Gene Simmons Reveals Why Rock Died After Metallica

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Gene Simmons, who humiliated this A list actor last month, is not only the legendary co-founder of ‘The Hottest Band in the Land’ KISS but is once again ready to put the alleged final nail in the coffin of rock and roll. Back in 2014, The Demon would tell Gulf News that ‘Rock Is Dead’, which certainly gained controversy. At the time, the KISS co-leader singer, and bassist would justify himself with the following explanation: “Rock is dead. And that’s because new bands haven’t taken the time to create glamour, excitement, and epic stuff.”

Now, several years later, Simmons is doubling down on his comments. In conversation with Metal Hammer before the group’s upcoming appearance at Download Festival in June, the controversial singer would have the following remarks. Credit to Loudersound for the below quote.

“I stand by my words: rock is dead,” he said. “The people that killed it are fans. Fans killed the thing they loved by downloading and file sharing for free. How do you expect somebody who loves the guitar to come into this creative process? You’ve got to invent yourself. And so rock is dead.”

Of course, many in the rock and roll community disagree with Simmons’ claim about the demise of the rock genre. Alice In Chains member Jerry Cantrell would state in a 2021 interview, “Rock isn’t dead. It’s all cyclical. I can’t wait for Godzilla to rise from the swamp once again and shake things up. It’s going to happen.”

While Greta Van Fleet, who has been a juggernaut on the modern rock scene also tried to correct Simmons’ claim during an interview with NME last year. Josh Kiszka would proclaim during that interview: “I think rock and roll can become dormant, but you can’t kill something that supersedes time,” he added. “It’s an attitude and a spirit and a celebration. I think people pass the torch and time moves on. Further adding: “I think there’s probably a lot of people that would disagree with him.”

Simmons also said in the new interview, “Point to a new look. I played this game before and it bears noting, rock continues to be dead. From 1958 until 1988, 30 years, right? You got Elvis Presley, The Beatles, Jimi Hendrix, the Rolling Stones and on and on. Motown. You have the surf thing and the Beach Boys, the British invasion – hundreds of bands. The Hollies are hardly ever talked about, they’re a great band. Disco stuff, Madonna, Prince, Bowie, all that great stuff. You had the heavy bands Metallica and Iron Maiden, all that stuff in those 30 years. Eternal music and bands.

“But from 1988 until today, who is the new Beatles? BTS? There’s no denying BTS are world famous. But am I going to form a garage band to do those songs? No. I think they’re well-crafted and professional, but One Direction and NSYNC and all the boy bands don’t change the world. It just makes little girls hearts flutter and then they’re gone. That doesn’t have gravitas. Influential bands, that make somebody want to pick up a guitar, learn how to play songs and be in a band don’t exist, because you can’t make a living.”