Promotional Information

The autobiography of Gene Simmons of KISS, one of the most infamous rock & roll legends alive.

About the Author

Gene Simmons was born in Israel in 1949; eight years later he arrived in New York City unable to speak a word of English. He played in a number of rock bands before co-founding the best rock and roll band of the 1970s- KISS. Over the successive decades, he has proved himself as one of the world's best bassists. He lives with his partner and two children in Los Angeles.

Reviews

Readers may be surprised by Simmons's clarity and candour. How did Chaim Witz, the overprotected Israel-born son of Hungarian Jewish Holocaust survivors, become Gene Simmons, fire-breathing, tongue-flexing, blood-spitting rocker?
*New York Times*

Best known for their pyrotechnic concerts and outrageous makeup, KISS has inexplicably endured for more than 30 years. Frontman Simmons here speaks to that longevity, as well as to the band's sale of 80 million records. After covering his childhood in Haifa, Israel, he quickly moves into the evolution of KISS, which he cofounded with Paul Stanley in New York City in 1972. Interspersed with commentary on the band are plenty of details on Simmons's social life. He clearly takes pride in his rise from an underprivileged kid to a stinking-rich cult figure, disclosing the number of women he has slept with and including early comic-book sketches drawn as an adolescent. These divulgences will entertain only the most loyal KISS followers, many of whom are probably not that interested in the man behind the grease paint. This is the first authorized biography of the band (and a self-aggrandizing one at that), so there may be some demand. Fans, however, are better off with Dale Sherman's more objective portrait, Black Diamond: The Unauthorized Biography of KISS (Collectors Guide Pub., 1997). Not recommended. Caroline Dadas, Hickory Hills, IL Copyright 2001 Cahners Business Information.

Readers may be surprised by Simmons's clarity and candour. How did Chaim Witz, the overprotected Israel-born son of Hungarian Jewish Holocaust survivors, become Gene Simmons, fire-breathing, tongue-flexing, blood-spitting rocker? * New York Times *