Spector #2 was also a part of the traveling circus that was The Return of KISS but it doesn't seem to have gotten much action. I don't often have a lot of good things to say about . Gene's version is either a '76 or '77 ebony version that was modfied from the get-go. That certainly would have been one way to get the kids listening. "I saw a bass he had built hanging on the wall and decided right then that I wanted it. The caption next to this Axe bass noted that it was a limited-edition built by Kramer. If Gene tried to use the Carr Axe live it probably turned out to be too heavy for use. Gene tapped Valdez Guitars to build the first one, then Steve Carr built a few, as did Kramer, Jackson, and Cort. Get the latest and greatest Guitar news with one of our guitar magazine subscriptions. (And the look of the #1s from behind betrays no evidence of a rear output jack but in all fairness the entire bass isn't visible. Perhaps most importantly of all, it's a bass that's tailor-made for conjuring this larger-than-life character's earth-conquering tones. The Vega wireless system is mentioned in KISS Alive Forever on p. 83. Sadly, things didnt quite work out for the star. Apparently, Gene wanted to sue everyone who shared copyrighted files, something that saw his site get taken down by Anonymous. This is the story behind the iconic Axe Bass which has been wielded by Gene Simmons for decades. One of the least used basses in Gene's arsenal, the Gibson Les Paul Triumph doesn't appear in any live photographs from 1976. This wasnt the first time that Gene had found himself on the wrong side of people, and several think it wont be the last. 15155. The pair have been together since 1983, with Gene telling People that theyve been happily unmarried most of that time. The 1970s rock scene was one that had to be enjoyed to be believed. The prior owner believed this to be a late '90s, and when comparing with other listings on Reverb that appears to hold true. The pics below are from a show in January, either on the 21st or 22nd. Nick also has some acting credits to his name. "I just had a guy named Stuart Spector build me one with a longer neck. There will be a guitar version and left-handed versions. Both stars were known for their use of illegal substances, and both lost their lives while they were still in their prime. The clip is an outtake from the 2012 documentary Sample This. Answer (1 of 7): When I was younger it was KISS that got me to listen to Heavy Metal and I thought then that Gene Simmons was the best period! According to Gene he met Stuart Spector, then just an upstart luthier working out of a small Brooklyn shop, during the Destroyer sessions. This version of the bass was Gene's #1 bass more or less from 1973 until the summer of 1975 when he started altering it. The bass on the right is slightly more problematic. I drew what the Axe might be. The neck has pearl diamond inlays just like Gene's, and the detail in the paint and set up is just like the Demons. Though the marriage only lasted for a few years, Gene Simmons her only son was born in . Ever the savvy businessman, Simmons ended up trademarking the term "Axe" as it refers to a musical instrument, as well as the shape of the bass. This mk III retains the original violin-type bridge. It seems that Gene thinks its time for one genre in particular to disappear: rap. Although he initially apologized for the incident, Gene also accused it of being highly exaggerated and misleading. It seems that we will never know the truth about what happened behind closed doors at the news network. It's been suggested that the incredible disappearing binding was masking tape that Gene himself applied during the hours of tedium on the tour bus. Just walking through the hotel lobby and hallways chatting with Gene was an unbelievable experience. Then came the aftermath. The studs are not glued or otherwise mounted directly on the body of the bass. All in all, this first offering from G2 delivers on virtually every front, from the dazzling black diamond aesthetic through to playability and versatility. Tuning stability and intonation also feel impeccable: This is definitely aset and forget kind of bass that allows the player to focus on their performance, undistracted and with confidence. No matter the angle or lighting, up until now the white binding has been clearly visible at all times. Gene Simmons, bassist and co-vocalist of rock band Kiss, looks back on the band's career, and how he has been in charge of the group's highly lucrative business affairs. Love it or hate it, some performers have been accused of lip-syncing their songs over the years. At the end of our show [I] walk offstage and I throw the guitar off the stage, and everyone gasps. For the show in London, Ontario 74.12.22 Gene poses with the Grabber backstage but plays the LoBue for the show. At the time Spector only had two model bass guitars, the SB-1 and the SB-2. Greg Kennelty. My reference points were people like Paul McCartney. It turns out that some people were so offended by how Gene Simmons conducted himself and the thoughts he has on people suffering from their mental health that they decided to protest against the rockstar and his band. The body and hardware can be shaped in any number of ways. Various production versions of the instrument often feature pickup configurations and tone controls that offer a wider tonal palate, but Gene doesnt want anything getting in the way, and so his personal versions feature just a volume control. For the better part of the Spirit Tour '76 the LoBue retains the mk VI look. The bass(es) were high-gloss black with white trim and a very distinct "point" on the back where the body finish met the unfinished neck (see further down). Kiss were Gibson endorsees in those days so it could well be that Simmons got it as a promotional . (My guess is that the P-bass pickup was added when it was painted black.) By. John Lennon's Gibson J-160E went for $2.4 million at Julien's Auctions in 2015. But out of costume, the Kiss co-frontman is an equally commanding presence. There is a photo as early as 77.08.19 in San Diego, CA that shows the white pickguard Thunderbird on stage during the pre-show setup. [****] Personal communication with Jack Williamson who asked Free about the matter. The Spector takes over as the #1 and during the early part of the Love Gun tour it is brought out only occasionally soon to disappear completely. New rock and roll stars lurked around every corner, and it seemed that plenty of people couldnt wait to head to the latest party on the block. The first change (mk II) is to simple clear lucite knobs with 1-10 numbers on them. It can be easy to think that any of Gene Simmons children would have tried to walk in his footsteps after seeing the success their dad has enjoyed over the years. What are you waiting for. According to Steve Carr his first version of the Axe shown below was made for Gene in 1978 and even used for a few shows that year but no photographic evidence of that exists. Maybe gross, maybe cool, but definitely profitable to Mr. Simmons with a starting price of $12,000 per bass. He called her tongue the girls version. Apparently, Gene thinks it shows girls cant play with the guys because it will, in his words, never be as good. Or maybe the rather strange decision to use the Axe for a song like Reason to live during the Crazy Nights tour drove home the point that the Axe was a somewhat odd fit for the image at the time. Whatever the reason for the lack of an Axe, this particular Axe makes its last appearance during the European leg of the Crazy Nights tour, shows up for the convention and then disappears; it doesn't even feature in the auction (which. One can see the sparkling of the finish during his blood-spitting routine. 1's, Paul only changing from his own LoBue custom V when it was stolen. Talking with legendary rock 'n' roll musician, Gene Simmons, one thing becomes clear pretty quickhe likes a good thrill. Though he is known for his woodsman-inspired Axe guitar, he told me it . If one is to believe the quote from Gene above it may just be locked away in storage since it didn't surface for the auction. The rockstar tried to say Prince had turned to several cliches that often come with a time at the top and supposedly thought he was the best musician in the world. Gibson havent let themselves down here at all, with this review model feeling lighter than it looks. Gene continued to add how he thinks Prince slowly took his life over many years by using drink and illegal substances, even though neither were mentioned in the official report. Gene has nothing but nice things to say about the stories that have been brought to life and the art thats used throughout each graphic novel. It is also, when visible, curiously unaffected by lighting conditions. So much so that Gibson put out a demo vinyl record showcasing the various tones the system was capable of. Considering that the mkI version had a single coil pickup (possibly a stacked humbucker) the third knob is somewhat of a mystery. Some have defended their actions by saying they want to focus on the performance and not the live rendition of the songs, while others have denied lip-syncing at all. The bass icon on bass rigs, riches and 50 years of music. LoBue custom LP Triumph Gibson EB-0. I originally thought that the natural satin finish, introduced in 1975 and seen in this well-known footage from San Fransisco 75.01.31, was Gene's first which was later re-finished but he actually had two Grabbers on the road with him and he used both during the Winterland show. The earliest known date for this is from Uniondale 79.09.01. The iconic Kiss bassist promises his new signature instrument is "The most fun you'll be able to have with your pants on". It was probably added to help the intonation problems inherent in any set bridge like the original, but this one proved problematic as the few surviving pictures show that the strings had a tendency to skip out of position. The passing of time has proved fruitful for Kiss' 1982 . The Spector web site is clear on the matter: "The bass in the photo above [on the Spector web site, not featured here] is still in Gene's possession as far as we know. LoBue custom Fender P-bass. Malcolm Young more influential than EVH or Clapton? [***]. This mk I version shows the "standard" SB-1 controls with one volume and one tone knob (both in silver) and a front output jack (missing is the mini-switch which was standard on the SB-1). Notice also the triangular "point" of the finish. 1980. The Kramer Axe was fine for playback but for one of very few live TV performances (the first one since 1974?) Apparently, Gene has always been obsessed with comic books and knows some of the biggest names who have worked on the art over the years, but it was getting his hands on certain Golden Age books and turning them around for $10,000 each that really saw the money start rolling in from a young age. It turns out the people at Fox News were less than impressed with Genes alleged behavior as the security guards reportedly had to intervene and escort the star from the building. Celebrating 50 years in rock (1966-2016) Gene Simmons, multi-hyphenate entrepreneur, co-founder and front man of KISS, America's number one gold record award-winning group of all time in all categories (RIAA), and one of the most recognized performers in the world, recently announced the . It's a smart and quick solution since it's not visible for the most part. Perhaps most importantly of all, its a bass thats tailor-made for conjuring this larger-than-life characters earth-conquering tones. "Well, that is very kind of you to say. The result? Gene Simmons is a legendary rock icon and the bassist from KISS, and his new Gibson Gene Simmons G2 Thunderbird Bass reflects his tastes. The jury is out on that one. The inception of the Axe Bass came from the adage of referring to a guitar as an axe. The string of prototypes that Carr eluded to were probably the ones shown below. On the other hand it was listed in the Butterfields auction without the name of the luthier and it was suggested that it dated from the 1983 Creatures tour (which there is no evidence for, the Axe used on that tour was a Kramer). Gene Simmons, bass guitarist for Kiss, gets ready to breathe fire during the crescendo of "Firehouse," a number performed during a concert in Hartford, Conn., Feb. 18, 1977. Find out more about the Axe Bass at www.genesimmonsaxe.com. "Kiss was born on 23rd Street. Thats right; the bass player is often seen with blood pouring from his mouth, but dont worry; no bass players are harmed in the making of the act. Off the stage, and everyone gasps caption next to this Axe bass noted that it was limited-edition. Both lost their lives while they were still in their prime in particular to disappear:.... Was a limited-edition built by Kramer both lost their lives while they were still in their prime since?... 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