Gene Simmons has said some controversial stuff over the years. Speaking to Classic Album Review, Sex Pistols legend John Lydon talked about Simmons and his behavior. The musician noted that the Demon is more of a businessman than anything else. He said:
“He’s a controversial figure because he tends to just be blatant about his love of commercialism, and I find that absolutely fine. He’d turn anything into a keyring, a t-shirt, or a necklace in a heartbeat. That’s his game and his world.”
“He’s a businessman, and so I’ve got no problems with it. It’s when bands try to sneak it out under the table and pretend that they’re indifferent to such things. That’s a problem – deception, but absolute, outright bravado about his stunts in life, accolades.”
Lydon continued, remembering the time he heard Kiss rehearsing for their next gig, and that he wasn’t too impressed with what he heard:
“There was a funny moment with Demon, because PIL – just about five, six years ago, maybe – we were rehearsing in America, in Los Angeles, on Highland, I think it was. They were in the studio, opposite and the noise was really, really bad coming out. It was hopelessly just…ugh.”
