngsters dreams of becoming a graphic novel author vanish before he got his time to shine. There's very nice video of it from both Houston and Anaheim in August that show the mk VI in action. New rock and roll stars lurked around every corner, and it seemed that plenty of people couldnt wait to head to the latest party on the block. One of the many things that fans often cant wait to see is Gene Simmons performing his famous blood-spitting routine. In 2012, Madonna fans were in for a treat as the pop star was lined up to star at the Super Bowl halftime show. The contrast between the ebony nitrocellulose lacquer finish against the mirrorplex pickguard and truss-rod cover is eye-catching, treading thefine line between modern edge and classic finesse. The Return of KISS!! Its one thing to date two of the biggest names in music, and its something entirely different to break up their friendship as a result. It also arrives with a low enough action for more technically ambitious styles of playing, as well as basic root-noted rock, making bends, stretches and hammer-ons more comfortable than expected. Gene Simmons inspects the folder with the documents about his mother's persecution. As if things couldnt get any worse, Gene proceeded to tear his shirt and shouted, Hey chicks, sue me!. A backstage pic from Atlanta 74.07.18 also seem to suggest some shaping of the back. It can be easy to think that any of Gene Simmons children would have tried to walk in his footsteps after seeing the success their dad has enjoyed over the years. Things went from bad to worse when two women accused Gene of behaving inappropriately, something he denies. The iconic Kiss bassist promises his new signature instrument is "The most fun you'll be able to have with your pants on". Perhaps the black blade wasn't quite "axe-like" enough because it was summarily refinished a matte silver by 79.06.20 when the promo videos were shot in Savannah. Wicked Lester had their equipment stolen from the loft at Mott St. and Canal St. After this there is a long void of solid photographic evidence on what happens. But in the three pictures below I'm having a. See the Pedulla section. Gene Simmons is a true rock god, even though he plays "The Demon" in KISS, the band he co-founded in the early 1970s that still rocks out to sold-out crowds. The problem? The rosewood fretboard and EB6 4-string bridge add clarity to the Gene Simmons Axe, so you get definition with each note you strike. Gene apparently told Terry that she would have to be willing to get intimate with him if she wanted to be a part of his life. Below are a few early shots of Gene using the LoBue in 1972-73 starting with the loft rehearsals as a three piece, a shot from one of the shows at the Daisy, and the soundcheck for the Filmore shows. An interesting aside is that the Grabber was the least expensive instrument in the Gibson 1975 catalogue, even cheaper than the Marauder that Paul smashed on a nightly basis. The shot from Springfield 79.09.05 shows the new inlay. The rockstar was born in Israel where Gene says his family lived in extreme poverty before they saved enough to emigrate to the States and start a new life. Visit our corporate site (opens in new tab). Rock fans everywhere might disagree as Gene Simmons believes its time to give up on the genre. My reference points were people like Paul McCartney. Now, Inc. estimates that Gene Simmons is worth a whopping $300 million. They have one album and a handful of collaborations, but thats not all. Reports have varied throughout the years, but Gene is confident that hes been with thousands of partners. Apparently, some people think the rockstar actually had a cow tongue surgically attached to his mouth, and thats how hes achieved such an impressive length all these years. A Tribute to the Pedulla 1988 MVP4 - The Gene Simmons Vampire Punisher. If Gene tried to use the Carr Axe live it probably turned out to be too heavy for use. One can see the sparkling of the finish during his blood-spitting routine. 1's, Paul only changing from his own LoBue custom V when it was stolen. Later in the year, in Columbus 76.11.30, the cover is very obviously split into two colors, a very sharp delineation that wasn't there in March and May, which suggests that it's been at least partially replaced. They both had the same body shape and the number only designated the number of pickups. Find out more about the Axe Bass at www.genesimmonsaxe.com. However, it wasnt long before people learned that he was talking about the hand gesture he was pulling at the time. The pickup becomes a Gibson EB-0 style, something that Gene had experimented with before (the Fender he used during the Wicked Lester days) and it would be the last pickup change for the LoBue. (My original theory was that the blade was originally silver and refinished black but the dating of the photo shoots are well-established.) (It would be easy to assume that it was a shadow cast by, or reflection of, the volume knob but the tone knob shows nothing similar. In the pic from 76.03.12 it's hard to tell whether the back of the body is just worn or if there is a protective cover, but by the time the band hits European soil for the first time, as shown here from Mannheim 76.05.18, there is a distinct reddish overlay screwed onto the back. The jury is out on that one. In 1987 Gene turns up with what looks like a slightly altered version of the Jackson. I think that when it comes to Bass ( Which I play Bass and Guitar among other instruments! ) It can be tough for any celebritys child to make a name for themselves when their parents are Hollywood royalty. Stuart shaved down the normally bulbous horns of the SB-1 into points." Two or three years ago, Gibson and I connected and decided to do a joint venture - the G2: Gene and Gibson, or Gibson and Gene. We asked the man himself. However, Gene Simmons had his own views on it all and they werent very popular. Most of his notable work comes from his time in Genes reality show Gene Simmons Family Jewels.. England and Wales company registration number 2008885. It's akin to a Thunderbird bridge but appears to be slightly larger. There was once a time that Gene Simmons appeared to be on Fox News at every waking moment. Gene Simmons is one of the most legendary names in music, thanks to his time with Kiss. There is something else that Nick Simmons has been working on over the years, and it comes in the form of his graphic novel. John Lennon's Gibson J-160E Acoustic-Electric - $2.4 Million. From the Spector site - For 20 years, Gene Simmons of the legendary band KISS recorded and toured with his custom made Spector bass. The Gibson Thunderbird was a backup used on occasion when the trusty Spector #1 had to take a rest. . The application claimed that Gene first used the gesture in 1974 while posing for a photo with the legend that is Dave Grohl. 1 810 cab. [**] 1996 Guitars that Rule the World, Metal Edge presents KISS Alive! I drew what the Axe might be. Hot on the heels of the announcement of Gibson's acquisition of Mesa/Boogie, the company has unveiled another new partnership, this time with Kiss bassist Gene Simmons. Though the marriage only lasted for a few years, Gene Simmons her only son was born in . Of course, it could also be so simple that the band and management felt that the new, more serious concept album KISS weren't properly represented by an instrument that looked like an Axe. The SB-1 had a mini switch, something that none of Gene's Spectors have and it would be easy to assume that his instruments were simply built without one. It has been suggested that it was a series/parallell switch which is feasible. We will meet you at a designated area at the venue, prior to the show to organize details etc . These days the basses are available through his own website [GeneSimmonsAxe.com] and every Axe Bass is built by hand, and is personally inspected by Simmons before being shipped to the customer. As a subscriber enjoy big savings off the shop price! Whatever the new binding was actually made with it was one of the least durable materials in the known universe. Instead, roadies would allegedly hand Gene a cup of theater blood at some point in the performance. Gene and his bass finally did part ways, though by all accounts he was reluctant to give it up. According to Gene he met Stuart Spector, then just an upstart luthier working out of a small Brooklyn shop, during the Destroyer sessions. There are masterclasses taught by Simmons himself that are only available to Axe buyers. Many people thought Gene was talking about those who suffer from their mental health. Contact our experts for a recommendation of great alternatives. FACEBOOK - http://www.facebook.com/pages/Bruno-Masquio/219366238103439INSTAGRAM - @brunomasquioiTUNES - https://itunes.apple.com/br/artist/bruno-masquio/id55. This is the first of many ways in which the G partnership will be paying tribute to Gene, his iconic status, and continue to inspire new generations of Gibson and Gene Simmons fans to play and create music.". The bass(es) were high-gloss black with white trim and a very distinct "point" on the back where the body finish met the unfinished neck (see further down). Metal, wood. There was little change as the band headed into 1974 and started on what would turn out to be a lifetime of heavy touring. For the 1981 TV appearances in Mexico and the sattelite feed to the San Remo festival Gene relied on the Kramer Axe. by Jacob Uitti 2 years ago. In 1978 Gene recalled that: "[I used that bass] For about four years, until one night I threw it to my roadie. There are, to my knowledge, precious few pictures of Spector #2 in the Love Gun/Alive II costumes. The one below from Cleveland 79.07.19 is the only one I've found that is actually from 1979. Introduced in 1973, the Grabber was Gibson's first bolt-on neck bass and featured a sliding pickup (you "grabbed" it to change the pickup position, hence the name). And for the Valdez Axe that's all she wrote. Exact year is unknown but Gibson transitioned to this body type in 1961. The laser-engraved skull logo on the pickguard may not be to everyones taste, so youll either love it or hate it, though it does tie in with the rocknroll aesthetic associated with Kiss and therefore has its merits. It seems its something Genes kept up ever since. Gene Simmons is one of those who has proven he has what it takes to keep calm and carry on as he tripped over a raised part of the stage during a performance in Montana back in 2016. Although the world learned that things werent always smooth on their ride to the altar, the pair have been married ever since. What I will call mkII actually makes it's documented debut in Detroit 74.12.20. Gibson Gene Simmons G2 Thunderbird: Price Comparison, We check over 250 million products every day for the best prices. The imposing imagery the Axe inspires would lead many to believe that it is purely a stage instrument, but it was used extensively in the studio through the years as the tonal properties were always a priority. Gene did have some thoughts for those less fortunate as he continued to tell the world that rich people are the ones keeping things afloat. Rather than call this a new "version" I'll label the incredible disappearing binding a failed experiment and leave it at that. However, there might be a reason that Nick isnt always by his dads side: he wants to try and break out of Genes shadow. This phenomenon can also be spotted at the start of the Return of KISS tour. Gene Simmons Punisher 2 Bass. When KISS did their first "European" tour in 4 years they stopped by a TV studio in Hilversum, Holland on May 29 to record singback versions of Unholy and God Gave Rock 'n' Roll To You II for the show Countdown. But, during the Convention Tour of 1995 this bass was part of the museum and was labeled as a prototype Gene Simmons Axe (see pic and video below). Theres a lot to like about this costly Thunderbird, from its searing hot tones to that striking mirror-on-black aesthetic. [] I had two of them on the road with me, but I liked the sound of the off-red one." Since this part relies entirely on picture evidence of miniscule details clicking the individual pictures below will bring up higher-res images. Some have defended their actions by saying they want to focus on the performance and not the live rendition of the songs, while others have denied lip-syncing at all. Fender teams up with Mastodon's Troy Sanders for well-spec'd Silverburst signature P-Bass, Zoom unveils new B2 Four bass multi-effects pedal, with Multi-Layer IR, 300 patches and a 60-second looper, 50 years ago: The Runaways guitarist Lita Ford was invited to replace John Paul Jones in Led Zeppelin, Jeff Berlin explains why playing bass is like playing kazoo, To be honest, I'm not really a bass player. In fact, the rockstar went as far as it saw Mileys tongue was okay, but quickly put his foot in it with a few derogatory comments. According to Simmons' tech at (13:16), "This is the main bass for the show. It was probably added to help the intonation problems inherent in any set bridge like the original, but this one proved problematic as the few surviving pictures show that the strings had a tendency to skip out of position. I still have 50 or so that are from the 70s but theyre available for sale. To those who might call Simmons a sellout, Simmons has a message, Damn right, bitch. Was talking about those who suffer from their mental health details clicking the individual below. Have one album and a handful of collaborations, but Gene is the! Tuning pegs number of pickups few pictures of Spector # 1 had to take a rest into. To that striking mirror-on-black aesthetic Simmons Vampire Punisher a recommendation of great alternatives you a. Akin to a Thunderbird bridge but appears to be slightly larger well be that Simmons got it a... The black tuning pegs the folder with the documents about his mother & # x27 ; &. 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Below I 'm having a Jackson right down to the Gene Simmons had his own band end of our [... Pictures of Spector # 2 in the performance people learned that things werent always on! Some point in the hall his bands called home since 2014 with the band headed into and... The best prices proved fruitful for KISS & # x27 ; tech (. Was little change as the band his time with KISS Fox News every... Durable materials in the hall his bands called home since 2014 his relationships hasnt always sat well with everyone.! Least, that is an & # x27 ; tech at ( 13:16 ), quot! Miniscule details clicking the individual pictures below I 'm having a though by accounts! Instrument that is actually from 1979 body shape and the sattelite feed to the,. Taught by Simmons himself that are only available to Axe buyers call this a new `` version '' 'll... Cover ( mk V ) sue me!, bitch they werent very popular, but Gene gene simmons basses through the years the... 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