In a new interview with Classic Rock, KISS’ Gene Simmons picked some music and artists that greatly affected his life. Under the ‘singer’ list, the rocker named a few iconic singers but excluded his bandmate Paul Stanley.
“Roy Orbison had the best voice for rock’n’roll songs,” he said. “But if you listen to Baby Workout by Jackie Wilson, that voice is just undeniable.”
The rocker also named another singer ‘charisma-wise’: “And if we’re talking about charisma – not just a singer but a performer – then it’s James Brown. I remember a TV show from the sixties that had the Stones and The Beach Boys and James Brown. The Stones were closing the show, and while James Brown was on stage there was a close-up of Mick Jagger watching him and biting his nails. James Brown was just killing it like nobody I’ve ever seen. It was astonishing how he moved, the way he was contorting his body.”
It’s not surprising to not see Stanley on Simmons’ list. Simmons mocked his bandmate several times about his voice.
At one of Simmons’ solo concerts in Australia in 2018, the rocker took a jab at Stanley’s struggles with his voice during performances. Before inviting audience members onstage to sing ‘Rock and Roll All Nite,’ Simmons said, “We need some help, though. We can’t sing the song ourselves ’cause I’m 69 and I’ve lost my voice!” He then added a cough and the word ‘bullshit.’
This wasn’t the first time Simmons mocked Stanley’s vocals. “I’ll sing everything because my voice always works. I don’t lose my voice. I don’t lose my voice… Paul Stanley,” Simmons said during another show.
Simmons also named ‘Revenge’ and ‘Destroyer’ as the band’s best records, but added that Kiss was always more about the live experience.