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And Finally Artist News
Gene Simmons says Kiss farewell tour really will be their last: “Not every band should be out there too long”
By Andy Malt | Published on Wednesday 13 April 2022
Gene Simmons has said that Kiss will definitely retire from touring after their upcoming farewell tour. This isn’t going to be one of those fake farewell tours. You see, it’s hard work being in Kiss and after 50 years they’d all like to have a nice sit down.
The farewell tour actually began in 2019, and after a pandemic enforced break will recommence next month before finally come to an end in 2023.
“This is going to be the last tour”, Simmons tells ET. “We’re done. We’re approaching 50 years of doing this, which is unbelievable because we never thought we’d last more than a few years”.
Despite the fact that the members of the band are now in the 70s – and I’m sure will appreciate that nice old sit down when it finally comes around – Simmons would nevertheless like you all to know that they’re not stopping because they can’t actually deliver a full-on Kiss show anymore.
“We are the hardest working band out there and take pride in it”, he says. “[But] not every band should be out there too long. You’ve got to have some pride and not stay too long. Always keep them wanting … The last thing that you want to do is be a guy that stays in the ring too long and gets his ass beat. Get out of the ring when you’re a champion”.
Other artists might keep pushing on and on, and that’s fine – maybe they are still champions – but none of them could do what Kiss do. Not one of them. Not even younger artists like Beyonce and Bruno Mars. What Kiss do – and what Gene Simmons in particular does – that requires special skills and stamina, see.
“You got to understand, we love Jagger and Bruno Mars and Bono and anybody else, they’re all great, but if you put those guys – [even] Beyonce – put Beyonce in my outfit with seven to eight inch platform heels, dragon boots that each weigh as much as a bowling ball, the entire outfit, studs, leather and armour is about 40 pounds … the guitar and the studs is twelve pounds by itself … then, you got to spit fire, fly through the air and do that for two hours – they would pass out within a half hour”.
To be fair, that does sound quite hard. Bono does have it relatively easy just trying not to trip over while wearing sunglasses. Maybe once Kiss give it all up, every band should have a go at playing one show dressed up in Simmons and co’s stagewear. Don’t pretend you wouldn’t pay to see that.
