Identity and Connection in Music

If Gene Simmons’ hard exterior scared you off, it did its job. As a founding member of the band KISS, Gene has spent decades putting on what he calls a persona, and today it comes off — at least a little. We talk about Gene’s journey, including being raised by a single, adoring mother, the origins of KISS, and why Ozzy Osbourne’s down-to-earth demeanor had such an impact on Gene. The man in the chair across from me seems to fluctuate between Gene — a father, husband, and son — and The Demon — a protective layer for the public eye. It’s perhaps in the brief moments of switching from one to the other that the real magic happens, when we get to see all the ways that they connect. 

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