Yesssss!!!! Gene Simmons & a Music Man!!!!

**Psychicpet** · 07-27-2009, 08:33 PM

[ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1nDMQkXHT7o"]YouTube - KISS - Deuce (Comic Con Party)[/ame]

**Smallmouth_Bass** · 07-27-2009, 08:38 PM

And it's not a white Bongo!

**bovinehost** · 07-27-2009, 09:32 PM

"You're only as good as your drummer."

Still, um, you know, it's Gene Simmons with a Music Man bass, which is nice.

**AtomicPunk** · 07-27-2009, 09:36 PM

Are you sure that's him? He looks so much different without makeup.

Those guys will play anywhere these days. They just played a casino near me.

Did they get rid of Paul Stanley so Gene could get a bigger cut?

**rickjohns** · 07-27-2009, 09:59 PM

That's not Kiss, that's Gene jamming with another band. Not too bad for a three piece, but then again it's a simple song. That would be real cool to play with someone like that at a gig.

**brasco68** · 07-27-2009, 10:58 PM

Originally Posted by rickjohns

That's not Kiss, that's Gene jamming with another band. Not too bad for a three piece, but then again it's a simple song. That would be real cool to play with someone like that at a gig.

It actually was Kiss...just without Paul. Tommy Thayer and Eric Singer on drums and guitar. That performance was part of an event at the Hard Rock hotel in San Diego for Gene's son who is releasing a comic book.

**Jornan** · 07-28-2009, 12:40 AM

Oh no. Why must Gene Simmons play a real Music Man? He should play something that matches his skills, like a broken cheap MM copy

Seriously, I'm glad to see that he play a Music Man too, but I just can't take him seriously as a bass player. Anyone who's seen his bass "solos"?

**strummer** · 07-28-2009, 04:11 AM

One thing I'll never get is the cutting down of Gene Simmons as a bass player. Ok, so he might be a total asshat and all, but in my opinion he plays some mean bass on those old recordings. And I think he does a terrific job in the vid too, and cool he's playing a musicman

**GreyDad** · 07-28-2009, 04:31 AM

I always liked the bass lick (geddit?) in Detroit Rock City

I was never a Kiss fan but did go to see them with my high school friends when I lived in Montreal (peer pressure and all that). The Montreal Forum was full, maybe 15-18000 people and ages ranged from 5 to 85 (not quite the demographic range I was expecting).

They put on a great show, very entertaining and gave it all for the audience. I've respected them ever since.

**strummer** · 07-28-2009, 06:19 AM

Originally Posted by GreyDad

I always liked the bass lick (geddit?) in Detroit Rock City

.

Yeah that accelerating li'l thing in the verses, it's a classic and horribly difficlult without a pick haha

**Jornan** · 07-28-2009, 06:42 AM

Originally Posted by strummer

One thing I'll never get is the cutting down of Gene Simmons as a bass player. Ok, so he might be a total asshat and all, but in my opinion he plays some mean bass on those old recordings. And I think he does a terrific job in the vid too, and cool he's playing a musicman

I think he's a great musician, but I'm not as impressed of him as a bass player.
He has made some fantastic music and really knows how to do what the fans expect. I like Kiss' music and a lot of other people do too. But I have never seen him play without a pick, I haven't seen him play something that is even close to impressive (playing neither fast, nor accurate or anything else) and according to my bass teacher, Kiss has been so far from playing tight in studio that they had problems recording a song ...

But I guess I have to accept him as a bass player, after all, he uses a Music Man!

**bassmonkeee** · 07-28-2009, 07:19 AM

What's wrong with using a pick? Do you have a problem with Joe Osborn and Steve Swallow, too? And, why would you need to play anything fast in a KISS song?

Are you one of those guys who is only impressed by someone slapping so fast that it sounds like they are trying to make popcorn?

**strummer** · 07-28-2009, 07:31 AM

Originally Posted by Jornan

and according to my bass teacher, Kiss has been so far from playing tight in studio that they had problems recording a song ...

COme on!!!

First, wtf is wrong with playing with as pick? And second, was your bass teacher there seeing how gene repeatedly messed up takes? I think not.
And on vinyl/cd, they are tight as dolphin asses!

**kevin** · 07-28-2009, 07:40 AM

The Story: This was an after party for the Comic Con event, thats held every year in San Diego. The Expendables a Santa Cruz,CA based band that have been long supporters of Ernie Ball and Music Man were playing the same show. When Gene went on he was having heaps of trouble with his personal bass so Donovan and Ryan ran up and loaned him the Music Man. There were cameras all around filming for the A&E show Gene Simmons Family Jewels.

**Russel** · 07-28-2009, 08:00 AM

Gene... is respectable, I guess. He's what I'd consider a bass player, not a bassist. He doesn't study or really improve his instrument... he just uses it. Not to much originality with tone or line. Good thing he sings, huh?

I mean, I've heard some REALLY respectable lines from pick players. Tool is one of those groups-innovative tone, great lines, all using a pick.

Gene is not. But all the beginners need something to learn with, don't they?

And he holds it down well enough to make some money, so...