Gene Simmons pushed back sharply this week after Sen. Alex Padilla (D-CA) suggested the KISS co-founder appeared before Congress out of self-interest. Simmons, who testified in support of the American Music Fairness Act, insisted that his advocacy has nothing to do with personal gain and everything to do with long-overdue fairness for recording artists.
Gene Simmons shots back at Senator
In remarks shared on Sunday, the Rock & Roll Hall of Famer reflected on his unlikely rise in America, emphasizing that his success story is proof of the nation’s promise rather than a motivation for private benefit. Born in Israel and raised by a Holocaust survivor mother, Simmons said the United States gave him opportunities he never could have imagined.
“I’ve done well thanks to the American Dream,” Simmons said. “This ain’t about me, my friend. Because I’ve done very well because America gave a first-generation legal immigrant the chance to do well.”
“I am the proud son of a concentration camp survivor,” Simmons said. “This ain’t about me, my friend. I’ve done very well, because America gave a first-generation legal immigrant the chance to do well.”
Gene Simmons also explained that the music industry’s financial balance can determine whether a band survives. He pointed to Garbage as an example—despite selling a million records, Shirley Manson announced they were stepping away from music because it simply wasn’t financially sustainable.
Simmons noted that different revenue streams — like concerts, which help some bands more than others — are essential for survival. But he kept returning to one central issue: radio and artists need each other, yet only one side is making huge money. Radio profits massively, while the artists doing the actual creative work often earn nothing from those plays.
