John Lennon's Gibson J-160E Acoustic-Electric - $2.4 Million. 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 prior owner believed this to be a late '90s, and when comparing with other listings on Reverb that appears to hold true. This is where Gene's search for something very specific seems to start. It was a stab at the more affordable market then dominated by Fender so it was a straight-forward instrument without fancy inlays and with controls and pickups mounted on the scratchplate. We asked the man himself. Like the best signature models, this is an instrument that ultimately inspires you to sound and play like the musician behind it, while also being capable of a lot more, from Motown to country, and with the right kind of EQ scoop and compression, even slapped funk even if its not aimed at such musicians. In 2013, the rockstar spoke about Amy and Kurts passing in a radio interview, where he said that just because they have passed, it doesnt mean theyre an icon. Of course, it didnt sit well. Like many, the rockstar was forced to take any job that came his way, including a role as a deli cashier. One can also see that the material under the studs is completely different from the rest of the bass. 1 bass for Gene and the exceedingly brief appearance of the Fender Precision is only in the role of backup. The application claimed that Gene first used the gesture in 1974 while posing for a photo with the legend that is Dave Grohl. Together, the happy couple share two kids; Nichols Adam Tweed-Simmons and Sophie Alexandra Tweed-Simmons. Chances are Gene just took the opportunity afforded him by the Gibson sponsorship the band enjoyed at the time (see the back of any KISS album from the time) but found that the basses weren't to his taste. Gene Simmons's new haircut. Conclusion. 1980. Gene had another story in 1996: "A couple of years later I lent it to Micki Free, whose band Smokehouse opened for us once, and never saw it again." It turned out the bass player wanted to trademark the devil horns sign. 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. Would you believe that hes been building a business empire for himself since he was back in college? At first, people thought that Gene was trying to trademark the image itself. Kiss's always-colorful bassist reflects on how he and Paul Stanley wrestled with the band's identity - and Vinnie Vincent's unorthodox, fleet-fingered ideas - on Creatures of the Night, 40 years on. But did he ever imagine such a strange instrument would become as successful as it has? Malcolm Young more influential than EVH or Clapton? Both stars were known for their use of illegal substances, and both lost their lives while they were still in their prime. Had the studs been mounted on the body this would have been completely non-sensical. The pickup becomes a Gibson EB-0 style, something that Gene had experimented with before (the Fender he used during the Wicked Lester days) and it would be the last pickup change for the LoBue. It seems this only made Gene even angrier than ever. Both Peter Criss and Gene Simmons weren't the best players of their instruments but by god they both had a cool groove which made their song unmistakenly Kiss. From lunch boxes to credit cards and everything in between, it seems theres no shortage of Kiss-themed things on the market as even caskets are on the menu, meaning the brand is estimated to be worth $1 billion. The following day, Fox News announced that Gene had been permanently banned from the studios, with some reports claiming there is a photo of Gene behind the security desk to ensure he never sneaks in. "Kiss was born on 23rd Street. (The Thunderbird plays one final role in this story but not until 1992. After being on a breif hiatus the Thunderbird returned to the Gibson catalogue in 1976 for the Bicentennial. Gibson havent let themselves down here at all, with this review model feeling lighter than it looks. Gone is the original witch-hat knob, in its stead we find a black speed knob. Photographic evidence doesn't allow for three #1 Spectors, there are only two. However, that isnt the case. In 2012, Madonna fans were in for a treat as the pop star was lined up to star at the Super Bowl halftime show. Although he's spent the last 50 years A long-tongued, fire-breathing, towering bass player who performs in a demon warpaint, massive platform boots, and stylized armor, Simmons is a sight to behold. England and Wales company registration number 2008885. Though he is known for his woodsman-inspired Axe guitar, he told me it . Under the hood, in the 70s and 80s the Axe featured a boost, but the current models feature only EMG pickups and a preamp. [*] Much later Gene would remember it a little differently: "So he made me a one of a kind natural wood custom made bass, no name, no nothing." Believe it or not, but Gene Simmons is actually a married man, even though the rockstar has been open about his alleged romances over the years. In 2017, Gene Simmons hit the headlines for something pretty controversial among the rock world. - Bass Certificate of authenticity signed by Gene Simmons. These days the basses are available through his own website [GeneSimmonsAxe.com] and every Axe Bass is built by hand, and is personally inspected by Simmons before being shipped to the customer. It usually means the artists miss out on the profits and can have some pretty huge effects. They both had the same body shape and the number only designated the number of pickups. Search child forums as well If theres one thing that Gene Simmons is proud of in his life, its the supposed number of women that hes been with throughout his career. Its another to be such a great performer that you carry on with your show even when you take a tumble. The Kiss aesthetic wont appeal tonon-fans. Below are a few early shots of Gene using the LoBue in 1972-73 starting with the loft rehearsals as a three piece, a shot from one of the shows at the Daisy, and . That is probably going to be a very big item. The inception of the Axe Bass came from the adage of referring to a guitar as an axe. The technical info on the EB-0 is taken from the January 2007 issue of Vintage Guitar (also avilable online). April 13, 2022. As the photos show there is a marked difference in the shape of the lower horn, most easily seen in the shots of the back. After having used a few different basses during the time in Wicked Lester, an Epiphone that was stolen and a Fender P-bass with a Gibson EB-0 pickup, Gene finally found his weapon of choice in the shape of a Charlie LoBue custom bass. 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. According to Simmons' tech at (13:16), "This is the main bass for the show. 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. Stage Played Pkg n/a. Though he speaks measuredly . There's very nice video of it from both Houston and Anaheim in August that show the mk VI in action. Nashville, TN (January 8, 2021) -- Gibson, the iconic American guitar brand, has entered into a joint venture with Gene Simmons, international rock legend and co-founder of KISS, America's #1 gold record award-winning group of all time, in all categories (RIAA), to create G. Sadly, things didnt quite work out for the star. That Gene managed to play that bass and actually got something resembling music from it is a true accomplishment. A customized electric bass guitar - the "Gene Simmons Axe Bass" - was especially created for him by South Korean giant Cort. It also speaks volumes of Gene's "working-bass" concept: as long as it works and looks good enough, it will do. Apparently, he wasnt impressed with someone so prominent sharing such questionable opinions. It turned out that Gene wasnt happy for a hip-hop group to get a spot in the hall his bands called home since 2014. The result? PURCHASE & PAYMENT PLANS. The Return of KISS!! As with everything he does, Simmons has big plans . - Hard Shell Gene Simmons fitted bass case signed by Gene Simmons. GS Backstage M&G Vampire Bass Pkg = $7495. In fact, his passion for comic books even helped to inspire The Demon that we see at Kiss shows as Biography reports Gene shaped his character on Marvels Black Bolt. Wherever the LoBue eventually ended up it is one of the great lost treasures of KISStory, one that deserves enshrinment. Pastorious,Wooten,Sheehan,Hamm,Graham,Johnson,Miller,and many other players through the years that had something I liked to form my own style of playing. As if things couldnt get any worse, Gene proceeded to tear his shirt and shouted, Hey chicks, sue me!. Although it was supposed to be a simple shopping spree, its said the couple ended up falling head over heels in love with one another, destroying Chers relationship with Gene and her friendship with Diana. The worlds leading authority and resource for all things guitar. Again it's the bridge that gets a change with a very odd combination. Two or three years ago, Gibson and I connected and decided to do a joint venture - the G2: Gene and Gibson, or Gibson and Gene. . The pair have been together since 1983, with Gene telling People that theyve been happily unmarried most of that time. 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. I don't often have a lot of good things to say about . Alas, by mid-1977 the cherised LoBue's days are numbered. Future Publishing Limited Quay House, The Ambury, Below are a couple of pics from rehearsals and the early part of the tour. An erstwhile acquaintance of LoBue's who handled the bass in its mkVI incarnation in New Jersey 76.07.10 has suggested that almost all the modifications were done by Charlie or the Guitar Lab rather than Gene's tech. Why you can trust Guitar World According to Gene he met Stuart Spector, then just an upstart luthier working out of a small Brooklyn shop, during the Destroyer sessions. Love it or hate it, some performers have been accused of lip-syncing their songs over the years. "I just had a guy named Stuart Spector build me one with a longer neck. Spector #1 is certainly still in the picture but when it comes to relative use their fortunes are reversed with #1 "coming off the bench" here and there and #2 getting more stage time. A subscription makes a thoughtful gift for both family and friends. We're sorry-this item is unavailable. But in the three pictures below I'm having a. It looked cool on a piece of paper so I thought it would look cool as a bass., The Axe has become such an integral part to not only KISS, and Genes Demon character, but Gene Simmons himself. Of course, it could also be so simple that the band and management felt that the new, more serious concept album KISS weren't properly represented by an instrument that looked like an Axe. There is no evidence of the Thunderbird actually being used on stage during the Love Gun tour but for the Alive II tour it shows up in a limited number of pictures. The Vega wireless system is mentioned in KISS Alive Forever on p. 83. During one interview, the rockstar was asked if he admired anyone else more than himself. . It seems its something Genes kept up ever since. Founding KISS bassist Gene Simmons has partnered with Gibson for a new line of electric guitars and basses dubbed G. 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