On a recent episode of Steve-O’s Wild Ride! podcast, Kiss bassist and vocalist Gene Simmons was asked if he now tours and performs with his solo band.
Gene responded: “Yes. Gene Simmons Band already headlined — oh, goodness. We were in South America, São Paulo [in April]… So we’re going to Europe [this summer] to headline festivals and other stuff. And [we’re] just having a lot of fun.
“By the way, I designed a business model that is just semi-genius. I show up with my guitar pick. That’s it. There’s no manager, no roadies, no trucks, no equipment. Everything is provided by the promoter. The flights, the hotels, all the amplifiers, the drums, everything is rented locally. That’s the promoter’s cost, and whatever six-figure or more amount there is, I pocket.
“And I literally make more money per gig being Gene Simmons and the Gene Simmons Band than I did in Kiss — not counting the ancillaries and all that — because you don’t have a 60-man crew, three double deckers, private jet that’s on call seven days a week and 20 to 24 tractor trailers.”
The Gene Simmons Band lineup includes guitarists Brent Woods and Zach Throne, as well as drummer Brian Tichy.
On April 26, 2024, the Gene Simmons Band performed its second concert of the year at the Summer Breeze festival held at Memorial Da América Latina in São Paulo, Brazil. The setlist featured several KISS classics, as well as covers of Motörhead‘s “Ace of Spades” and Led Zeppelin‘s “Communication Breakdown.”
