Last month, I sat down with the irrepressible and often irritable Chaim Witz (a.k.a. Gene Simmons), Kiss’s bassist, co-lead singer, and perennial pitchman, to discuss his mother’s survival of multiple Nazi concentration camps, the #MeToo movement, the death of Ace Frehley, his failures as a father and husband, writing songs with Bob Dylan, and why he sold the Kiss catalog to a Swedish company.
A few notes about the interview, just for you subscribers: I’m not sure why, considering my comically Fenian last name, but Simmons assumed I was Jewish. While I didn’t confirm his suspicion, I also didn’t correct him. But I did object, rather forcefully, when he declared that I was a dead ringer for Robin Williams.
Gene was an extremely fun interview, but I must admit the tenor of the conversation improved dramatically when, during a brief stoppage to fix a technical issue, I told him my best Jewish mother joke, which he so enjoyed that I expect to see it in the liner notes of his next record. Relax. One can safely tell a Jewish joke when the recipient thinks your Jewish.
And a big, slobbering thank you to all who have subscribed, free or otherwise (though “otherwise” is always preferred). I have yet to figure out what will be paywalled, but there will be enticements to encourage further fiscal irresponsibility. What would Gene Simmons do?
You gotta get Lydon!
Such an enjoyable interview!
And the punchline is Gene Simmons holding his arms out and says, "Because he's hung like this!"