Gene Simmons has called out Madonna and Rihanna for miming.
The Kiss rocker has been a staple of the music industry since the ‘70s, and has never been one to shy away from controversy. Gene doesn’t hold back when it comes to giving his opinion, and recently took aim at stars who mime but claim they’re singing live.
“The Madonnas, the Shakiras, the Rihannas… they’re all very good, talented – but dishonest. They never tell their fans, ‘Fifty per cent of this is pre-recorded music, I’m actually just moving my mouth up and down, and whatever else is going on’,” he shrugged to Britain’s Metro newspaper.
Gene was also happy to open up about his notoriety as a ladies’ man, confessing that during his Kiss heyday he found it hard to say no when groupies offered it to him on a plate.
At 66, the Israeli-born singer is now happily married to 59-year-old former playmate and actress Shannon Tweed, but the Love Gun star used to enjoy having his pick of women and its estimated he bedded nearly 5,000 women.
“It’s like being in a bakery for the first time and you gorge yourself, ‘It’s free, have as much cake as you want!’ It’s all there for the eating and swallowing but you can eat so many sweets you get sick if it,” he laughed.
While he openly admits women were his biggest vice back in the day, unlike many other rock stars Gene didn’t succumb to the lures of drink and drugs, simply explaining it “never appealed" to him. He adds the only time he’s ever been high is in the dentist’s chair.
Father-of-two Gene wed Shannon in 2011, and says life with his family is all that really matters.
“The closer you get to the end of your life, the more you realise the real story is the depth and the love that your wife – your beloved – that your kids can give you,” he concluded.
