Simmons: Why I Stopped Eddie Van Halen Joining Kiss
gbarton / News, Top Posts / 26/04/2012 12:02pm

Gene’s proud he told Eddie that quitting his own band would be a mistake — but they still recorded demos with guitarist’s brother Alex.

Gene Simmons is proud of what he told Eddie Van Halen when the guitarist begged to replace Ace Frehley in Kiss.

And although he was always convinced a line-up featuring Eddie and brother Alex wouldn’t have lasted long enough to make an album, they still recorded a demo session together.

The glam-rock demon was instrumental in making Van Halen a big-name act after seeing them as a support band and vowing to sign them after two songs. He oversaw the recording of their first demo and says he even bought singer David Lee Roth his first pair of high-heel boots.

Simmons says events unfolded in 1982 when Kiss had sacked guitarist Frehley. Van Halen appeared in the band’s studio, where they were working on new material, and played the main theme from future hit single Jump on a synth.

Speaking on Motley Crue bassist Nikki Sixx’s radio show, Simmons says: “I say, ‘Eddie, what’s this?’ ‘Oh, that’s the next record.’ ‘Really? I’m hearing it before guitars?’ ‘No, there’s no guitars — that’s it.’ ‘Oh, okay.’

“So I take him to lunch across the street and he actually tells me: ‘I want to join Kiss. I can’t take Roth — he’s driving me nuts. We’re not getting along. I’ve got this sound in my head that I want Van Halen to do, and Roth doesn’t want to do it, and we’re just getting to a point where he’s believing his own hype.’

“I remember feeling proud of what I said. I said: ‘Don’t do it. Stay with the band you started. There’s no role for you — you’re too big. You cast too much of a shadow to be the guitar player in Kiss.’

“And he went back and he was miserable for the next 20 or 30 years. But it would never have worked. Not even close.”

Nevertheless, a three-track recording exists featuring Simmons and the Van Halen brothers. “I’ve got Alex and Eddie on Christine Sixteen, Love For Sale and Tunnel Of Love,” says the bassist. “But it wasn’t a natural fit.”

“Nevertheless, a three-track recording exists featuring Simmons and the Van Halen brothers. “I’ve got Alex and Eddie on Christine Sixteen, Love For Sale and Tunnel Of Love,” says the bassist. “But it wasn’t a natural fit.”

NOW THAT!!! I would LOVE to hear!!!

Gene said he was going to release those demos on one of those Kiss box sets that came out 10 or so years ago, but never did.

I read that he might be doing a Gene Simmons box set soon, so hopefully, he might release them then.

I’m sure it’s been discussed ad nauseam, but I just don’t see Ed “begging” to be in Kiss? Maybe it’s true and documented other than from Gene (as we all know his skewed perception of reality), but the brothers would have had to feel severely restrained in that band musically. I’m not knocking Kiss, but if a musician is wanting to push themselves creatively, Kiss just isn’t the best vehicle. They’ve got a “tried and true” approach and pretty much stay on course.

How drunk was Ed when he said this to Simmons?

If Ed couldn’t deal with Roth’s ego……how the hell would he have dealt with Simmons ego????

I believe Ed may have said something off the cuff…..drunk and complaining, but I doubt he was truly serious.

Van Halen in ’82 was much bigger than KISS at that time. Right? KISS was sorting fading away at that point.

jroundy: If Ed couldn’t deal with Roth’s ego……how the hell would he have dealt with Simmons ego?

Different types of ego … Simmons would have been easier to deal with.

frankm: Different types of ego … Simmons would have been easier to deal with.

I somehow doubt that. But impossible to say for sure.

frankm: Different types of ego … Simmons would have been easier to deal with.

I’m sure with the money EVH would have added to Kiss’ brand, Gene would have left him alone

But KISS would no longer sound like KISS…..if Ed was writing the songs, or contributing…..KISS would have sounded totally different.

I don’t see Gene ever wanting to do Jump. Just a thought.

jroundy:
But KISS would no longer sound like KISS…..if Ed was writing the songs, or contributing…..KISS would have sounded totally different.

They would have definitely sounded different (even the back catalog when they played it live), but if it means more marketability, Gene would wear a tutu while singing When You Wish Upon A Star from his solo album.

jroundy: How drunk was Ed when he said this to Simmons?If Ed couldn’t deal with Roth’s ego……how the hell would he have dealt with Simmons ego????I believe Ed may have said something off the cuff…..drunk and complaining, but I doubt he was truly serious.Van Halen in ’82 was much bigger than KISS at that time. Right? KISS was sorting fading away at that point.

By 1982, KISS was pretty much as done as they could be…Creatures of The Night was a great album, but at that time VH was a bigger band.

jroundy: I don’t see Gene ever wanting to do Jump. Just a thought.

Gene did, I Was Made For Loving You, if it means money … Gene is there.

Since that time period in ’82, Gene and Paul have been KISS. The other two quys have been hired guns, or dare I say puppets.

I don’t see Ed and Al as puppets. It would have been a total disaster.

It would have never worked,because Kiss is 98% gene and paul’s music,ed would not have any say so,i don’t care how big ed is ,when gene worked with Ron (KEEL) back in the 80′s he wanted ron to record his shit ,i remeber one day in rehearsal keel played a song gene wrote it was more of a kiss song than keel and did not make the album.

Absolute 100% bullshit.

Anyone think if Eddie – the most influential guitarist since Hendrix – wanted to join KISS, Gene $immon$ would have said, no I don’t want you? Not to mention, that Eddie would have left a band with his brother in it, the only drummer he ever liked playing with?

I call bullshit.

Gene’s as self-serving and as mercenary as anyone in the music business. He wanted poach Eddie and Alex back in the day – as Roth points out in his bio – and only let VH out of their contract with him after Bill Aucoin said VH had no commercial potential. Gene could not get them a contract, so thus they had no value to him. That’s why he tore up the contract, not because he’s such a humanitarian.

I have no particular dislike for Gene, but he’s making stuff up or has just convinced himself that’s this the way it all happened.