Gene Simmons was recently asked about his musical preferences regarding his instrument of choice, the bass guitar, and the ever-opinionated KISS co-founder took a crack at jazz bassists and other virtuosos such as Flea to prove his point.
To no surprise, Simmons prefers simplicity — a catchy hook — over technical skill, as reflected in his songwriting in KISS.
In a new interview with Guitar World, he admitted that he never had interest in being a “bass virtuoso,” adding that he doesn’t like “show-offs in music” and that he’s “much more attracted to things that are memorable.”
Simmons went on to give his narrow-minded hot take on jazz — what he called music “intended to show off how well you play” — and technically gifted guitarists such as John McLaughlin.
“You can be a jazz player and be respected by musicians, but the rest of the world doesn’t care,” Simmons said. “We’re going to play a game: name a jazz player that means something.”
He continued, shifting from jazz to bass virtuosos in general: “There are an awful lot of amazing bass players, like Jaco Pastorius and the jazz guys. Or guys like Flea, who is really good on his instrument, but I can’t remember anything he plays — and I also do not like the sound of a bass being slapped.”
To Simmons, writing a simple song or riff is the “hardest thing to do.”
“Sometimes, if it’s shockingly simple, and barely moving at all,” he concluded, “but I can hum it, that’s what matters because it’s memorable.”
For what it’s worth, Jaco and Flea both landed in the Top 5 of Consequence‘s 1oo Greatest Bassists of All Time.
Meanwhile, Simmons appears to be done writing/playing simplistic riffs with KISS following the rock legends’ farewell tour in 2023. The band members have since sold the KISS music catalog, name, and likeness to Pophouse for $300 million, and the KISS avatar show is set to launch in 2027.