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Gene Simmons: college kids killed music biz
11/14/2007 1:00 PM, Reuters
Christie Eliezer
Gene Simmons is a busy man. The
legendary KISS founder fills his time with a variety of
projects. There's filming for "Gene Simmons Family Jewels," the
reality show entering its third season on A&E. And there's an
animated show on Nickelodeon called "My Dad the Rock Star."
Simmons is writing his third book -- "Ladies of the Night,"
a "personal and historical overview" on the profession of
prostitution -- coming this spring via his own publishing
company, Simmons Books. He also has Simmons Comics, with three
comic book series based on characters he's created. The list
goes on.
Simmons recently chatted with Billboard about KISS and the
music industry.
YOU'VE GOT THE THIRD SERIES OF THE KISSOLOGY DVD COMING OUT
NEXT MONTH. IS THERE MUCH MORE WE CAN EXPECT COMING?
There'll be 10. No one -- and that includes the Beatles and
Elvis -- can touch our (KISS') merchandising and licensing.
Nobody. Outside of the music world, it's only Disney and Lucas.
But in the music world, they can't shine our shoes.
ANY TOURING PLANS?
We'll tour a few dates next year. We don't have anything to
prove to anybody or do press to convince anybody we're
important. We're doing KISS festivals around the Indy car
racing series. Simmons Abramson Marketing (his business
partnership with entertainment industry veteran Richard
Abramson) markets and brands Indy cars. I came up with the I Am
Indy brand, by the way. They go on the night before. We'll do
15 dates or so. We'll also go to Australia and New Zealand and
maybe to four to six shows -- but nothing comprehensive until
we feel like it.
IT HAS BEEN NINE YEARS SINCE WE'VE SEEN A NEW KISS ALBUM.
ANY PLANS TO GET BACK INTO THE STUDIO?
The record industry is in such a mess. I called for what it
was when college kids first started download music for free --
that they were crooks. I told every record label I spoke with
that they just lit the fuse to their own bomb that was going to
explode from under them and put them on the street.
There is nothing in me that wants to go in there and do new
music. How are you going to deliver it? How are you going to
get paid for it if people can just get it for free? I will be
putting out a Gene Simmons box set called "Monster" -- a
collection of 150 unreleased songs. KISS will have another box
set of unreleased music in the next year.
The record industry doesn't have a f---ing clue how to make
money. It's only their fault for letting foxes get into the
henhouse and then wondering why there's no eggs or chickens.
Every little college kid, every freshly-scrubbed little kid's
face should have been sued off the face of the earth. They
should have taken their houses and cars and nipped it right
there in the beginning. Those kids are putting 100,000 to a
million people out of work. How can you pick on them? They've
got freckles. That's a crook. He may as well be wearing a
bandit's mask.
Doesn't affect me. But imagine being a new band with dreams
of getting on stage and putting out your own record. Forget it.
BUT SOME ARTISTS LIKE RADIOHEAD AND TRENT REZNOR ARE TRYING
TO FIND A NEW BUSINESS MODEL.
That doesn't count. You can't pick on one person as an
exception. And that's not a business model that works. I open a
store and say "Come on in and pay whatever you want." Are you
on f---ing crack? Do you really believe that's a business model
that works?
SO WHAT IF MUSIC JUST BECOMES FREE AND ARTISTS MAKE THEIR
LIVING OFF OF TOURING AND MERCHANDISE?
Well therein lies the most stupid mistake anybody can make.
The most important part is the music. Without that, why would
you care? Even the idea that you're considering giving the
music away for free makes it easier to give it away for free.
The only reason why gold is expensive is because we all agree
that it is. There's no real use for it, except we all agree and
abide by the idea that gold costs a certain amount per ounce.
As soon as you give people the choice to deviate from it, you
have chaos and anarchy. And that's what going on.
Reuters/Billboard
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