Gene Simmons facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Gene Simmons
Simmons in 2012
Born	Chaim Witz (1949-08-25) August 25, 1949 (age 75) Haifa, Israel
Other names	Gene Klein The Demon the God of Thunder Dr. Love Reginald Van Helsing
Citizenship	Israel United States
Occupation	Musician singer songwriter record producer actor entrepreneur television personality
Years active	1970–present
Spouse(s)	Shannon Tweed ​ (m. 2011)​
Partner(s)	Cher (1978–1980) Diana Ross (1980–1983)
Children	Nick Sophie
Musical career
Origin	New York City, U.S.
Genres	Hard rock heavy metal
Instruments	Bass guitar vocals

Gene Simmons (born Chaim Witz) is a famous Israeli-American musician. He is also known by his stage name, "The Demon." Gene Simmons was the bassist and a lead singer for the hard rock band Kiss. He helped start the band in the early 1970s with Paul Stanley, Ace Frehley, and Peter Criss. Kiss stopped touring in 2023. In 2014, Simmons was added to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame as a member of Kiss.

Early Life and Education

Gene Simmons was born Chaim Witz in Haifa, Israel. His parents were Jewish refugees from Hungary. His mother, Flóra Kovács, survived being held in Nazi camps during World War II. She was freed from the Mauthausen camp in 1945. Only she and her brother survived their family's experience in the Holocaust.

Simmons spent his early years in Tirat Carmel, Israel. His family was very poor. When he was seven, he sold wild fruit with a friend to help out.

At age eight, his parents divorced. He and his mother moved to the United States. They settled in Queens, New York City. In the U.S., he changed his name to Gene Klein. He later attended Sullivan County Community College and Richmond College. He earned a degree in Education in 1970.

Starting His Career

Before becoming a musician, Gene Klein worked different jobs. He was an assistant editor at Vogue magazine. He also taught sixth grade for six months.

The Beatles greatly inspired Simmons. He said watching them on The Ed Sullivan Show made him want to make music. He chose his stage name, Gene Simmons, to honor rockabilly singer Jumpin' Gene Simmons. He also mentioned actress Jean Simmons as an inspiration. He spent many hours practicing his guitar.

Music Career with Kiss

Gene Simmons in his makeup, 2023

Gene Simmons joined his first band, Lynx, when he was 15. It was later called the Missing Links. He then formed the Long Island Sounds. In this band, he was convinced to buy his first bass guitar. He worked odd jobs to earn money while playing in these bands.

From 1968 to 1970, Simmons attended college. He joined a band called Bullfrog Bheer. They recorded some songs, including "Leeta."

In the early 1970s, Simmons formed a band called Wicked Lester. He was with Paul Stanley (then Stanley Eisen). They were not happy with Wicked Lester's music or look. So, Simmons and Stanley decided to form a new band. They wanted to create the "ultimate rock band."

They found drummer Peter Criss through an ad. Later, Ace Frehley joined as the lead guitar player. This group became Kiss. Kiss released their first album in February 1974. Paul Stanley was the main performer on stage. Gene Simmons helped build Kiss into a huge brand. His "Demon" makeup was inspired by a comic book character.

Simmons' Demon make-up

In 1983, Kiss decided to stop wearing their famous makeup. This helped them become popular again. Around this time, Peter Criss left the band. Eric Carr became the new drummer in 1980. He played with Kiss until he passed away in 1991.

In 1995, Kiss held fan conventions. Fans wanted the original members to reunite. This led to a very successful reunion tour in 1996–1997. The band released the album Psycho Circus in 1998. Later, Tommy Thayer replaced Ace Frehley on guitar. Eric Singer (who played with Kiss before) replaced Peter Criss on drums.

Film and Television Work

Gene Simmons has appeared in many movies and TV shows. In 1978, he was in the TV movie Kiss Meets the Phantom of the Park.

In 1985, he appeared in the TV series Miami Vice. He played a character named Newton Blade. He also guest-starred as himself in a 2014 episode of CSI: Crime Scene Investigation.

Simmons acted in the 1984 thriller Runaway. He also appeared in the 1987 action film Wanted: Dead or Alive. In 2004, he played a character named Donald Mann in the TV series Third Watch.

In 2015, Simmons started a film company called Erebus Pictures. Their first movie was Armed Response. In 2022, he became a judge on a talent show in Japan. In 2023, he partnered with Arclight Films to create Simmons/Hamilton Productions. They plan to make many action and thriller movies.

Other TV projects include:

• My Dad the Rock Star (2003–2004), a cartoon created by Simmons. It is about the son of a rock star like Gene Simmons.
• Rock School (2005–2006), a UK reality show. Simmons tried to form a rock band with students.
• Gene Simmons Family Jewels (2006–2012), a reality show. It showed the lives of Simmons, his wife, and his children.
• Scooby-Doo! and Kiss: Rock and Roll Mystery (2015), an animated movie. Simmons and the other Kiss members appeared as heroes.

Other Projects

Simmons has had his own magazine, Gene Simmons Tongue Magazine. He also had his own record label, Simmons Records. This label released music by bands like Kobra and the Lotus.

In the 1970s, Simmons helped the band Van Halen. He produced their demo tape and tried to get them a record deal. In the 1980s, he produced albums for other bands.

In 2002, he launched Gene Simmons' Tongue, a men's lifestyle magazine. It was published for five issues. From 2006 to 2008, he worked in marketing for the Indy Racing League.

In 2012, Simmons led the Rock N Roll All Stars tour. This tour brought together many famous rock musicians. He also partnered with Paul Stanley to create the restaurant chain Rock & Brews.

In 2013, Simmons, Paul Stanley, and their manager became owners of the LA Kiss Arena Football League team. The team played in Anaheim, California, but has since stopped playing.

In 2017, Simmons released "The Vault." This was a large collection of his music and works. .....

Music Style and Stage Persona

Gene Simmons fire breathing

Gene Simmons plays bass guitar and shares lead vocals with Paul Stanley in most Kiss songs. Some songs where Simmons sings lead include "God of Thunder" and "Rock and Roll All Nite". He has a deep, powerful voice.

Simmons prefers "memorable simplicity" in music. He likes songs that are easy to remember. He has said he is not interested in being a bass guitar expert. He enjoys music that is catchy and fun.

On stage, Gene Simmons is famous for his long tongue. He often sticks it out during performances. This became one of his most recognized trademarks. He also has a "Demon" stage persona. He uses dramatic effects like breathing fire and spitting fake blood. These effects make his dark, theatrical image even stronger. His stage moves were inspired by a creature from the movie 20 Million Miles to Earth.

Personal Life

Simmons lives in Los Angeles with his wife, Shannon Lee Tweed. She is a Canadian actress. They started dating in 1983 but did not marry until 2011. They have two children: Nick (born in 1989) and Sophie (born in 1992).

Simmons can speak several languages. These include Hungarian, German, English, Hebrew, and some Japanese.

..... He believes this is because of his mother, who survived the Holocaust. .....

Simmons is a big fan of science fiction and comic books. He used to publish his own science fiction magazines.

Giving Back

Simmons supports ChildFund International. He has sponsored over 140 children through the organization. He visited some of his sponsored children in Zambia. He said this trip reminded him that life is not fair for everyone.

His family received an award for their charity work. They supported Mending Kids International. Simmons spoke about his own difficult childhood in Israel. He remembered how happy his mother was when they received a care package.

Simmons also helped start "The Children Matter." This group works to give children around the world access to health care. He encourages people to wear masks and keep their distance during the coronavirus pandemic.

Awards and Recognition

On January 28, 2011, Gene Simmons received the key to the city in Dallas, Texas. A street was also named after him (Gene Simmons Boulevard). He and his wife visited a U.S. Army base to support the troops.

On June 15, 2011, he received the key to the city in Winnipeg, Manitoba. In 2012, Revolver magazine gave him the Golden God award.

In 2013, the Smithsonian National Museum of American History added an autographed Gene Simmons Axe bass to its collection. The museum recognized Simmons' impact on American culture. They noted his unique brand and his story as an immigrant.

Simmons is an honorary board member of Little Kids Rock. This group helps bring music education to schools. He also decorated a guitar for auction with his son Nick.

In 2014, Simmons received the Golden Medal from the Royal Artistic Circle of Barcelona. In 2020, he won two Guinness World Records. These were for the "highest flame projection in a music concert" and "most flame projections launched simultaneously." These records were set at the KISS 2020 Goodbye concert.

Music Albums

With Kiss

Solo Albums

• Gene Simmons (1978)

Other Releases

• Vault (box set, 2017)
• Speaking in Tongues (DVD, 2004)

Filmography

Movies

Television Appearances

Music Video Appearances

In 1994, Simmons appeared in a music video for "I'll Talk My Way Out Of It." In 2007, he appeared in the music video for "Rockstar" by Nickelback.

Video Game Appearances

Gene Simmons is a character you can play in Tony Hawk's Underground. He also appears with his Kiss bandmates in a level of the game.

His Kiss character, The Demon, is a playable character in Kiss: Psycho Circus: The Nightmare Child. Simmons also had a big role in the 2010 music video game Guitar Hero: Warriors of Rock. He narrated the story and voiced a character. The Kiss song "Love Gun" is also in the game.

A Pokémon called Obstagoon looks like Gene Simmons's "The Demon" character. It was introduced in Pokémon Sword and Shield.

Books Written

• Me, Inc.: Build an Army of One, Unleash Your Inner Rock God, Win in Life and Business, Gene Simmons (ISBN: 0-062-32261-3)
• Kiss and Make-Up, Gene Simmons (ISBN: 0-609-81002-2)
• ... Money Kiss, Gene Simmons (ISBN: 1-893224-86-4)
• Kiss: The Early Years, Gene Simmons and Paul Stanley (ISBN: 0-609-81028-6)
• Kiss: Behind the Mask, David Leaf and Ken Sharp (ISBN: 978-0-446-69524-4)
• Ladies of the Night: A Historical and Personal Perspective on the Oldest Profession in the World, Gene Simmons (ISBN: 1-59777-501-0)
• 27: The Legend & Mythology of the 27 Club (ISBN: 978-1-57687-886-6)

See also

In Spanish: Gene Simmons para niños