Was there ever a time that Gene Simmons really cared about the music?

[Rabrrrrrr]

For some reason I've been on a KISS listening kick lately, and it has led me to wonder if Gene ever truly cared about the music, as an art form (even if lowbrow art form) anywhere near as much as he cared about the rewards for doing music as a career.

If he ever did, that was a long time ago. But I am getting more to the point of thinking that he never cared.

I think Ace absolutely did, and Peter more than likely did (though those two also really liked their drugs, which is unfortunate), and I think Paul cared (maybe still does).

Gene? Eh.

Seems like all he really wanted was to be a rock star, and the only path to that was to have to play rock music.

[In_The_Wind]

1. I seriously doubt it.

imo: he was in it purely for the bucks.

[RevStPatrick]

2. I think you are absolutely right.

I've long had that impression about him...

[Tripper11]

3. I've watched old interviews from the 70's

And he always seemed to be behind the business and marketing of the band more so than the music. It was always about giving a great show which is fine, but there was always that underlying "to make more and more money" type attitude I noticed.

[nomorenomore08]

4. "You're such a jewel in the rough, you wanna show me your stuff..."

"She's a dancer, a romancer, I'm a Capricorn and she's a Cancer..."

As someone said, not even Spinal Tap could write funnier lyrics. And those guys are professional comedy writers.

[olddots]

5. flatly NO

they are show bizz not music bizz but they're funny show bizz

[MrSlayer]

6. No.

I don't know if any of them ever did but he certainly cared least of all. It's all about the show with them. Paul is really the only one with any kind of talent, he can actually sing and his voice is stronger than ever. Gene is a butcher on bass with a terrible voice, Peter hits like an old lady and my son at age 8 was already soloing way better than Ace.

With that said, I was a huge KISS fan until about the age of ten and I still love the first two Alive! records.

[Tom Ripley]

7. No, it has always been nothing more than shtick to Simmons...

and a way to get laid. His high school picture looks like David Berkowitz with less charm.

[Art_from_Ark]

8. Did KISS actually play music?

Could have fooled me

[Rabrrrrrr]

9. I think so - those first few albums had some great rockitude to 'em.

But then they really went to crap and gave us a sling of awful garbage starting with Dynasty, then took their makeup off and went more crappier.

[Populist_Prole]

11. I agree as well

I never bought the "It's all about the show meme". Their first 5 studio albums are great examples of 70's hard rock. The late 70's fragmentation of the group also coincided with the rise of all the hype, much of it Simmons driven, to begin to have a life all it's own and they became caricatures of themselves. Even so, they managed to eke out some decent music here and there, such as 1983's 'Creatures of the Night'.

[Bake]

10. No. He did not. Ever.

Listen to anything Kiss ever did, be sober, and don't ask that question ever again!

Bake