The second change of the Return of KISS tour are actually two changes. Once we move into 1978 and the Alive II tour the second Spector (henceforth known as Spector #2) makes its first appearance. Though he is known for his woodsman-inspired Axe guitar, he told me it . Not only did Terry tell the rockstar that she thought it was a really obnoxious thing to say, but Gene initially refused to let the interview hit the air. What I will call mkII actually makes it's documented debut in Detroit 74.12.20. Its one thing to be in a band. I don't often have a lot of good things to say about . After showing off a few licks, Simmons points out a particular passage he wants to learn, and Kaye obliges. Im spectacular, before adding, Oh Im stunning. Yes, it seems that Gene has struggled to find room in his heart for anyone other than himself as the star often loves to talk about his love for himself, even if its left some people wondering if he knows how to be down to Earth. Gene Simmons VaultCast Episode 1. 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. In 2016, Gene told Rolling Stone that he cant wait until rap music is gone for good and thinks it will only take a decade for it to disappear. Sadly, Gene Simmons wasnt impressed with the look. As well as the pearloid reverse split diamond inlays, its also nice to see the Gibson logo on the front of the headstock, with the G2 logo on the back side near the nut a reassuring consideration given this instruments price. Theres a good chance that you might have to be prepared for things to go a little wrong. Although he managed to get it back up and running, the group quickly took Gene down again to try and take away his voice on the matter. The rockstar tried to say Prince had turned to several cliches that often come with a time at the top and supposedly thought he was the best musician in the world. I originally thought that the natural satin finish, introduced in 1975 and seen in this well-known footage from San Fransisco 75.01.31, was Gene's first which was later re-finished but he actually had two Grabbers on the road with him and he used both during the Winterland show. [*] 1996 Guitars that Rule the World, Metal Edge presents KISS Alive! The rockstar replied Ice Cube should get in touch when Jimi Hendrix gets into the hip hop hall of fame.. Im clear about that. First seen in Detroit on 78.01.20, these knobs will thankfully stay on for quite some time. This guitar was purchased brand NEW in the year 2000! Several fans have spoken about how both were taken from us too soon and the tragedies that have been linked to their passing. Answer (1 of 7): When I was younger it was KISS that got me to listen to Heavy Metal and I thought then that Gene Simmons was the best period! 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. Being a well-known name in the world of music means that Gene Simmons has plenty of opinions when it comes to other musicians and genres. Simmons is announcing a new signature bass guitar in collaboration with Gibson, called the Gene Simmons G Thunderbird Bass. Name: Frank Benpensata From: Staten Island, NY USA First Backstage Bass Experience: Wizard World Comic Convention What I remember most: Getting a private meet and greet with Gene's at his hotel in New York City.This was the night before the NYC Vault Experience in 2018. This is not a traditional signature model arrangement. As Simmons explains, I started out playing Ampeg SVTs and for a while we were going to do a line of SVT amps and they were originally going to be called The Punisher, and I was able to beat Marvel to the trademark for the name Punisher, even though they had a character named The Punisher. Apart from those changes it appears identical to the Jackson right down to the black tuning pegs. )Although not as obvious this is also seen in the pic from Toledo 76.07.30. . Before we move forward we need to take a step back (and get a little ahead of ourselves) and adress a slight "wrinkle" in the photos. Most of his notable work comes from his time in Genes reality show Gene Simmons Family Jewels.. That was until 2011 when Gene suddenly got down on one knee and decided to make things official. PURCHASE & PAYMENT PLANS. There's very nice video of it from both Houston and Anaheim in August that show the mk VI in action. Gene even went as far as to accuse the legend of lip-syncing her performances in the past. Gene Simmons, bassist and co-vocalist of rock band Kiss, looks back on the band's career, and how he has been in charge of the group's highly lucrative business affairs. This mkV version stays unmolested for the remainder of 1979, the last photographic evidence being from 79.12.06. We asked the man himself. Right after the guitar was purchased, it was immediately packed in its hard case along with all of the items the guitar came with, which included: The Certificate of Authenticity, the original Gene Simmons hard . Here we see the original two-knob version on the far left and a few pics of the modified one-knob version. The worlds leading authority and resource for all things guitar. Theres a lot to like about this costly Thunderbird, from its searing hot tones to that striking mirror-on-black aesthetic. The pickup is still the original one as we can see from the lovely closeups. The LoBue worked tirelessly night in and night out and didn't go through any changes except the wear and tear of heavy use. 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). I have a very large ego, dont wonder about that! . Designed to meet the musical needs of modern bassists, it features the classic Reverse Thunderbird body and headstock shape. Personal messages from members of The Gene Simmons Bass Collectors Club. But did he ever imagine such a strange instrument would become as successful as it has? It might sound impossible, but its true. There are masterclasses taught by Simmons himself that are only available to Axe buyers. We get an excellent close-up of it in the instrument line-up pic from Knoxville but live shots seem to be lacking. The one in the middle does feature the pointy headstock that was a feature of all of the guitars Carr built for KISS (see Ace's mini-Explorer and Paul's Star guitar for instance). 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. The musician was behind some of the most legendary tunes of our time and left a huge mark on the world when he passed in 2016. Some have wondered why the Kiss star hasnt used his time in the limelight to help other people on their rise to the top. Studio legend Carol Kaye gave KISS bassist Gene Simmons an impromptu bass lesson at Sunset Sound studios in Hollywood, and luckily cameras were rolling to catch it. One of the least used basses in Gene's arsenal, the Gibson Les Paul Triumph doesn't appear in any live photographs from 1976. The original single-coil pickup seems to be gone and in its stead is what looks almost like the Filtertron pickups that Gretsch made. Gibson Gene Simmons G2 Thunderbird: Price Comparison, We check over 250 million products every day for the best prices. Conclusion. See Gibson for more details. Which is why, in addition to some of the cosmetic alterations the Axe has gone through over the years, we often see them with different pickups and hardware as well, as Simmons explained, A pickup is subject to the wood and the body shape. Spector #2 It turns out Gene accidentally rubbed host Terry Gross up the wrong way during an interview with the star. The basic design of the bass has changed a little through the years and it's been made by several luthiers and companies. Bath I didnt know anything else about it the wood, the relationship of the bridge to the neck, I didnt think about any of that. It looks as though Gene Simmons has plenty of opinions that he wants to share with the world, but not all of them have landed. The courts fired back that hand gestures themselves cant be trademarked, meaning Genes case was thrown out, and he was forced to let others pull the pose. That was until a friend suggested Gene get in touch with the singers best friend to try and find a Christmas present. They cover the classic Kiss tones, from the walking lines of Strutter through to heavier hits likeCreatures Of The Night and beyond. The 1970s rock scene was one that had to be enjoyed to be believed. In 1978 Gene recalled that: "[I used that bass] For about four years, until one night I threw it to my roadie. The Ripper was introduced as the "big brother" to the Grabber in 1973. The technical info on the EB-0 is taken from the January 2007 issue of Vintage Guitar (also avilable online). I sell out every night., Just as different paintbrushes might inspire us to paint differently, the Axe is a very different instrument and commands a different vibe when it is played. Both Peter Criss and Gene Simmons weren't the best players of their instruments but by god they both had a cool groove which made their song unmistakenly Kiss. 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. Gene Simmons Bass Solo Compilation from the beginning to the end! Still, it was captured on film, meaning Gene wont forget the moment anytime soon. The very obvious absence of an Axe during 1990-95, with the possible exception below, might suggest that Gene was in fact trying out various prototypes in preparation of going into the Axe business for himself. 1970 replacement Gibson pickup has been added and moved closer to the bridge; and a new, custom shape pickguard has been added. tour. If theres one thing that Gene Simmons is proud of in his life, its the supposed number of women that hes been with throughout his career. Although it was supposed to be a simple shopping spree, its said the couple ended up falling head over heels in love with one another, destroying Chers relationship with Gene and her friendship with Diana. Sadly, that all changed in 2017 when the rockstar made a bit too much of a lasting impression at the new network after a meeting gone wrong. . Radio stations Power 97 and Timple M both announced they were pulling all Kiss songs from their lineup as neither agreed with Genes controversial comments. These pics, which found their way into the later versions of the tour book, show the bass with a black blade and black knobs. The offstage shot also gives us the first look at the tape coverup of the original bridge holes as discussed below, thus beginning Gene's long use of tape coverups. Sadly, neither relationship lasted for Gene. This wasnt the first time that Gene had found himself on the wrong side of people, and several think it wont be the last. Okay, its hard to deny that one of Gene Simmons most prominent features is his tongue. Now, 46 years later, he and Gibson are teaming up for G2, a new line of basses and guitars announced this past week during the NAMM conference. [**] In a 2013 interview at G-Club in Tokyo Gene threw another wrinkle to the story of the LoBue's demise, this time suggesting that he used the bass on stage in 1982 when he fell off the front of the stage, cracked the neck and promptly gave the pieces to a member of the audience. Some people love to embrace every different type of music, while others prefer to stick to what they know. April 13, 2022. The problems with the bridge above promted another change. It usually means the artists miss out on the profits and can have some pretty huge effects. In Atlanta 76.08.29 it's still mk VI but for the start of the Winter Tour in Savannah 76.11.24 the new bridge is in place. There is also a new, wider binding. 1980. [*] Its first appearance is the photo shoot that was set up the day of the Return of KISS dressrehearsal, 79.06.14. The GENE SIMMONS Meet & Greet Bass Signing Includes: - Choice of Gene Simmons Bass, signed & personalized by Gene Simmons. "Well, that is very kind of you to say. 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. 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. 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. The Les Paul Triumph bass, actually designed by Les Paul himself, had been introduced in 1971 as a successor to the Les Paul bass. The final change in a very short time frame was the addition of a Gibson chrome bridge cover (mk VI). Long believed to be a prototype for a possible Gibson Gene Simmons signature guitar, this bass is actually a heavily modified 60's Gibson EB-0. When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission. As Simmons explained, [Cort] started mass producing them and selling them for a cheaper price, obviously, so the wood was cheaper everything was cheaper, and the paint started to crack. It has a twin horn, small body, with one DiMarzio pickup." Roland 555 space/echo (for solo) controlled by manipulating the intensity and . 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. The result? The pics below are from a show in January, either on the 21st or 22nd. During the time they were selling in Spencer's, various companies manufactured the . For some reason the remaining original knobs also get changed at this time, making all three controls black speed knobs. No matter what Gene may say in various interviews, the various instruments he's tried and modified over the years all point to him wanting a simple, no-frills instrument. The Kiss aesthetic wont appeal tonon-fans. The following day, Fox News announced that Gene had been permanently banned from the studios, with some reports claiming there is a photo of Gene behind the security desk to ensure he never sneaks in. At about eight or nine years of age Not once in the Gene Simmons/Bass Player interview (July 1996) does Simmons ever claim . . 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. On the one hand it has an inlay of Gene's makeup on the headstock that looks very similar to the one that Carr did on Spector #1. Gene continued to add how he thinks Prince slowly took his life over many years by using drink and illegal substances, even though neither were mentioned in the official report. Search titles only; Posted by Member: Separate names with a comma. Talking about rap and hip-hop was enough to get plenty of people talking about Gene Simmons and his ever-changing music views. Lets face it; its no secret that some of our favorite celebrities have worked through some pretty mundane jobs before making their way to the top. This version of the bass was Gene's #1 bass more or less from 1973 until the summer of 1975 when he started altering it. To start, people need to take a look at how much Gene brings home from his time with Kiss, which it turns out isnt as much as some people would think. More importantly, however, this feels like a real Thunderbird and being handmade in the USA, it very much is one, with an incredibly resonant mahogany body that rings loud acoustically beforeyouve even plugged it in. Gene Simmons Punisher 2 Bass. Thats not individual products. The bass checked . [*] The Axe presented here has quite a different design than the one that would end up being used but according to the photos it actually made it on tour with the band, seen here in Knoxville on 79.09.12 next to Spector #2. As a session guitarist, he's played alongside members of Judas Priest and Uriah Heep in London ensemble Metalworks, as well as handling lead guitars for legends like Glen Matlock (Sex Pistols, The Faces) and Stu Hamm (Steve Vai, Joe Satriani, G3). Some time between Toledo 75.11.12 and Chicago 75.11.22 Gene changes the volume knob. Things didnt get off to a good start as he accused them of playing a victim, but he made things even worse by stating in an interview that they should take their own lives. Every manufacturer will tell you that they try to ensure their guitars feel playable, but greater care needs to be taken with larger-bodied instruments like this Thunderbird, or they can end up feeling bulky and demanding. Watch Marty Friedman play with Megadeth again, Journey and Steve Lukather play Black Magic Woman. The first change (mk II) is to simple clear lucite knobs with 1-10 numbers on them. All the latest gene simmons celebrity news, videos, and more. While the price tag for the Axe basses might be high, they are often sold as a package deal with other perks. 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. If the LoBue could be considered to have a long and complicated story then the tale of the Spectors is worthy of Sherlock Holmes. It can be tough for any celebritys child to make a name for themselves when their parents are Hollywood royalty. 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