My theory is that this is the third Spector mentioned on the Spector web site (I will more or less ignore the all-black curiosity above for now). Ron Wood is very under-appreciated. Instead, roadies would allegedly hand Gene a cup of theater blood at some point in the performance. LoBue custom Gibson Grabber Gibson Ripper. 1's, Paul only changing from his own LoBue custom V when it was stolen. "I saw a bass he had built hanging on the wall and decided right then that I wanted it. For the better part of the Spirit Tour '76 the LoBue retains the mk VI look. Apart from those changes it appears identical to the Jackson right down to the black tuning pegs. Actually, whether it was actually custom made for Gene is an issue on which Gene himself seems less than clear (something that is a recurring theme when Gene talks about his gear and makes the history of his basses a little difficult to untangle). 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. Although the world learned that things werent always smooth on their ride to the altar, the pair have been married ever since. 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. One can see the sparkling of the finish during his blood-spitting routine. The pickup cover has been removed and the original Thunderbird humbucker it covered has been replaced with a larger humbucker (probably a DiMarzio since Gene were fond of those and happened to know Larry DiMarzio from school). 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. Celebrating 50 years in rock (1966-2016) Gene Simmons, multi-hyphenate entrepreneur, co-founder and front man of KISS, America's number one gold record award-winning group of all time in all categories (RIAA), and one of the most recognized performers in the world, recently announced the . Search child forums as well In fact, many years ago, the rockstar told Off The Record with Michael Landsberg that hed been intimate with 4,500 women. At first, people thought that Gene was trying to trademark the image itself. Gene Simmons is one of those who has proven he has what it takes to keep calm and carry on as he tripped over a raised part of the stage during a performance in Montana back in 2016. After being on a breif hiatus the Thunderbird returned to the Gibson catalogue in 1976 for the Bicentennial. To make sure no one thought that she was using her dad, Sophie would write her own music and send songs to record labels all off her own back. You know, I dont think in those terms, he explains. It can be easy to think that Gene Simmons views comic books as nothing more than a way to make some extra money on the side. I do stuff because I get excited about it and then I hope that other people will get excited about it as well. Gene Simmons: "Everything Vinnie Vincent did sounded like Yngwie Malmsteen on crack". . 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 basses are often signed or played on stage depending on what price point the buyer wants to reach for. One can also see that the material under the studs is completely different from the rest of the bass. Spector #2 was also a part of the traveling circus that was The Return of KISS but it doesn't seem to have gotten much action. All of the basses are built at a shop in South Korea [although there are some specialty one-off builds done in the USA by master builder, Jim Cara]. He's a better bass player than he is a guitar player. 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 . Amazingly, that could have been the case for Gene Simmons as The Washington Post claims that he was in a relationship with Cher in the 1980s. If one is to believe the quote from Gene above it may just be locked away in storage since it didn't surface for the auction. It's akin to a Thunderbird bridge but appears to be slightly larger. In contrast, Spector #2 takes a serious beating throughout (the pics below span the entire tour). The two Gs have teamed to launch G - a whole range of electric guitar and bass . Gene simply replied, Nobody. The pics below are from a show in January, either on the 21st or 22nd. After all, his stage show is often filled with performances of him showing off his impressive tongue skills and has been argued as one of the most iconic poses of all times. It also arrives with a low enough action for more technically ambitious styles of playing, as well as basic root-noted rock, making bends, stretches and hammer-ons more comfortable than expected. The very obvious absence of an Axe during 1990-95, with the possible . That is probably going to be a very big item. Oh no, its merely the number of categories that Kiss is now involved with. The 1970s rock scene was one that had to be enjoyed to be believed. 1980. John Lennon's Gibson J-160E went for $2.4 million at Julien's Auctions in 2015. Watch Marty Friedman play with Megadeth again, Journey and Steve Lukather play Black Magic Woman. Like the best signature models, this is an instrument that ultimately inspires you to sound and play like the musician behind it, while also being capable of a lot more, from Motown to country, and with the right kind of EQ scoop and compression, even slapped funk even if its not aimed at such musicians. The problems with the bridge above promted another change. We get an excellent close-up of it in the instrument line-up pic from Knoxville but live shots seem to be lacking. 1979 saw the introduction of the Axe bass into Gene's repertoire and the beginning of a life-long association. Once you do, the ceramic magnets in the Rhythm and Lead T-Bird humbuckers pack a powerful and immediate response, with no shortage of punch and depth, making for a bass that sounds, much like the American groups landmark 1975 release, truly alive. Because of this I will "narrate" this story as if there's a single Spector until much later when they are more easily identifiable. As seen in the pictures below, all taken from the first month of the Love Gun tour, there is an "irregularity" in the finish below the volume knob that can't be explained by a reflection or a shadow. Oftentimes we find that ownership of an idea is just as important as the idea itself. His. The thunder starts with a Shure U4D-UHF into a Radial JD-7 Injector. Let's hope it turns up in somebody's basement. The Kramer Axe was fine for playback but for one of very few live TV performances (the first one since 1974?) Many people thought Gene was talking about those who suffer from their mental health. The video clips are from one of the German dates (the blood spitting clip) and Sydney. Since this all-black Spector shows up with both sets of replacement knobs it was re-finished early on. Nick also has some acting credits to his name. 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. Ice Cubes group, N.W.A., was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. - Hard Shell Gene Simmons fitted bass case signed by Gene Simmons. The bass player was planning on rising up above the stage on some wires. 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 number of replicas that have turned up over the years is a clear indication of the bass' truly iconic status.) But for the Fridays TV appearance in January 1982 Spector #2 was back. Apparently, he didnt like Terrys supposed holier-than-thou attitude. In the pic from 76.03.12 it's hard to tell whether the back of the body is just worn or if there is a protective cover, but by the time the band hits European soil for the first time, as shown here from Mannheim 76.05.18, there is a distinct reddish overlay screwed onto the back. Apparently, the staff were all in a meeting when Gene burst into the room - unannounced. It has a 30" scale which matches that of the LoBue. LoBue custom. It wasnt long before people were outraged by the comments, and Gene was forced to apologize. It has been suggested that it was a series/parallell switch which is feasible. 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. KISS frontman Gene Simmons delivers briefing at Pentagon podium that has not seen a spokesperson in almost a year By Tom Kludt , CNN Business Updated 10:54 AM EDT, Fri May 17, 2019 For the show in London, Ontario 74.12.22 Gene poses with the Grabber backstage but plays the LoBue for the show. Some people love to embrace every different type of music, while others prefer to stick to what they know. For many years, Simmons' primary . The iconic Kiss bassist promises his new signature instrument is "The most fun you'll be able to have with your pants on". Thats right; the bass player is often seen with blood pouring from his mouth, but dont worry; no bass players are harmed in the making of the act. Which is why, in addition to some of the cosmetic alterations the Axe has gone through over the years, we often see them with different pickups and hardware as well, as Simmons explained, A pickup is subject to the wood and the body shape. 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. Search titles only; Posted by Member: Separate names with a comma. [*] Spiro of tribute band fame has mentioned that Gene told him it was stolen while being away for repairs after Gene "fell off the front of the stage". In 2108, Sophie told Harpers Bazaar that she knew she wanted to become a musician since she was four years old. The basic design of the bass has changed a little through the years and it's been made by several luthiers and companies. . Love him or hate him, Gene Simmons has probably become one of the most high-profile ambassadors of electric bass since Kiss released its self-titled debut album in 1974. However, it was his time as an assistant at Vogue and Glamour magazines that could have led to a very different career. 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. Simmons unveiled the Thunderbird during KISS' elaborate New Year's Eve livestream concert in Dubai. One of the least used basses in Gene's arsenal, the Gibson Les Paul Triumph doesn't appear in any live photographs from 1976. It seems thats always been the case for Nick as the star has been working on his own band, Peroux, for the last few years. It might be no surprise that he doesnt always have nice things to say about fallen stars, including Amy Winehouse and Kurt Cobain. "The first project with KISS for me, was when Gene said he wanted a guitar shaped like an executioner's axe. Believe it or not, but Gene is quite the entrepreneur when hes not working with the band. [**] 1996 Guitars that Rule the World, Metal Edge presents KISS Alive! It was even Genes love of comic books that saw Kiss adopt many of their stage mannerisms and gimmicks that have made the bands performances so famous over the years. Thank you for reading 5 articles this month*, US pricing $3.99 per month or $39.00 per year, UK pricing 2.99 per month or 29.00 per year, Europe pricing 3.49 per month or 34.00 per year, *Read 5 free articles per month without a subscription. So what is the Axe Bass, then? Theres a lot to like about this costly Thunderbird, from its searing hot tones to that striking mirror-on-black aesthetic. In 2016, Gene told Rolling Stone that he cant wait until rap music is gone for good and thinks it will only take a decade for it to disappear. At the time Spector only had two model bass guitars, the SB-1 and the SB-2. The friend in question? Kramer Aluminum Gene Simmons Axe Bass KISS 1980 Black & Gray Autographed by Gene Simmons and numbered w/OHSC, Serial No. This wasnt the first time that Gene had found himself on the wrong side of people, and several think it wont be the last. This guitar was purchased brand NEW in the year 2000! Maybe gross, maybe cool, but definitely profitable to Mr. Simmons with a starting price of $12,000 per bass. According to Steve Carr his first version of the Axe shown below was made for Gene in 1978 and even used for a few shows that year but no photographic evidence of that exists. Here we get to see it with a studded cover of some sort, probably leather. Gene Simmons Punisher 2 Bass. Studio legend Carol Kaye gave KISS bassist Gene Simmons an impromptu bass lesson at Sunset Sound studios in Hollywood, and luckily cameras were rolling to catch it. This is the first of many ways in which the G partnership will be paying tribute to Gene, his iconic status, and continue to inspire new generations of Gibson and Gene Simmons fans to play and create music.". The first G model is a Thunderbird Bass. 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. It has the same basic hardware as the #1 but a slightly different body shape and a mirror-like pickguard with a jagged lower edge. [**]. The pickup is still the original one as we can see from the lovely closeups. Why you can trust Guitar World The offstage shot also gives us the first look at the tape coverup of the original bridge holes as discussed below, thus beginning Gene's long use of tape coverups. Modifications soon follow of course. Gene has nothing but nice things to say about the stories that have been brought to life and the art thats used throughout each graphic novel. 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.). Thanks to abusername for pointing that out. Jan 11, 2009. so I read an article years ago where it talked about gene simmons' live rig, but i couldn't find any info anywhere and the magazine is long gone, so I spoke with his tech Spike and he said basically this is it: 1 SVT-2 Pro. As far as video evidence goes it first appears in the opening credits of KISS Meets the Phantom of the Park (see below). He is the God Of Thunder, after all. Open menu Close menu . It turned out that Gene wasnt happy for a hip-hop group to get a spot in the hall his bands called home since 2014. There was once a time that Gene Simmons appeared to be on Fox News at every waking moment. Spector #1 Spector #2 Valdez Axe Carr Axe. 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. Spector #1 LoBue custom Thunderbird Dan Armstrong. For Gene, its simple: he thinks that future rockstars should give up on their dreams as the barriers in the way to the top have become insurmountable. Thankfully, many talented bands have continued to prove Gene wrong in recent years. If there is one thing that many of us have learned, its that Gene Simmons knows a good business opportunity when he sees one. Find out more about how we test. Perhaps youve found yourself wondering how Gene could have landed himself in such hot water when talking about immigration as he and his family immigrated to the US when he was a child? Considering the rather complicated control layout, 3 knobs and 4 switches, it was probably not a Gene favorite. . G, from Gene to Gibson, will introduce new collections of right and left-handed electric guitars and basses across . Page 108 of KISS Alive Forever has a nice shot of Spector #1 at the Palladium show. Though the marriage only lasted for a few years, Gene Simmons her only son was born in . Then, all he needs to do is let it start trickling from his mouth to up the performance. The offstage shot shows Gene with the bass and the action on that thing could make a grown man cry. During the time they were selling in Spencer's, various companies manufactured the . Gene? Gene Simmons now thinks people pirating songs was enough to see the end of rock and roll as he confessed he thinks no one values the music enough to pay for it.. An interesting aside is that the Grabber was the least expensive instrument in the Gibson 1975 catalogue, even cheaper than the Marauder that Paul smashed on a nightly basis. There is no evidence of the Thunderbird actually being used on stage during the Love Gun tour but for the Alive II tour it shows up in a limited number of pictures. At least, that is if you want to avoid a moment like Gene Simmons had at one of his live shows. It looked as though he was all set to reach the big time as it wasnt long before his work gained plenty of fans worldwide. Simmons estimates hes sold about 10,000 instruments over the past 10 years. Skip to main content. This is where Gene's search for something very specific seems to start. 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. It's not shown in the tour book photos shot at SIR studios but instead makes its "proper" debut in the video for. 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