gene simmons basses through the years
Dodano do: james cavendish buittle
Considering the rather complicated control layout, 3 knobs and 4 switches, it was probably not a Gene favorite. But as far as what its going to mean after Im gone, oh my god, who cares? In 2017, Gene Simmons hit the headlines for something pretty controversial among the rock world. 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 . Together the two pickups complement each other very well indeed, with serious weight and bite that can be easily tamed through the respective volume controls. 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. 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 the soundcheck for the Filmore shows. The theory is that this is a simple piece of tape covering up a hole that used to fit a mini switch and the photo from San Diego 77.08.19 even seem to show that hole. Exact year is unknown but Gibson transitioned to this body type in 1961. As mentioned in the Axe section this could be considered a comment of sorts on the differing sonic qualities of the two basses. 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. My theory is that this is the third Spector mentioned on the Spector web site (I will more or less ignore the all-black curiosity above for now). However, it was his time as an assistant at Vogue and Glamour magazines that could have led to a very different career. 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. The shot from Springfield 79.09.05 shows the new inlay. As a subscriber enjoy big savings off the shop price! 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. 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. Sadly, we get the feeling that Gene would have rocked a lot less face paint during his time in the classroom. Once you do, the ceramic magnets in the Rhythm and Lead T-Bird humbuckers pack a powerful and immediate response, with no shortage of punch and depth, making for a bass that sounds, much like the American groups landmark 1975 release, truly alive. 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. But at the end of the day a guitar is just a tool to create art. There is something else that Nick Simmons has been working on over the years, and it comes in the form of his graphic novel. Conclusion. All that twerking and tongue flashing was enough to change peoples minds about the star. In the end the long-scale neck and the rather elaborate Q-system electronics probably proved unnecessary for Gene's no-frills style. But, during the Convention Tour of 1995 this bass was part of the museum and was labeled as a prototype Gene Simmons Axe (see pic and video below). Theres a lot to like about this costly Thunderbird, from its searing hot tones to that striking mirror-on-black aesthetic. This mk III retains the original violin-type bridge. Future Publishing Limited Quay House, The Ambury, Sadly, that all changed in 2017 when the rockstar made a bit too much of a lasting impression at the new network after a meeting gone wrong. That was until a friend suggested Gene get in touch with the singers best friend to try and find a Christmas present. This bass is authorized by Gene Simmons, and each Axe is adorned with Gene's signature on the headstock. 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. It was even Genes love of comic books that saw Kiss adopt many of their stage mannerisms and gimmicks that have made the bands performances so famous over the years. According to Simmons' tech at (13:16), "This is the main bass for the show. The first part of the Dynasty tour shows the Spector #1 mk III hanging in there. But, during the Convention Tour of 1995 this bass was part of the museum and was labeled as a prototype Gene Simmons Axe (see pic and video below). I don't often have a lot of good things to say about . [****] Personal communication with Jack Williamson who asked Free about the matter. Things went from bad to worse when two women accused Gene of behaving inappropriately, something he denies. In contrast, Spector #2 takes a serious beating throughout (the pics below span the entire tour). 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 are people that want to leave a legacy and are concerned with what is said about them after theyre gone. The G2 Thunderbird Bass is voiced with a pair of powerful T-Bird pickups, each with individual Volume controls and paired with a . For me it was also pragmatism, because I already owned the word Axe as it relates to musical instruments, so I hand-designed it, and I still have the original artwork and it looks very much like the Axe thats available today. The clear knobs make the transition into the new year appearing in Chicago on 78.01.15. Sadly, the truth isnt quite so exciting as Gene apparently discovered he had an impressively long tongue when he was 13 years old and realized it was a hit with the ladies. In fact, the rockstar went as far as it saw Mileys tongue was okay, but quickly put his foot in it with a few derogatory comments. In 2108, Sophie told Harpers Bazaar that she knew she wanted to become a musician since she was four years old. What are you waiting for. When KISS did their first "European" tour in 4 years they stopped by a TV studio in Hilversum, Holland on May 29 to record singback versions of Unholy and God Gave Rock 'n' Roll To You II for the show Countdown. The Fender Jazz basses Ive used on some songs, but live, theyre too boomy. . Amit has been writing for titles likeTotal Guitar,MusicRadarandGuitar Worldfor over a decade and counts Richie Kotzen, Guthrie Govan and Jeff Beck among his primary influences. Apparently, Gene thinks the best thing that people with less money can do is Try being nice to rich people. Thats certainly one way. [] I had two of them on the road with me, but I liked the sound of the off-red one." Here we can see the outline of the tape coverup (check the full-size pic for better detail) for the last time. [*] 1996 Guitars that Rule the World, Metal Edge presents KISS Alive! 2023 Guitar.com is part of NME Networks. Fender teams up with Mastodon's Troy Sanders for well-spec'd Silverburst signature P-Bass, Zoom unveils new B2 Four bass multi-effects pedal, with Multi-Layer IR, 300 patches and a 60-second looper, 50 years ago: The Runaways guitarist Lita Ford was invited to replace John Paul Jones in Led Zeppelin, Jeff Berlin explains why playing bass is like playing kazoo, To be honest, I'm not really a bass player. To highlight a detail that entered the story a little earlier when the Fender bridge was installed I've chosen these particular pics. Tweed and Simmons were together for 28 years before they decided to tie the knot in 2011. Theres a good chance that you might have to be prepared for things to go a little wrong. - Bass Certificate of authenticity signed by Gene Simmons. Oh no, its merely the number of categories that Kiss is now involved with. To top it off, Gene says that he has a Polaroid photo of each of his partners from over the years and a hotel key firm the night they spent together. Sadly, things didnt quite work out for the star. So what is the Axe Bass, then? 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. Simmons was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2014 as a member of . Wicked Lester had their equipment stolen from the loft at Mott St. and Canal St. After this there is a long void of solid photographic evidence on what happens. It wasnt long before people pointed out the sign actually means I love you in sign language. According to Gene he met Stuart Spector, then just an upstart luthier working out of a small Brooklyn shop, during the Destroyer sessions. I love it." 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. Gene Simmons: "Everything Vinnie Vincent did sounded like Yngwie Malmsteen on crack". As one of the founding members of KISS, Gene Simmons is certainly one of the most recognizable faces in rock music. It turns out that none of the record labels Sophie contacted actually wanted to work with the star, meaning her plan worked and worked against her. Then, all he needs to do is let it start trickling from his mouth to up the performance. It showed a mirror image of the #1 Spector and erroneously dubbed it a "Spectre" bass, even claiming it was the first "Spectre" ever made. Although he managed to get it back up and running, the group quickly took Gene down again to try and take away his voice on the matter. I beat DC in using The Demon they tried to stop me, but I was able to prove that my Demon was far more famous than their Demon character!, By trademarking the name and shape of the Axe, Simmons was able to control who builds the instrument for him, and sure enough hes switched builders many times over the years. 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. We will meet you at a designated area at the venue, prior to the show to organize details etc . The passing of time has proved fruitful for Kiss' 1982 . 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. 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. Still, it was captured on film, meaning Gene wont forget the moment anytime soon. [*] The reddish Grabber was re-finished since Gibson never offered the Grabber in any kind of metal flake finish. At least, that is if you want to avoid a moment like Gene Simmons had at one of his live shows. This time it looks like a fairly standard Fender bridge (mk V). The shift to the Jackson comes about just before the European leg of the Lick it up tour. 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. 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. At the end of our show [I] walk offstage and I throw the guitar off the stage, and everyone gasps. Gene brings out the metal flake Grabber for 100,000 years at Winterland. )Although not as obvious this is also seen in the pic from Toledo 76.07.30. Viewed as a whole it is obvious that the LoBue was far and away Gene's favorite. They both had the same body shape and the number only designated the number of pickups. So I ended that relationship and continued to make them on my own.. Gene apparently told Terry that she would have to be willing to get intimate with him if she wanted to be a part of his life. The bass icon on bass rigs, riches and 50 years of music. Introduced in 1973, the Grabber was Gibson's first bolt-on neck bass and featured a sliding pickup (you "grabbed" it to change the pickup position, hence the name). The problems with the bridge above promted another change. The GENE SIMMONS Meet & Greet Bass Signing Includes: - Choice of Gene Simmons Bass, signed & personalized by Gene Simmons. As if things couldnt get any worse, Gene proceeded to tear his shirt and shouted, Hey chicks, sue me!. This is the story behind the iconic Axe Bass which has been wielded by Gene Simmons for decades. First the finish is re-done to be an all-black and Steve Carr makes a headstock inlay of Gene's makeup face. Though he is known for his woodsman-inspired Axe guitar, he told me it . Gene simply replied, Nobody. The reddish metal flake Grabber appears at the Midnight Special taping on 75.04.01 where we get a fairly close look at the almost matte finish (and a taste of the obvious sonic qualities it possessed). Once the band starts making personell changes at the turn of the decade Gene moves to Spector #2 as his main bass. Though he speaks measuredly . The first two are just simple changing of the knobs. "The first project with KISS for me, was when Gene said he wanted a guitar shaped like an executioner's axe. Why you can trust Guitar World Its another to be such a great performer that you carry on with your show even when you take a tumble. The one pic I've seen from San Antonio 77.11.22 is inconclusive as far as what knobs are on the bass. Exact year is unknown but Gibson transitioned to this body type in 1961. Jan 11, 2009. so I read an article years ago where it talked about gene simmons' live rig, but i couldn't find any info anywhere and the magazine is long gone, so I spoke with his tech Spike and he said basically this is it: 1 SVT-2 Pro. Its one of the most distinctive signature models of all time, but how did the KISS Demon come up with his trusty four-string? I didnt know anything else about it the wood, the relationship of the bridge to the neck, I didnt think about any of that. 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. He's interviewed everyone from Ozzy Osbourne and Lemmy to Slash and Jimmy Page, and once even traded solos with a member of Slayer on a track released internationally. As Simmons explains, Well, you cant avoid feeling badass Its not the first instrument I think of when I want to play Yesterdayby The Beatles. 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. One of the least used basses in Gene's arsenal, the Gibson Les Paul Triumph doesn't appear in any live photographs from 1976. Strings - Lutes - Guitars. 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