Gene Simmons Disses Prince, Internet Freaks Out

So this happened. Gene Simmons made some nasty comments about Prince, basically blaming the singer's death on drugs. This comes just days after Gene gushed over how wonderful and iconic Prince was to music - and the world.

Gene gave an interview to Newsweek. The money quote from the interview is this:

"I think Prince was heads, hands and feet above all the rest of them. I thought he left [Michael] Jackson in the dust. Prince was way beyond that. But how pathetic that he killed himself. Don’t kid yourself, that’s what he did. Slowly, I’ll grant you... but that’s what drugs and alcohol is: a slow death.”

Now, I'm pretty anti-drug myself. So I don't totally disagree with what Gene is saying here. But I think this is an issue of class. You don't start trashing the dead before the body is even cold, you know? Of course, Gene was trending for hours yesterday after these comments hit the Internet.

As you can imagine, people were not happy. Here's some random Twitter reaction:

Dear Gene Simmons:

Kindly STFU about Prince. You sound like a complete idiot who is desperately trying to stay relevant.

Thanks.

— Bonnie Jett Adams (@bjettadams) May 10, 2016

Gene Simmons called Prince's death pathetic. Just another reason why he should keep his tongue in his mouth

— Eliza Bayne (@ElizaBayne) May 10, 2016

Gene Simmons, the only thing "pathetic" in this equation is you and your talentless band.

— Liberal Metalhead (@BigSamSFO28Left) May 11, 2016

And by nightfall, Paul Stanley inevitably apologized for Gene. Yes, full circle.

Update at 9:03 a.m. May 11 - Gene has apologized for his remarks!

pic.twitter.com/OvpB6pvES8

— Gene Simmons (@genesimmons) May 11, 2016

Comments

[Kixchix]

I'm with you Allison.

That ass seems to be the Trump of rock n roll. The mouth before the brain. We all are aware maybe SOME circumstances beyond Princes' control MAY have or MAY HAVE NOT contributed to his death. But to play Monday morning quarterback and say it's a case of a weak person drowning in drugs or whatever is utterly classless, cruel and quite frankly wrong.

What's that quote...."to walk in a mans shoes....."

Thank goodness Kiss & Simmons are pretty irrelevant these days

[Gallogs]

Full disclosure, I'm a BIG KISS fane. Was Gene wrong to say what he did in a public forum? Yes. Was he wrong to think that way? No. I found the National outcry and bereavement over Prince's death very interesting. There is no question that Prince was a musical genius and apparently a bit eccentric. However I can't remember the last time I saw/heard a Prince song on radio or TV. I can't recall an appearance of his since his Superbowl halftime performance. He was not a public figure and did not tour a lot. So the public outcry over his death was peculiar. I believe people today feed off the media. If the media says it is important, then it has to be important. It seems that some people today want to be part of the story. Just look at the various facebook tributes from "fans". People YOU know that haven't listened to a Prince song since 1999 but yet feel "lost" without him. I've seen tributes from people online that I know haven't given Prince a second thought in 20yrs but yet want jump on the mourning bandwagon. I know this may seem a bit rough to some but it is more a social commentary, nothing against Prince. Though I did find the tributes on NBC to be a bit much since it is apparent that he died of a drug overdose, If the level of public "grieving " reached this level for Prince. What happens when other icons start to die? Sad to say they will be soon. The next 15yrs will lose many just to old age and what comes with it. It is scary, just think about it. The internet will explode when Paul, Ringo, Stevie Wonder, Ozzy and the like pass. This includes the irrelevant Gene Simmons. I do take exception to that, but that is a rant for another day. Peace

[Steve]

Very, very well said, Gallogs. I recognize Prince for the talent he was, but as you put it, the "mourning bandwagon" is ridiculous. Album sales following an artist's death proves that point. If you were the die-hard fan you say you are, you'd already have their music in your collection!

The media reports that "everyone" is buying that music, so all the sheeple (people compared to sheep in being docile, foolish, or easily led) of the world must follow suit.

Gene may be a goof, but I find his refusal to be politically correct refreshing. It's that political correctness that's undermining our entire country.

[Jakki Steal]

Gene once again comes across as a clueless idiot w/ease & w/out fail!
I applaud Paul Stanley for having the balls to acknowledge how stupid Gene's comments were.
-In related news, Kiss is now holding auditions for the next "Star man"-

I've always been very "meh" about Prince his music as a whole to me at best is "Eeh".
Prince dying did nothing whatsoever in making me magically a Prince fan all a the sudden, if anything it makes me hate Prince, having his mediocre songs shoved down my face for 2 to 3 days straight has only made me realize how boring/uneventful his music is/was.

I find it hilarious how all the sudden "millions" of people are now hardcore Prince fans & he for some reason now is a genius.
Prince has not been relevant (for decades) since the mid to late 1980's.

People try to compare him to Michael Jackson, but there is no comparison.
MJ may not have still been at the height of his popularity but as a matter of fact, he released his 'Invincible' CD in 2001 that ended up selling around 10 million copies & he had another top 10 hit in "You Rock My World" around the same time.
To top it off, his "This Is It" 02 Arena Tour sold out 50 shows within an hour or so.
MJ was clearly still in high demand up until the day of his death, so all of the (over) coverage of his death & mourning was 100% deserved.

All this Prince hoopla makes no sense whatsoever & is phony as hell.
If he was so great how come nobody gave a crap at all the day before he died.
He was just cheesy/goofy little dude that wore frilly little purple blouses.

[Will]

i feel you've missed the point Gallogs. Prince certainly maintained an active touring schedule post 2007, check out his tour history.

Check out his imdb on appearances he made after his 2007 Super Bowl performance. I count over 30. Perhaps you just stopped following the career of Prince. But I don't know what that has to do with the comments of Gene, who has no idea the details on how Prince died or what the health of him leading up to his death was.

[fletch]

"I was raised in a culture/crowd where drug addicts were written off as losers, and since that's the narrative I grew up with, it's been hard to change..." -Gene Simmons

Hallelujah, Amen, Bingo, 'bout time, Now you're getting it!

start pointing your finger at yourself and your beliefs and ask yourself, "Why do I act this way and say the things that I do".

Stop making rationales that "the way I was raised is the 'right' way".

Man, sometimes, I feel like I'm beating a dead horse.

[Shawn]

Gallogs, Steve, and Fletch, Great points. I was very surprised at the outpouring of mourning and waiting for the other piece of the puzzle to come into focus.

[fletch]

tell me where I'm wrong sean.

[Jack]

I have just about every Prince album but did buy a few on CD when he died, only because I only had them on cassette before that; I was waiting on some kind of remaster before buying on CD, to avoid buying 3 or more times. Reallistically these would have been coming once he worked things out with Warner Bros.

My point being not everyone who bought an album when he died did so because they felt bad or hadn't bought an album since his heyday.

Anyone who does not recognize his overall talent is ignorant though, plain and simple. Dislike his music all you want but you can't comprehend talent, ability and creativity if you don't think Prince had them all.

[Metalboy!]

$immons IS an IDIOT Extraordinaire... Proof that idiots can still make a lot of money but be completely socially inept...

Jack nails it in the last paragraph...

Check out Prince's guitar solo during the finale performance at his induction into The Rock & Roll Hall of Fame... The proof is in the purple puddin':

http://www.rollingstone.com/music/videos/watch-princes-complete-rock-and-roll-hall-of-fame-performance-20160428

[Herb Maniac]

He knows what he's doing. Classic case of "no such thing as bad press" in the entertainment biz which he subscribes to.

[Rita]

No surprise Gene said this. He's always been judgmental about drug/alcohol issues and the people who experience them.

Paul did the right thing and Shannon needs to take a pill and relax. I hate it when wives start defending their husbands in a public forum. Gene's a big boy and can defend himself. He should be used to fixing his screw ups by now.

[Shawn]

Fletch I agree with you! no disrespect brother...

[oper8n]

We don't mourn artists because we knew them; we mourn because they helped us know ourselves.
I think if Gene would have used "sad" instead of pathetic, it reads better. It was sad, pathetic, tragic, and avoidable. Had his loved ones been able to get him the help he needed, there could have been a much different outcome.

[fletch]

Shawn: I was speaking to a different sean who reads this site sometimes.

[Metalboy!]

Very insightful, Oper8n.

Anyone and everyone, I strongly recommend viewing Prince's absolutely stunning solo you will witness once you click on the link in my previous comments.

[Metalboy!]

And another thing... What's with $immons' hair... That has to be THE weirdest parted hairball of a non-hairdo I've EVER seen! BIZZARE!!!

[Metalboy!]

And Rita...

You are dead on about Shannon, further proof that IDIOTS like she and $immons are meant for each other!!!

[Dj]

Sadly, out of all of Genes controversial comments, I agree with them to a point. Yes, I'm pretty sure everybody is aware that drugs are bad. But being inconsiderate and disrespectful to anyone about it is not a very good thing to do. Prince was human and had a family just like everybody else, and the last thing you should do is trash the person right after their death. I also agree that celebrity death bandwagons is kind of a weird thing too, I respect Prince but am not a huge fan. I never understood why sales skyrocket after someone passes. If you're a fan, you should have the material, if not, why are you buying the material?

[fletch]

I think if Gene would have used "sad" instead of pathetic, it reads better. It was sad, pathetic, tragic, and avoidable. -Oper8n

I hear ya, Oper8n, but remember, it's not just about a choice word, but the tone, attitude and message that he delivered. In this case, Gene Simmons was putting himself on his [forever] pedestal. The rock and roll community heard him quite well.

As Carly Fiorina said to Donald Trump in the Presidential Election debate after he was quoted in Rolling Stone as saying about her, "Look at that face, who would vote for that." And she responded, "The American people know exactly what he said and how he meant it."

Yes, Gene...STFU. Same to you, Shannon. Or should we bring up the videotape of Gene as posted on Metalsludge.com.