INDIANAPOLIS (WISH) — Gene Simmons describes himself as “the luckiest guy on two legs,” and after five decades of rock stardom, he has every reason to believe it. The Kiss co-founder and rock icon is bringing his high-octane solo band to the Indiana State Fair on Aug. 20, proving that retirement is just not in his DNA.
“Kiss is no longer touring, but I got to get up on stage and play these tunes,” Simmons said. “It all started with an idea. And then the idea morphs and kind of develops and becomes a song. But like any art, if you write a book or you paint a painting or you’re in a band, if you do it by yourself, it’s not very satisfying.”
No party without you
For Simmons, the magic happens in the connection with the audience. “There’s no party without you,” he emphasized. “So we need you to be part of the party. That’s what makes it come alive.”
The rock legend isn’t just showing up to collect a paycheck. He has been to the Indiana State Fair before as a regular attendee and genuinely loves the experience. “I got to tell you, it’s a lot of fun. It’s a lot of music, great food, amazing people,” he said. “You’re going to have a ball. Come on out. Bring the family. You’ll love it.”
A different kind of spectacle
Don’t expect the pyrotechnics and carefully choreographed chaos of a Kiss show. The Gene Simmons Band experience is something else entirely — something more intimate, more spontaneous, and more raw.
“It’s much more informal,” Simmons explained. “We don’t have to rely on not inviting guests on stage because with Kiss, if you step in the wrong part of the stage, you get blown up. You can’t do that. But with my solo band, it’s really loose. Anybody can yell out almost any song and we do it.”
The band keeps it classic: three musicians, two guitars, bass, and drums. “Good enough for the Beatles, good enough for Led Zeppelin, all the best bands,” Simmons noted. His bandmates — Jason and Brent on guitars, plus a drummer who also plays guitar — are seasoned pros who have performed with everyone from Slash to Billy Idol. All three can sing lead vocals, giving Simmons the flexibility to share the spotlight.
“Our little band makes a big noise,” he promised. “We like to shake the heavens. We play all your favorite hits, but also lots of surprises and you never know. I may invite you to come up on stage with us and sing a few tunes.”
The business of rock and roll
Simmons has never been shy about the commercial side of music, and he’s not about to start now. When asked about advice for young musicians, he delivered a reality check wrapped in wisdom.
“If you believe in truth and advertising, it actually has always been called the music business,” he said. “People think it’s called music. It never was and never will be. Everything costs money.”
He continued: “It’s not a romantic notion, unfortunately. You want to be swept up by the gypsy lifestyle and be swept away in this kind of idyllic kind of thing. But everything costs money. Gas costs money, trucks, roadies, all kinds of things. You’ve got to learn the business.”
His advice? Take responsibility. “It’s called an inferred fiduciary duty in business terms. In other words, it’s your responsibility to do all the research or get nice lawyers and everything who can fill in the blanks for you. Because if you don’t figure it out for yourself, nobody cares.”
Still climbing mountains
For someone who has achieved nearly everything imaginable in entertainment, Simmons remains remarkably hungry. Kiss became America’s top gold record award-winning group of all time in the band category. They broke records set by the Beatles in Japan. They received a Hollywood Walk of Fame star, Kennedy Center Honors from the president, and just this June, were inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame alongside Taylor Swift, who became the youngest songwriter ever to receive the honor.
“Every time you reach the top of a mountain, there’s a higher mountain and you keep going up,” Simmons reflected. “When I was a kid, all I wanted was a gold record. It was like, what? Right next to Gershwin.”
But the accolades haven’t made him complacent. “There are always new heights. And you can’t rest on your laurels. You can’t sit on your thumb and wait to die. You’ve got to get up every day, pump that heart, be good to people, do some philanthropy. And remember to salute that flag, which makes it all possible.”
The American dream, still alive
Simmons remains a passionate advocate for the American dream — the idea that anyone can achieve anything through hard work and determination.
“That’s what I love about the American dream. Anything is possible. You can come from anywhere, be anyone, and as long as you have your stick-to-itiveness and you never quit and work harder than the guy next to you, there’s a pretty good chance you’re going to scale the heights and achieve things you never dreamed of.”
And age? Just a number. “It doesn’t matter what age you are,” he insisted. “It’s never too late.”
See him at the fair
Gene Simmons and his band will perform at the Indiana State Fair on Aug. 20. And in true Simmons fashion, he left the interview with one final quip: “Because it’s been around 50 years. If I have any children running around in that area that I’m not aware of, please come up and say hi.”
Bring the family. Bring your voice. You might just end up on stage with a legend.
For more information and tickets, visit www.indianastatefair.com
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