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. The shot from Springfield 79.09.05 shows the new inlay. 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. . The very obvious absence of an Axe during 1990-95, with the possible . Nashville, TN (January 8, 2021) -- Gibson, the iconic American guitar brand, has entered into a joint venture with Gene Simmons, international rock legend and co-founder of KISS, America's #1 gold record award-winning group of all time, in all categories (RIAA), to create G. LoBue custom Fender P-bass. At least, thats what most lists would have you believe. The Kiss aesthetic wont appeal tonon-fans. 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. As mentioned in the Axe section this could be considered a comment of sorts on the differing sonic qualities of the two basses. Jan 11, 2009. so I read an article years ago where it talked about gene simmons' live rig, but i couldn't find any info anywhere and the magazine is long gone, so I spoke with his tech Spike and he said basically this is it: 1 SVT-2 Pro. In 2017, Gene Simmons hit the headlines for something pretty controversial among the rock world. The pickup is still the original one as we can see from the lovely closeups. The women and shady affairs that destroyed Gene Simmons' life. Tweed and Simmons were together for 28 years before they decided to tie the knot in 2011. First the finish is re-done to be an all-black and Steve Carr makes a headstock inlay of Gene's makeup face. Princes cause of passing was ultimately ruled as an accidental overdose. It appears as if the Fender-style bridge that was previously under the bridge cover is moved back, sans the saddles, and a different bridge used in its stead. On the other hand, Gene seems to think hes a part of the One percent as he confessed to being one of the wealthiest people out there during an interview with the San Diego Union-Tribune. Along with the refinish the knobs were changed to match the new color. Apart from those changes it appears identical to the Jackson right down to the black tuning pegs. He is the God Of Thunder, after all. As far as video evidence goes it first appears in the opening credits of KISS Meets the Phantom of the Park (see below). 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). Again it's the bridge that gets a change with a very odd combination. It even has the original pickup right up to the end of 1980. Meet Gene On Tour. - Hard Shell Gene Simmons fitted bass case signed by Gene Simmons. It can be tough for any celebritys child to make a name for themselves when their parents are Hollywood royalty. Both stars were known for their use of illegal substances, and both lost their lives while they were still in their prime. It seems that Gene thinks its time for one genre in particular to disappear: rap. And for the Valdez Axe that's all she wrote. Talking about rap and hip-hop was enough to get plenty of people talking about Gene Simmons and his ever-changing music views. The basses are often signed or played on stage depending on what price point the buyer wants to reach for. The Ripper was introduced as the "big brother" to the Grabber in 1973. Gene Simmons has often been questioned about who he has been with and how many people have made their way to the list over the years. Apparently, the staff were all in a meeting when Gene burst into the room - unannounced. Metal, wood. They werent the only ones who had something to say, as Nikki Sixx from Mtley Cre has been open about his battles with depression. Unfortunately it is exceedingly difficult to try and identify which Spector is which in most photos, even if they are well-lit. Various production versions of the instrument often feature pickup configurations and tone controls that offer a wider tonal palate, but Gene doesnt want anything getting in the way, and so his personal versions feature just a volume control. Or maybe the rather strange decision to use the Axe for a song like Reason to live during the Crazy Nights tour drove home the point that the Axe was a somewhat odd fit for the image at the time. The legendary rocker Gene Simmons has gone through various hairstyles over the previous decade. Here we see the original two-knob version on the far left and a few pics of the modified one-knob version. Gene's version is either a '76 or '77 ebony version that was modfied from the get-go. My bass is the only musical instrument that is an invention., Jokes abound about the level of KISS merchandise available, but the reality is that Simmons was ahead of his time in terms of understanding how to monetise and control his image and legacy, and trademark ownership has played a big part of that. It might sound impossible, but its true. It is also, when visible, curiously unaffected by lighting conditions. The bass icon on bass rigs, riches and 50 years of music. Pink AXE Guitar. There was suppose to be 1,000 . 2023 Guitar.com is part of NME Networks. Spector #2 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. It turned out the bass player wanted to trademark the devil horns sign. The two entities have teamed up for G, which will offer multiple electric guitar and bass collections across Gibson Brands, including Gibson, Epiphone and Kramer. G, from Gene to Gibson, will introduce new collections of right and left-handed electric guitars and basses across . There was once a time that Gene Simmons appeared to be on Fox News at every waking moment. But in the three pictures below I'm having a. Personal messages from members of The Gene Simmons Bass Collectors Club. Would you believe that hes been building a business empire for himself since he was back in college? 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. 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. One can see the sparkling of the finish during his blood-spitting routine. Gibson Gene Simmons G2 Thunderbird: Price Comparison, We check over 250 million products every day for the best prices. That Gene managed to play that bass and actually got something resembling music from it is a true accomplishment. However, he's also been known for the varied love life he's led over the years, with his numerous relationships having been . Larry Harris had set up an endorsement deal which apparently specified that the band use Gibsons exclusively on stage in exchange for free instruments (see. Gene Simmons has played all sorts of instruments over the years, from the Charlie LoBue custom bass guitar heard on the early Kiss albums to his own Punisher and Axe signatures, although for a while in the mid-70s Simmons did experiment with Gibson Grabbers and Rippers. Get the latest news, reviews and features to your inbox. In a rather unprecedented move the bass is left alone with no noticeable modifications. Visit our corporate site (opens in new tab). One of the Viewmaster pics show the thickness of the body to be almost double that of a regular bass. We will meet you at a designated area at the venue, prior to the show to organize details etc . LoBue custom Gibson Grabber Gibson Ripper. That is probably going to be a very big item. Here we can see the outline of the tape coverup (check the full-size pic for better detail) for the last time. The body of the instrument is shaped like the . You've written some truly timeless basslines over the years so what exactly is the Gene Simmons guide to finding the perfect part? Viewed as a whole it is obvious that the LoBue was far and away Gene's favorite. Apparently, Gene wanted to sue everyone who shared copyrighted files, something that saw his site get taken down by Anonymous. 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. "I just had a guy named Stuart Spector build me one with a longer neck. Thats right; Parade reports that Gene used to teach sixth grade. Instead, roadies would allegedly hand Gene a cup of theater blood at some point in the performance. You know, I dont think in those terms, he explains. At the heart of the axe-shaped Simmons bass is its electronics system. Considering that the mkI version had a single coil pickup (possibly a stacked humbucker) the third knob is somewhat of a mystery. Gene tapped Valdez Guitars to build the first one, then Steve Carr built a few, as did Kramer, Jackson, and Cort. Gene even went as far as to accuse the legend of lip-syncing her performances in the past. One of the least used basses in Gene's arsenal, the Gibson Les Paul Triumph doesn't appear in any live photographs from 1976. Miley Cyrus is one of the many on the list as the musician wanted to break away from her Disney Channel persona in the most memorable way possible. 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). His many accomplishments include his work as an outstanding actor and television actor, guitarist, singer, singer-songwriter, film producer, composer, voice actor, blogger, songwriter, and record producer, to name a few. . Some have wondered why the Kiss star hasnt used his time in the limelight to help other people on their rise to the top. Conclusion. 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). Greg Kennelty. 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. The instrument is clearly a Triumph rather than the earlier Les Paul bass (the control scratchplate is a dead giveaway) but Gibson only offered it in natural and white finishes which leads me to believe that the instrument in Gene's hands was refinished. Why the other two remain unchanged is anyone's guess. and I am certainly no expert on any of those instruments. The offstage shot shows Gene with the bass and the action on that thing could make a grown man cry. Roland 555 space/echo (for solo) controlled by manipulating the intensity and . See the evolution of Gene's Bass technique!! As Simmons explains, because I owned the name and the design, it qualifies as an invention in the library of congress. 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. Spector #1 Spector #2 Valdez Axe Carr Axe. 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). We now know that Gene Simmons doesnt always have the most popular opinions on people who use illegal substances. Instead, he decided to keep himself as healthy as possible as Gene told CNN that hes never even tried an adult beverage or taken any illegal substances. Gene also caused a stir when he admitted he feels immigrants should all learn to speak English before moving to the States. There's very nice video of it from both Houston and Anaheim in August that show the mk VI in action. "The first project with KISS for me, was when Gene said he wanted a guitar shaped like an executioner's axe. 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. 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.). According to Simmons' tech at (13:16), "This is the main bass for the show. Unlike the EMG PJ set typically found in Simmons Punisher and Axe, however, these high-output humbuckers arent active, so theres no need to worry about battery power. There was a reason that so many people tried to live the life of groupies. It looked as though he needed it as Genes outfit weighs quite a lot thanks to all those theatrical additions. Sometimes the paintbrush can be just as beautiful as the art it inspires and creates. I dont care, it doesnt mean anything to me.. Together the two pickups complement each other very well indeed, with serious weight and bite that can be easily tamed through the respective volume controls. 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. Apparently, the staff were all in a meeting when Gene burst into the room unannounced. Things got off to a bad start when Gene started telling inappropriate jokes and only got worse when he began hitting people with copies of his new book. 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. Be on Fox News at every waking moment two-knob version on the far left a... Those changes it appears identical to the show 1990-95, with the bass and actually got something music... 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