KISS: The Greatest Rock Empire Of All Time
Why is KISS still and forever will be larger than life?
BY OR BARNEA / YouTab Magazine
In the last couple of months, Gene Simmons words about rock & roll being dead has been all over the social media and press platforms. Rock artists of all kinds have taken the liberty to defend their style of music and answered Simmons. But the entire thing really got out of hand.
When I first read what Simmons said in that interview conducted by his son, Nick, is that this day and age, artists will not be signed by a major label or management straight after stepping out of their parents garage. The romantic approach once held by the major labels does not exist anymore, and with that, we did not see any Rock Icon coming to popular life and changing a generation for more than 20 years now. Last one, as Simmons said rightfully, was Kurt Cobain.
The paradox is that Simmons and Paul Stanley knew that the rock and roll business will keep changing faster than a speeding bullet from the day they first got the band together. Unlike other famous bands that still lean on their youths, The duo always worked hard to keep younger generations and different audiences interested. and they nailed it. That�s why they are producing massive amount of merchandise, leading a Football team from behind the scenes, opening restaurants, giving new artists their first break, taking their fans on cruises, keeping the media interested in everything.
That�s the biggest message any kind of musician should take from KISS (besides the rock and roll and the partying). Work hard, know that you can do a lot more than just play a simple song. You must know what is right for you. Forget what the number one song on the billboard is. You�re bigger than that.
The last entrepreneuring experience coming from KISS is Paul Stanley�s brand new line of Ibanez guitars. For the first time in 20 years, Stanley and Ibanez have reunited to create new versions of the Starchild�s original models. �Renewing my collaboration with Ibanez feels like going home to where it all started�, Quoted Stanley on the company�s site, �Since 1977 you�ve heard the guitar I created on countless platinum albums. You�ve seen it rattle coliseums from Texas to Tokyo. Now I�m making sure that my weapon of choice can also be yours�.
And that�s what it�s all about. Giving the fans much more than the music itself. Madonna said it before: �We all live in a material world�. But with KISS around � It�s a great one.
