During an interview with radio station Q1043 in New York, KISS bassist Gene Simmons explained that he doesn’t think that bands of today will ever be revered in the same way as bands like The Beatles, Led Zeppelin, The Rolling Stones, Jimi Hendrix, David Bowie, and others.
Despite the fact that bands like Nirvana, Pearl Jam, Soundgarden, Alice in Chains, Foo Fighters, Smashing Pumpkins, Nine Inch Nails, Green Day, and more have clearly made their mark on the music world, proving to be an inspiration for subsequent generations, Gene Simmons doesn’t necessarily think they have or ever will reach the legendary status of older bands.
While he didn’t directly mention any of the aforementioned acts, Simmons stated that he thinks that no great bands have emerged after 1988.
“So, from 1958 until 1988…that’s 30 years, right? And from there, what did the world get? Well, they got Elvis, The Beatles, Hendrix, The Stones, Pink Floyd, everybody,” Simmons said.
“Prince, Madonna, and the disco thing, Motown — just such a rich canvas of stuff. The heavy stuff, Metallica. Y’know, in the ’70s and ’80s, in the ’80s especially. Just endless. From 1988 until today, which is 40 years, where are the Beatles?”
The interviewer then brought up the massive success of Taylor Swift, and how she could possibly be considered an iconic modern-day artist that is as influential on other artists as The Beatles.
“That is a phenomenon,” he said. “It’s called a singularity. She connected, especially with young females, and God bless and more of that. That ain’t the Beatles or Elvis. Not the same thing. It’s just enormous fame: bigger than the Pope.”
“She’s the biggest thing that ever happened to live concerts. That doesn’t mean they’re going to be 15-year-old guys putting guitars around their neck and saying, ‘I want to be Taylor.’ Right? No, it ain’t the same thing. So, where is that?”
