Nick also has some acting credits to his name. Its one of the most distinctive signature models of all time, but how did the KISS Demon come up with his trusty four-string? So, after a few short months in "the rotation" it is modified by removing the tone pot and moving the output jack up in its place. Along with the refinish the knobs were changed to match the new color. When KISS did their first "European" tour in 4 years they stopped by a TV studio in Hilversum, Holland on May 29 to record singback versions of Unholy and God Gave Rock 'n' Roll To You II for the show Countdown. I originally thought that the natural satin finish, introduced in 1975 and seen in this well-known footage from San Fransisco 75.01.31, was Gene's first which was later re-finished but he actually had two Grabbers on the road with him and he used both during the Winterland show. 15155. In fact, the rockstar went as far as it saw Mileys tongue was okay, but quickly put his foot in it with a few derogatory comments. The line-up shot from Knoxville with the slim lower horn has led me to believe that this is a re-finish rather than the re-appearance of the all-black from the Alive II tour. It's still there in St- Louis 76.12.04 but by 76.12.11 in Pembroke Pines it's been reduced to, well, almost nothing. For Gene Simmons, playing with Kiss is more than being in a rock and roll band; its about being part of a rock and roll brand. Perhaps its no wonder that Gene has taken his idea of branding the band to the top and cultivated quite the brand over the years? There is something else that Nick Simmons has been working on over the years, and it comes in the form of his graphic novel. So I ended that relationship and continued to make them on my own.. All in all, this first offering from G2 delivers on virtually every front, from the dazzling black diamond aesthetic through to playability and versatility. The one below from Cleveland 79.07.19 is the only one I've found that is actually from 1979. The caption next to this Axe bass noted that it was a limited-edition built by Kramer. The following day, Fox News announced that Gene had been permanently banned from the studios, with some reports claiming there is a photo of Gene behind the security desk to ensure he never sneaks in. If I wanted to learn something from Gene Simmons it would be how to run a business and make money. It was probably added to help the intonation problems inherent in any set bridge like the original, but this one proved problematic as the few surviving pictures show that the strings had a tendency to skip out of position. While the price tag for the Axe basses might be high, they are often sold as a package deal with other perks. We cant say that weve ever thought about a world where Gene Simmons is the one giving us fashion advice, but the more we think about it, the more we want to know what thats like. In Atlanta 76.08.29 it's still mk VI but for the start of the Winter Tour in Savannah 76.11.24 the new bridge is in place. Whatever the new binding was actually made with it was one of the least durable materials in the known universe. Thanks to abusername for pointing that out. 1979 saw the introduction of the Axe bass into Gene's repertoire and the beginning of a life-long association. Amit has been writing for titles likeTotal Guitar,MusicRadarandGuitar Worldfor over a decade and counts Richie Kotzen, Guthrie Govan and Jeff Beck among his primary influences. However, it was his time as an assistant at Vogue and Glamour magazines that could have led to a very different career. Simmons is announcing a new signature bass guitar in collaboration with Gibson, called the Gene Simmons G Thunderbird Bass. Contact our experts for a recommendation of great alternatives. "I saw a bass he had built hanging on the wall and decided right then that I wanted it. Search child forums as well But, far be it from Gene to play an off-the-rack bass in standard configuration for long. It has also been suggested that this one is actually from 1981 but that would make it later than the production model Kramer Axe which would cast some doubt on Carr's statement above. All that twerking and tongue flashing was enough to change peoples minds about the star. Although he has a huge net worth and plenty of income from his Kiss brand, Gene Simmons isnt in the top richest people in the world. The friend in question? Under the hood, in the 70s and 80s the Axe featured a boost, but the current models feature only EMG pickups and a preamp. Cause & Effects: Are vintage effects pedals always the best examples of their type. The prior owner believed this to be a late '90s, and when comparing with other listings on Reverb that appears to hold true. The instrument is clearly a Triumph rather than the earlier Les Paul bass (the control scratchplate is a dead giveaway) but Gibson only offered it in natural and white finishes which leads me to believe that the instrument in Gene's hands was refinished. As one of the founding members of KISS, Gene Simmons is certainly one of the most recognizable faces in rock music. Below are pictures detailing the rather slight differences between them. Though the marriage only lasted for a few years, Gene Simmons her only son was born in . Sometimes the paintbrush can be just as beautiful as the art it inspires and creates. Gene's version is either a '76 or '77 ebony version that was modfied from the get-go. It turns out Gene accidentally rubbed host Terry Gross up the wrong way during an interview with the star. This is not a traditional signature model arrangement. the #2 Spector got the nod. It seems thats what some people think, especially when looking at old footage of The Demon of Kiss. Although he's spent the last 50 years The technical info on the EB-0 is taken from the January 2007 issue of Vintage Guitar (also avilable online). Okay, its hard to deny that one of Gene Simmons most prominent features is his tongue. Among the promo pics taken at Stewart Air Force Base 77.11.09 is the photo on the left below which seem to show a hole where the above coverup was placed. Conclusion. The jury is out on that one. The clear knobs make the transition into the new year appearing in Chicago on 78.01.15. At the time Spector only had two model bass guitars, the SB-1 and the SB-2. See Gibson for more details. First seen in Detroit on 78.01.20, these knobs will thankfully stay on for quite some time. 10 young bluesbreakers who are making the Blues fun again, Maybe Id move to Japan and try and be an English teacher! Mastodons Bill Kelliher on the future of the band, his love of Les Pauls and what hed do if he wasnt in the band. The SB-1 had a mini switch, something that none of Gene's Spectors have and it would be easy to assume that his instruments were simply built without one. Apart from those changes it appears identical to the Jackson right down to the black tuning pegs. Get the latest news, reviews and features to your inbox. Viewed as a whole it is obvious that the LoBue was far and away Gene's favorite. After showing off a few licks, Simmons points out a particular passage he wants to learn, and Kaye obliges. According to Gene, hes through with listening to music thats just talking and wants to go back to a time when music focuses on lyrics and melody. We guess Kiss were never known for their rap tunes. Custom Charlie LoBue bass built for Gene Simmons of KISS. I've scammed people all this time The world of Jean-Jacques Burnel. Last years news that he was launching his own G2 brand pronounced G squared through the American giants nevertheless came as a surprise, the new collaboration pledging to release a whole range of guitars and basses built with the Demons personal seal of approval. "The first project with KISS for me, was when Gene said he wanted a guitar shaped like an executioner's axe. Though he is known for his woodsman-inspired Axe guitar, he told me it . The reddish metal flake Grabber appears at the Midnight Special taping on 75.04.01 where we get a fairly close look at the almost matte finish (and a taste of the obvious sonic qualities it possessed). England and Wales company registration number 2008885. Published. From there it goes out to an Empress Compressor and one of two Tech 21 VT-Bass 1969 amps. on August 28, 2019. The application claimed that Gene first used the gesture in 1974 while posing for a photo with the legend that is Dave Grohl. . I didnt know anything else about it the wood, the relationship of the bridge to the neck, I didnt think about any of that. So what is the Axe Bass, then? The musician was behind some of the most legendary tunes of our time and left a huge mark on the world when he passed in 2016. To start, people need to take a look at how much Gene brings home from his time with Kiss, which it turns out isnt as much as some people would think. I don't often have a lot of good things to say about . A backstage pic from Atlanta 74.07.18 also seem to suggest some shaping of the back. One of the least used basses in Gene's arsenal, the Gibson Les Paul Triumph doesn't appear in any live photographs from 1976. Chances are Gene just took the opportunity afforded him by the Gibson sponsorship the band enjoyed at the time (see the back of any KISS album from the time) but found that the basses weren't to his taste. Ever the savvy businessman, Simmons ended up trademarking the term "Axe" as it refers to a musical instrument, as well as the shape of the bass. PART I : Why there is virtually no bass on KISS' 80s music https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OgipSAdZiKw&t=3s If you like what you see please support_____. There was once a time that Gene Simmons appeared to be on Fox News at every waking moment. Thats not individual products. Some time between Toledo 75.11.12 and Chicago 75.11.22 Gene changes the volume knob. The very obvious absence of an Axe during 1990-95, with the possible exception below, might suggest that Gene was in fact trying out various prototypes in preparation of going into the Axe business for himself. It turned out the bass player wanted to trademark the devil horns sign. The Kramer Axe was fine for playback but for one of very few live TV performances (the first one since 1974?) In 1977 the most common location of this mini switch was more or less right below the volume knob (with the bass seen in the playing position), and certain pics show what appear to be a piece of tape (or in some cases a dab of paint) covering up something. The two volume controls allow for a blend of either orboth pickups, with the rhythm unit alone bringing a wonderfully articulate sound that has enough brightness to retain definition andclarity. Apparently, he wasnt impressed with someone so prominent sharing such questionable opinions. She wanted to make sure her music was on the hottest playlists at the time and wouldnt rest until she got the results. Lets face it; its no secret that some of our favorite celebrities have worked through some pretty mundane jobs before making their way to the top. GS Backstage M&G Vampire Bass Pkg = $7495. At the heart of the axe-shaped Simmons bass is its electronics system. Let's hope it turns up in somebody's basement. For the better part of the Spirit Tour '76 the LoBue retains the mk VI look. These pics, which found their way into the later versions of the tour book, show the bass with a black blade and black knobs. Had the studs been mounted on the body this would have been completely non-sensical. As for the modifications, it has been refinished and there's additional binding not on the original; under the bridge cover is a Leo Quan Badass bridge with the strings loading through the body via added string ferrules; a ca. LoBue custom LP Triumph Gibson EB-0. Bath But in the three pictures below I'm having a. No matter the angle or lighting, up until now the white binding has been clearly visible at all times. Before that, the beautiful acoustic instrument had . The original single-coil pickup seems to be gone and in its stead is what looks almost like the Filtertron pickups that Gretsch made. What I will call mkII actually makes it's documented debut in Detroit 74.12.20. As a subscriber enjoy big savings off the shop price! Considering the rather complicated control layout, 3 knobs and 4 switches, it was probably not a Gene favorite. Tweed and Simmons were together for 28 years before they decided to tie the knot in 2011. . As the photos show there is a marked difference in the shape of the lower horn, most easily seen in the shots of the back. LoBue custom Fender P-bass. Skip to main content. Speaking out against the genres meant it wasnt long before plenty of people had their own thoughts about the rockstar and Kiss. There are, to my knowledge, precious few pictures of Spector #2 in the Love Gun/Alive II costumes. It's a little hard to say when the Gibson sponsorship ran out but the classic "KISS uses Gibson Guitars and Pearl drums because they want the best" was present on the back cover of Love gun (June) but absent on Alive II (November). It's only got one pickup with one dial for volume, one for tone; you can either turn it up or down. Theres a good chance that you might have to be prepared for things to go a little wrong. It's been suggested that the incredible disappearing binding was masking tape that Gene himself applied during the hours of tedium on the tour bus. An erstwhile acquaintance of LoBue's who handled the bass in its mkVI incarnation in New Jersey 76.07.10 has suggested that almost all the modifications were done by Charlie or the Guitar Lab rather than Gene's tech. My bass is the only musical instrument that is an invention., Jokes abound about the level of KISS merchandise available, but the reality is that Simmons was ahead of his time in terms of understanding how to monetise and control his image and legacy, and trademark ownership has played a big part of that. Once the band starts making personell changes at the turn of the decade Gene moves to Spector #2 as his main bass. After having used a few different basses during the time in Wicked Lester, an Epiphone that was stolen and a Fender P-bass with a Gibson EB-0 pickup, Gene finally found his weapon of choice in the shape of a Charlie LoBue custom bass. Sadly, that all changed in 2017 when the rockstar made a bit too much of a lasting impression at the new network after a meeting gone wrong. Diana Ross. Sadly, Gene wasnt impressed with the shows choice as he referred to Madonna as a karaoke singer during an interview with TMZ. To highlight a detail that entered the story a little earlier when the Fender bridge was installed I've chosen these particular pics. Before we move forward we need to take a step back (and get a little ahead of ourselves) and adress a slight "wrinkle" in the photos. Sadly, the truth isnt quite so exciting as Gene apparently discovered he had an impressively long tongue when he was 13 years old and realized it was a hit with the ladies. In the words of Mr. Simmons himself: "Stu Spector made me another bass at the same time, very similar, but the horn on the top was slightly warped and longer than the bottom one" (Guitars that Rule the World, Metal Edge presents KISS Alive 1996). For this tour Gene also mysteriously starts sporting a cable from the output jack. A customized electric bass guitar - the "Gene Simmons Axe Bass" - was especially created for him by South Korean giant Cort. "The first instruments are the Thunderbird basses, which will come in a few different colors. According to Simmons' tech at (13:16), "This is the main bass for the show. This version of the bass was Gene's #1 bass more or less from 1973 until the summer of 1975 when he started altering it. Talking about rap and hip-hop was enough to get plenty of people talking about Gene Simmons and his ever-changing music views. Believe it or not, but Gene Simmons is actually a married man, even though the rockstar has been open about his alleged romances over the years. Sadly, neither relationship lasted for Gene. At least, thats what most lists would have you believe. However, that isnt the case. "So first, it's a through . Simmons was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2014 as a member of . The LoBue was the undisputed no. 2023 Guitar.com is part of NME Networks. Gene Simmons has often been questioned about who he has been with and how many people have made their way to the list over the years. There are masterclasses taught by Simmons himself that are only available to Axe buyers. Thankfully, everyone walked away from the incident without any injuries. Though he speaks measuredly . . The luthier and Gene's fellow NYC resident (whom Gene describes as a consummate craftsman, something he feels is missing in today's world), would build Gene his first custom bass. So the three mentioned is probably two #1's and one #2 (more of which later). Sadly, in 2014, Gene upset quite a few people during an interview with HuffPost Live. Pictures showing the back of the LoBue are very few but over the course of 1976 there were a few. Watch on. This version of the bass was Gene's #1 bass more or less from 1973 until the summer of 1975 when he started altering it. What are you waiting for. There is also a new, wider binding. - Bass Certificate of authenticity signed by Gene Simmons. In the case of Kramer, Jackson and Cort, as soon as quality started to dip, a new builder would be found. The studs are not glued or otherwise mounted directly on the body of the bass. It's a smart and quick solution since it's not visible for the most part. The entrepreneurial bassist recently reaffirmed his belief that "rock is dead . What one can argue is that it seems highly unlikely that a rear output jack would be placed on the upper part of the body, far away from the rest of the electronics.). I think that when it comes to Bass ( Which I play Bass and Guitar among other instruments! ) Search titles only; Posted by Member: Separate names with a comma. During an October 28 question-and-answer session with fans aboard this year's Kiss Kruise, KISS frontman Paul Stanley was asked what he has learned about himself through his 50-year friendship and . There is a bass resembling the Grabber, based on the headstock, standing offstage in a pic from 76.02.01, in. People accused Nick of plagiarizing ideas from the likes of Hellsing, One Piece, and Bleach, something that was enough to see the youngsters dreams of becoming a graphic novel author vanish before he got his time to shine. The bridge is a thornier issue. Many people thought Gene was talking about those who suffer from their mental health. Gene Simmons and his son, Nick, have been spotted at a handful of events together over the years. He is the God Of Thunder, after all. . April 13, 2022. Its said that he would judge peoples intelligence depending on the noise it made. He's interviewed everyone from Ozzy Osbourne and Lemmy to Slash and Jimmy Page, and once even traded solos with a member of Slayer on a track released internationally. It was a stab at the more affordable market then dominated by Fender so it was a straight-forward instrument without fancy inlays and with controls and pickups mounted on the scratchplate. Some people love to embrace every different type of music, while others prefer to stick to what they know. Still, it was captured on film, meaning Gene wont forget the moment anytime soon. Not once in the Gene Simmons/Bass Player interview (July 1996) does Simmons ever claim . M&G Pkg $4450. Gene was walking backward when he took the fall, and it wasnt long before someone rushed in to help the star back to his feet. The first two are just simple changing of the knobs. For the past eight years, Thayer has been touring exclusively with a pair of his signature 100-watt Hughes & Kettner DuoTone heads (Thayer . It wasnt long before people pointed out the sign actually means I love you in sign language.