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?