Unfortunately it is exceedingly difficult to try and identify which Spector is which in most photos, even if they are well-lit. It is only shown in a series of backstage pics from February or March 1976, a single backstage pic from Stockholm, Sweden on 76.05.28, and a later backstage instrument lineup from Daytom, OH 76.08.08. His wife, Canadian actress and 1982 Playboy Playmate of the Year Shannon Tweed, just shelled out $5.8 million for a Malibu . Diana Ross. Pink AXE Guitar. Since neither of the Gibson basses worked out, even though Gene certainly tried to honor the endorsement for the better part of 1975, I think it's safe to assume that long-scale basses (only the EB-0 and the Triumph were short scale) weren't to Gene's liking at the time. This phenomenon can also be spotted at the start of the Return of KISS tour. No matter the angle or lighting, up until now the white binding has been clearly visible at all times. "The first project with KISS for me, was when Gene said he wanted a guitar shaped like an executioner's axe. Conclusion. The most high-profile appearance during 1984-1986 is in Animalize Live Uncensored where it gets taken for a spin for Gene's solo spot. I love it." Apparently, Gene thinks there are some similarities between the two as rockstars and teachers both have an audience; its just that one might have to perform to people who dont want to be there. Although I've found nothing to support this the general assumption among those who know far more about early Spectors than I seem to be that the pickup in the mk I was a Model 1. If I wanted to learn something from Gene Simmons it would be how to run a business and make money. The instrument is clearly a Triumph rather than the earlier Les Paul bass (the control scratchplate is a dead giveaway) but Gibson only offered it in natural and white finishes which leads me to believe that the instrument in Gene's hands was refinished. From 2006 until 2012, Gene Simmons and his family starred in the reality show Gene Simmons Family Jewels. However, the couple was never in a rush to make it down the aisle. However, it was his time as an assistant at Vogue and Glamour magazines that could have led to a very different career. "The first instruments are the Thunderbird basses, which will come in a few different colors. Lets face it; its no secret that some of our favorite celebrities have worked through some pretty mundane jobs before making their way to the top. In the early-early years of KISS, he favored a Charlie LoBue bass ( photos ); this was a custom bass guitar made by Charlie. Newer Than: Search this thread only; Search this forum only. Gene and his bass finally did part ways, though by all accounts he was reluctant to give it up. Apparently, Gene has always been obsessed with comic books and knows some of the biggest names who have worked on the art over the years, but it was getting his hands on certain Golden Age books and turning them around for $10,000 each that really saw the money start rolling in from a young age. The first G model is a Thunderbird Bass. This is where Gene's search for something very specific seems to start. At the heart of the axe-shaped Simmons bass is its electronics system. The headstock featured Gene's autograph and the pointy shape of the head was mirrored by a bizarre pointed part below the bridge. 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. New rock and roll stars lurked around every corner, and it seemed that plenty of people couldnt wait to head to the latest party on the block. Instead, he decided to keep himself as healthy as possible as Gene told CNN that hes never even tried an adult beverage or taken any illegal substances. Gene Simmons has played all sorts of instruments over the years, from the Charlie LoBue custom bass guitar heard on the early Kiss albums to his own Punisher and Axe signatures, although for a while in the mid-70s Simmons did experiment with Gibson Grabbers and Rippers. What is a guitar but a collection of wood, magnets and metals? They werent the only ones who had something to say, as Nikki Sixx from Mtley Cre has been open about his battles with depression. Below are a few early shots of Gene using the LoBue in 1972-73 starting with the loft rehearsals as a three piece, a shot from one of the shows at the Daisy, and . I originally thought that the natural satin finish, introduced in 1975 and seen in this well-known footage from San Fransisco 75.01.31, was Gene's first which was later re-finished but he actually had two Grabbers on the road with him and he used both during the Winterland show. It turns out Gene accidentally rubbed host Terry Gross up the wrong way during an interview with the star. Gene Simmons has occupied the public consciousness since 1973, when Kiss first burst into the scene. Below are pictures detailing the rather slight differences between them. For the past eight years, Thayer has been touring exclusively with a pair of his signature 100-watt Hughes & Kettner DuoTone heads (Thayer . It turns out Gene Simmons is no exception, but not many people know the rockstar was once actually a teacher. Gene simply replied, Nobody. In an interview with his son for Esquire in 2014, Gene confessed he believes that rock music has finally come to an end, and even went as far as to say the music industry could be on its last legs. John Lennon's Gibson J-160E went for $2.4 million at Julien's Auctions in 2015. There was suppose to be 1,000 . The women and shady affairs that destroyed Gene Simmons' life. You've written some truly timeless basslines over the years so what exactly is the Gene Simmons guide to finding the perfect part? There are a few pics that don't quite fit in. So I started out with the visuals, because when somebody walks in, that the first thing that hits them. The reddish metal flake Grabber first shows up in Fayetteville, NC on 74.11.30 but it doesn't see steady action until 1975. Here we get to see it with a studded cover of some sort, probably leather. The bass player was planning on rising up above the stage on some wires. On first glance, this debut in the seriesnot in the form of a Grabber or Ripper, but a Thunderbird, interestingly is certainly impressive. PURCHASE & PAYMENT PLANS. The idea that it was a built-in fuzz is much less likely. Watch on. Things didnt get off to a good start as he accused them of playing a victim, but he made things even worse by stating in an interview that they should take their own lives. LoBue custom LP Triumph Gibson EB-0. The video clips are from one of the German dates (the blood spitting clip) and Sydney. They dont have the attack you need in arenas., Simmons isnt a nostalgic type of guy when it comes to his instruments, even the vintage ones and the prototypes, I dont have that sort of I have to keep this one because its my first mentality. Our expert reviewers spend hours testing and comparing products and services so you can choose the best for you. However, it wasnt long before people learned that he was talking about the hand gesture he was pulling at the time. First the finish is re-done to be an all-black and Steve Carr makes a headstock inlay of Gene's makeup face. It can be tough for any celebritys child to make a name for themselves when their parents are Hollywood royalty. From there it goes out to an Empress Compressor and one of two Tech 21 VT-Bass 1969 amps. Now, 46 years later, he and Gibson are teaming up for G2, a new line of basses and guitars announced this past week during the NAMM conference. Introduced in 1973, the Grabber was Gibson's first bolt-on neck bass and featured a sliding pickup (you "grabbed" it to change the pickup position, hence the name). 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. 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. Published. Apparently, Gene wanted to sue everyone who shared copyrighted files, something that saw his site get taken down by Anonymous. However, Gene Simmons had his own views on it all and they werent very popular. 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. The first part of the Dynasty tour shows the Spector #1 mk III hanging in there. I've scammed people all this time The world of Jean-Jacques Burnel. 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. Exact year is unknown but Gibson transitioned to this body type in 1961. That is probably going to be a very big item. He's interviewed everyone from Ozzy Osbourne and Lemmy to Slash and Jimmy Page, and once even traded solos with a member of Slayer on a track released internationally. 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]. . Or maybe the rather strange decision to use the Axe for a song like Reason to live during the Crazy Nights tour drove home the point that the Axe was a somewhat odd fit for the image at the time. I dont care, it doesnt mean anything to me.. Some time between Toledo 75.11.12 and Chicago 75.11.22 Gene changes the volume knob. These are smaller, all black with a small white dot that shows the naught setting (mk III). (The number of replicas that have turned up over the years is a clear indication of the bass' truly iconic status.) Ron Wood is very under-appreciated. That one night he dropped it and the neck broke in half." Now, Inc. estimates that Gene Simmons is worth a whopping $300 million. Unlike the EMG PJ set typically found in Simmons Punisher and Axe, however, these high-output humbuckers arent active, so theres no need to worry about battery power. I seem to remember there was a bass purporting to have belonged to Mr. Simmons on eBay, and a thread back in the DP2 days? The rockstar was born in Israel where Gene says his family lived in extreme poverty before they saved enough to emigrate to the States and start a new life. We cant say that weve ever thought about a world where Gene Simmons is the one giving us fashion advice, but the more we think about it, the more we want to know what thats like. Later in the year, in Columbus 76.11.30, the cover is very obviously split into two colors, a very sharp delineation that wasn't there in March and May, which suggests that it's been at least partially replaced. Founding KISS bassist Gene Simmons has partnered with Gibson for a new line of electric guitars and basses dubbed G. Gene Simmons is one of the most legendary names in music, thanks to his time with Kiss. The basic design of the bass has changed a little through the years and it's been made by several luthiers and companies. 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. The reddish metal flake Grabber appears at the Midnight Special taping on 75.04.01 where we get a fairly close look at the almost matte finish (and a taste of the obvious sonic qualities it possessed). That was until a friend suggested Gene get in touch with the singers best friend to try and find a Christmas present. The result? There will be a guitar version and left-handed versions. Radio stations Power 97 and Timple M both announced they were pulling all Kiss songs from their lineup as neither agreed with Genes controversial comments. 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. Kiss bassist Gene Simmons told UCR about his artistic endeavors during an exclusive interview in August 2021. . The clear knobs make the transition into the new year appearing in Chicago on 78.01.15. People accused Nick of plagiarizing ideas from the likes of Hellsing, One Piece, and Bleach, something that was enough to see the youngsters dreams of becoming a graphic novel author vanish before he got his time to shine. Heres how it works. Note the original single coil pickup and the snug fit of the pickguard around the pickup in the picture on the right. Simmons estimates hes sold about 10,000 instruments over the past 10 years. [**]. Well, in simple terms its a neck-through construction instrument with a hard maple neck and mahogany axe blade body. 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. His. In 1977 the most common location of this mini switch was more or less right below the volume knob (with the bass seen in the playing position), and certain pics show what appear to be a piece of tape (or in some cases a dab of paint) covering up something. (My guess is that the P-bass pickup was added when it was painted black.) Gibson havent let themselves down here at all, with this review model feeling lighter than it looks. So much so that Gibson put out a demo vinyl record showcasing the various tones the system was capable of. Shannon Tweed - Now 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. In the case of Kramer, Jackson and Cort, as soon as quality started to dip, a new builder would be found. It's only taken us 50 years to go play the final shows 10 blocks away on 33rd Street, which is Madison Square Garden," the band's bass player, Gene Simmons, said on . See Gibson for more details. If there is one thing that several musicians hate more than most things, its people pirating their music. Become part of our community of travelers to receive exclusive tips, tricks and travel expert secrets, By Hannah Pennington, Published on Mar 24, 2021, Gene Simmons claims that hes been intimate with thousands of women, The Cheapest Countries In The World For Traveling, Tourists Share The Craziest Things They Have Seen While Traveling The World, Hilarious Breakup Notes That Are Bordering On Awkard, Everything You Could Possibly Need to Know About Subscription Travel, Bizarre Photos Youd Only Ever See In Thailand, The Worlds Most Anticipated Bar Has Finally Opened In London, These Valentines Destinations Are Perfect For Every Type Of Couple. However, he's also been known for the varied love life he's led over the years, with his numerous relationships having been . His grandparents and one uncle were murdered by Hitler's henchmen. At first, people thought that Gene was trying to trademark the image itself. The very obvious absence of an Axe during 1990-95, with the possible . 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