I'm SO SICK of This OUTDATED Music Opinion

[@KomboAndy]

I'm kinda sick of this discussion. Play whatever you like and don't be an arse to anyone who plays something different. Amen.

[@joshL28]

If only the world functioned this way… some ppl at the end of the day will always be either elitist or contrarian wanting to stand out from the “sheep” in any type of community revolving around hobbies/interests, especially musicians lmao. I see it happening with discussions/opinions about coffee, colognes, and guns (just mentioning a few of my other interests). But at the end of the day who fcking cares, just do what you wanna do.

[@rockerbuck967]

Right on, man!

[@matcoffidis1135]

@KomboAndy I just turned 43 a little over 2 weeks ago. I can agree with this sentiment.

[@DownEastSaw]

But music is win needs to make more videos that get clicks to make more money…duh

[@godsinbox]

FECK ARSE

[@alchemyrecords657]

It takes skill to play fast due to the amount of practice is requires It takes skill to play with feel because it requires a deep understanding of melody It takes skill to play simple because it requires restraint Can we be done now?"

[@JLchevz]

agreed

[@JohnBaker-vm1wf]

Perfect.

[@gregsmith2917]

Yes

[@UnboundOdysseus]

Playing “with feel” doesn’t automatically mean slow. “Emotion” isn’t just David Gilmour playing 1 note per bar. Jesus man. Gilmour is great at what he does but the range of human emotions is wide and varied. Vai plays with emotion. Johnny Marr plays with emotion. Guthrie Govan plays with emotion. Neil Young plays with emotion. There is no contradiction.

[@ShreddingFinn]

Restraint isn't a skill, its merely a method

[@NmpK24]

Simmons also said that the Smiths could've easily replaced Johnny Marr with just another guitarist. Even though Johnny Marr co-wrote all their songs, his style of playing made their sound so unique. (nobody sounded like him). He also managed the band and all of this happened while he was in his early 20s. So yeah, Gene, I guess Kiss would have been fine if they just brought in another bass player. Not just outdated, clueless too.

[@txhookey5608]

KIZZ interview: Can you play bass? Not really. Will you wear makeup? Sure, why not. Do you have a ridiculously long tongue? Yes, it's reptilian and Freakshow worthy. Welcome to KIZZ Gene.

[@Transistor12]

I didn't know Gene had said this. It sounds like he has a long history ot trash talking to get into the spotlight. Johnny Marr has a unique style. I really like his playing. He wrote a lot of memorable guitar hooks. IIRC he wrote "this charming man" right before a show b/c they didnt have enough material... awesome guitar hook. Takes a genius to come up with that on the spot. Totally disagree that he could be easily replaced as a guitarist.

[@instantrameng0d36]

​@@Transistor12, no, literally. Johnny Marr was influential for the "indie, jingle jangle" sound. He was one of the first to really do it like that. even after the smiths he's still the coolest there is.

[@facurojas4477]

@@NmpK24 I mean... KISS had another guitar player in Ace's makeup for 25 years... I didn't like that, but they did and were succesful that way, ig they had another bass player they would've been probable fine lol

[@paulcollins5586]

@@instantrameng0d36 The church were doing jangle guiter just as good.

[@CraigFlowersMusic]

I hated Kiss and especially Gene, before it was cool.

[@YanYeiDei]

"hated" so . . . you like them now?

[@matcoffidis1135]

​@@YanYeiDei I noticed that too...

[@CraigFlowersMusic]

@@YanYeiDei Is there another way to phrase it? Key word: before. Have hated? Whatever, kiss blows chunks ok?

[@sotvrno93]

​@@CraigFlowersMusicive had the opportunity to see them live, for free ~(the show wasnt free, a friend of mine had an extra ticket)~. I didnt. Fok this band.

[@Enigma8750]

Yeah. Me too. It was cool and I still thought they sucked.

[@FixNewsPlease]

I have no filters on my ears. I like 90% of it. From Ofra Harnoy to Linkin Park, Dawes to Ren, Puscifer to Band-Maid and everyting in between But yeah...most of my friends will only listen to the stuff we rocked to as kids in the 60/70's I appreciate less of that stuff now than I did back then, but I still enjoy a lot of it. Right now I'm obsessed with the new hard sound of The warning.

[@arnomeyer2953]

Bro give KGLW a go if you don't know this band already - warning: when you start listening to em there's no come back ;) Peace ✌️

[@TaiAnh132]

Band-maid mention is so unexpected 😂

[@FixNewsPlease]

@@arnomeyer2953 Yeah I like them. They're like the antithesis of TWRP/NSP

[@arnomeyer2953]

​@@TaiAnh132Hahaha lmao fr my guy 😂

[@arnomeyer2953]

​@@FixNewsPleaseso true lol

[@SteveFye]

"wWashed up, mediocre bass player criticizes better bass players than himself" More news at 11:00...

[@Enigma8750]

I could not agree more

[@electricurinal]

Says the guy who DOESNT have a globally-recognized catalog of music... and a performance character. Gene is no Jaco... but the dude is a success... which is more than 99% of the ppl who whine about his ability. I'm no Gene fanboy... I've never sat down to learn a Gene bassline because I felt like i could wing it just as well if I was ever called upon to play any Kiss music... but lets get real here. Shit... i can play faster than a machine gun, but that doesn't mean ppl want to hear that for 2 hours. Gene is not totally wrong here. Most ppl are attracted to speedy playing in their younger years, and when they grow up, they realize there's a lot more to it than that.

[@elnyoutube123]

Yes but does the "better" guy actually sound good?

[@Enigma8750]

@@elnyoutube123 Geddy Lee of Rush is fast and sounds fabulous. Motown Bassist played stuff that sounds better than today's plastic fantastic. Yes Fast bassist do sound better than good. They amaze and not just entertain.

[@elnyoutube123]

@@Enigma8750 I think we have a different definition of "fast". Those guys don't sound fast to me 😂

[@marcusnewman8639]

But honestly, I don't think anybody says "Playing fast = not good". They say "Playing fast does not mean good". Edit: With "good" here I am talking about the sound of the actual music. Not the capability of the guitarist. Of course, if you can play fast well, you are good. But that doesn't necessarily mean the music itself sounds "good".

[@PulseXP-yo8wu]

I agree. I feel some people hate on simple parts because they aren’t fast. Fast is fun but if you reign it in and get to that Goldilocks zone than that’s cool

[@SpacemanXC]

But at the same time they're also dicks about bands like Polyphia. As if no one actually likes that band. I've seen them live twice. They rule 🤘

[@starboy3741]

I agree that playing fast dosent mean your good

[@jonbig04]

Which is also a silly thing to say. Playing fast licks cleanly is difficult and requires a ton of practice. It literally can’t be done without skill. Doesn’t mean you have to like it, or that whatever was played goes well with the song etc etc. I mostly play pentatonic blues rock stuff bc that’s what I like and what I know. It’s also much less difficult from a technical perspective than styles with lots of shred. Anyone pretending otherwise is lying to themselves. Again, doesn’t make it better or worse, but the reality is if you put the hours in to be able to shred cleanly, pentatonic blues style stuff is going to be easy for you. Someone, like me, who’s been playing SRV stuff my whole life could not do the same trying to move up to the opposite side of the spectrum.

[@i_dont_exist666]

“iT hAs nO sOuL”🤡

[@Briguycollectables]

It needs to be whatever serves the song Gene. If a musician has a wide variety of tools in their toolbox (Including playing fast and using techniques such as slapping) for adding texture, depth, and color to a propel a song to the next level (As well as knowing when not to play) that is what creates memorable music moments.

[@andrewherbert7108]

Exactly this!!

[@joaquinlezcano2372]

Yeah, people like to complain in this eternal discussion of "complex" vs "easy" or "technique" vs "feel" (in quotes, because this people like to manhandle this terms a lot 😂). But that's the beauty of music, there's a lot of room for everything and more.

[@jasonremy1627]

I think the deal is not that playing fast isn't good, it's that it's not the sole arbiter of quality. It's rejecting the idea that the only way you can be good is if you play fast.

[@davidjorgensen877]

I've always felt the way to be good is to be able to play fast ... and then don't.

[@JLchevz]

no single measure of guitar playing or music in general is the sole arbiter of quality

[@sigiligus]

That idea never existed. Stop trying to reverse the blame. It is you and your side going around shitting on fast players for no reason. You are not “defending yourself” from fast players attacking you. Every fast guitar video has a bunch of guys saying “no melody! Sounds like exercises!” No slow players have a bunch of comments saying “no skill!” You’re what we call a cry-bully.

[@FriedMetroid]

Nobody (besides maybe Malmsteen) has ever said playing fast is the only measure of quality

[@joaquinlezcano2372]

​@@FriedMetroidbesides Malmsteen and closet guitarists*

[@BradColemanisHere]

Talking about something Gene Simmons said is the lowest hanging fruit. He was out of his mind 20 years ago, and lately it's fully pickled. Saw him on that dancing show and he talked like someone with dementia.

[@wraith_1171]

😂🤣🤣😂....valid point!

[@richardlevasseur6771]

Gene Simmons is an insult to one with dementia!

[@billmozart7288]

My thoughts on Gene Simmons: great showman, ok front man, creepy around women. I think you're right about him being insecure about his own playing, Carol Kay wasn't shy about teaching him stuff.

[@AlexDoodle]

0:47 Is literally the best reference I have heard mentioned in a long time 😂Sting knows how to dive off ladders!

[@rikosborne1212]

Looks around for the Gilmour fans ... I frankly get tired of the people who insist that fast, technical players have no "feeling". Those people seem to root their entire concept of playing guitar with "feeling" in "blues-based". Like, it has to evoke the "feelings" evoked by blues playing. They don't recognize that "thrilled", "excited", and "exhilarated" are also "feelings".

[@221b-l3t]

And also David Gilmour wouldn't say that himself. I love his playing. I also love Randy Rhoads and Yngwie Malmsteen. Thankfully my CD player accepts them all so why shouldn't I? Great playing is great playing, can be slow, fast or both. Look at Painkiller by Judas Priest. The middle solo by Tipton is just perfect. It's as expressive as can be with bends that last through big parts of the solo and blazing fast alternate picking, legato and sweeping and it all goes together in this perfect way. No note is out of place or too much. Not in Comfortably Numb, not in Painkiller, not in Yngwie's solos. What I don't find very expressive or appealing is standard pentatonic stuff. Slow or shredding. 5 notes is not enough to create enough tension to fully express yourself. That's why the blues scale is awesome. No half steps? Here's two right next to each other. Mix in harmonic minor and you're cooking. Fast or slow. Note choice is important regardless of speed

[@joaquinlezcano2372]

Another example of that are Steve Howe and Robert Fripp. They can be pretty technical when needed, but they can also write some "soulful" stuff. And that "soulful" stuff doesn't need to envy any of the "blues" kind of guitar players. Other examples of that are Allan Holdsworth and Vernon Reid

[@Levelheadd]

I hate seeing Kiss brought into these conversations, I really respect Paul Stanley and Ace Frehley (I’m a guitar player tho). I can’t stand Gene at all.

[@gun_toting_lefty]

I get you. But the Bruce Kulick years had a few sparks of brilliance too.

[@Lagmaster33]

Kiss was my gateway to heavier music. I don't listen to the much anymore but Ace Frehley was a big influence. I even bought a red Les Paul with my summer job money because of him

[@IrishStewGuitar]

I laughed when Yngwie Malmsteen said " More is more " 🤣🤣🤣

[@beerbikesandblues]

The logic in his perspective is great😊 Yangwie is free to talk up fast playing, he earned it.

[@meytecc8601]

I think at some point he made it even more clear. He said something like "If less is more, imagine how much more more is."

[@metaloverkill6217]

Gene is just still traumatized from having to endure Vinnie Vincent's 30 minute guitar solos

[@randoman81]

Didn't Gene also say he cares more about the money?

[@johnplaystheguitar123]

more importantly is davie504 aware that gene simmons does NOT like slap bass?

[@sakuilvonen]

Now do a livestream of you humming bass lines and us trying to guess what song it is from.

[@BrianAndersonPhotography]

I admire and respect every single musician that can play better than me. Music is inspiration. Being a virtuoso is an inspiration. Just because I can't execute guitar like Matteo Mancuso doesn't mean I don't admire and respect him for the hard work it took to achieve his level of play. The last thing I wanna be is a baby boomer yelling at clouds.

[@arnomeyer2953]

Amen to that my friend!!

[@davidestes9971]

Name a jazz player that means something? Ron Carter, Marcus Miller, Paul Chambers, Charles Mingus, Christian McBride, and I can keep going.

[@RokDAWG1]

Those first first 5-6 albums KISS released had some really creative bass lines. It was like Paul McCartney and Geezer Butler combined styles. I'm a huge KISS fan, but definitely DO NOT like all of their music. I wouldn't have started playing music had it not been for them & The Beatles. I truly don't get some of the shit he spews but I also love the simplicity of what he does as well as what Flea does. Everyone has their own style & delivery of the goods. I'm just happy to hear real musicians, good, bad, wonky, funky, flubby...it doesn't matter! I'm just happy to see real musicians playing real stuff from their heart.

[@bbwibb02]

I certainly wouldn't say Paul did most of the bass. He did record bass for 11-13 songs. However, in total, there are around 49-56 KISS songs (it depends on who you ask) where Gene did not play bass on the record. 14 were Ace Frehley, 12 or 13 were Bruce Kulick, 5 were Jean Beauvoir, 2 were Eric Carr, at least 1 was Jimmy Haslip (he says he thinks he did 5, but he can only verify one), 1 was Tommy Thayer, 1 was Tom Harper, 1 was Bob Ezrin, and 1 was Mike Porcaro.

[@Chief2112]

What true musician can’t appreciate it all?? Depends on my mood and I definitely lean more into the more melodic phrasing but I dig it all. It’s okay not to like a particular style. It’s also okay to keep that to yourself and stop trying to rain on other’s parades.

[@Nick-v7b3l]

Gene has become the old man that yells at the sky. Besides, KISS sucks.

[@davidwilson2065]

💯

[@kietchu2761]

I cant remember anything jaco and flea plays. is the worst arguement ever, I can remember multiple flea basslinebnote for note and jaco plays some of the most memorable stuff ever and I dont even play bass. I play metal guitar

[@dewardroy6531]

KISS was the Rock and Roll that saved popular music from disco. Perhaps you’re not old enough to be familiar with the middle 1970’s. That said, Gene’s relevance was short lived and long ago. His opinion is irrelevant, never was worth much.

[@lidbass]

@dewardroy6531 Kiss was the rock and roll that saved the world from disco? I think you’ll find that that was punk, new wave and heavy metal. I don’t remember any other rock bands actually jumping on the disco bandwagon and writing I Was Made For Loving You… (P.S. It’s hard to tell on YT, so if you were being sarcastic, ignore this comment!)

[@kietchu2761]

@@lidbass kiss makes pretty mediocre music compared to a lot of other bands. But damn are their music catchy, which results in great popularity. I spent my childhood singing I was made for loving you. But when i grew up i realized they are pretty boring

[@TruD0G]

Imagine saying playing guitar and getting EXTREMELY GOOD at it is not playing with feeling. WHEN we all play with that passion from when we first started. Some just take it to a whole other level. It’s all about where music draws us. Some like slower guitar solos with bends in them. Others love being extremely technical. The passion for it brought them there. Under it all the glam and the shred is a little child rocking out at the end of the day.

[@daveatsixsixsix]

Gene is pretty much a cartoon character at this point. Kinda like the Ronald MacDonald of Kiss Inc. The idea of music not played for fame and profit is alien to him…

[@julianmorrisco]

He’s always been a prick. Even in the 70s.

[@jhellert1]

Listen to the first 6 Kiss studio discs and you'll see that Gene's playing is coming from an R&B influence. He actually has some good walking basslines. Nothing overly technical but a lot of them are memorable. Strutter, Love Gun, Nothing to Lose, Room Service and C'mon and Love Me come to mind immediately.

[@prestige7jem1]

The give away in this geriatric debate is that those who can't play fast complain about people who do play fast, but those who can play fast don't complain about those who don't. Sounds like there's some insecurity going on about their own musicianship and the time they devoted to the craft perhaps?

[@orlock20]

Those that play fast have nobody to argue to except maybe the bartender that is paid to be there.

[@splitprune]

they don't complain but there's enough petty posturing from annoying shred bros to go around, sounds like somebody's upset that playing at a high tempo doesn't impress everyone as easily as they might have expected

[@elnyoutube123]

If you're going to play fast, make it sound different, or musical. So much of it sounds exactly the same, and very forced.

[@CatharticGuitar]

You did a good job presenting this. Not too one-sided. On occasion, I do like to listen to old Kiss songs. I also like to listen to Red Hot Chili Peppers. I never thought of them as being in competition. But Flea is definitely known more for his superb and creative bass playing than Gene Simmons ever was.

[@shades_of_twine]

I love old school KISS, check out Hard Luck Woman, if you don't already know it. But yeah, Gene's entitled to his thoughts, and we're entitled to disagree. :)

[@pickingpower]

I think Steve Vai said it well. "No one's noise is better than anyone else's noise." Or something to that effect.

[@nisselarson3227]

I've been playing bass on and off since the 90's but I barely know 20 songs from beginning to end. (I do know my band's original songs and some kiddie songs like Happy birthday, Twinkle twinkle) but I've always been a huge fan of jazz fusion and progressive rock. I listened to the music so many times, I couldn't care less what the artists looked like. HOWEVER: I absolutely *CAN* "hum" the "riff" to "Joy". The first super-fast blues-raga I ever heard, from Shakti's live album, called Shakti. Lotus feet is absolutely beautiful, "What need have I for this..." has one of the most memorable drum battles and YES again, despite not being a real musician; I CAN hum the JOY riff, at a slower tempo, but still. And it moves me. I get goosebumps. And I didn't even consider the *much* more accessible Mahavishnu tracks like Vital transformation. You could hum it. or bleep it. It's a little too fast to technically "hum" it. On the other hand, I'm being serious here, I can't remember a single KiSS song, I also listened to them as a kid, but I just don't remember them. Also: John Mclaughlin is the most humble guy I ever met (very briefly) Certainly above this kind of childish behaviour.

[@CatharticGuitar]

Tangent, but related: Cold Play is a great example of a band that doesn't impress with technical skill on instruments, but the songs are so moving and make you want to hear more. The style, melody, great lyrics and Chris Martin's voice. Oh ya, and then there's The Beatles, who also were more well known for the effect of their songs, melodies, creative sounds, than for being the best instrumentalists.

[@JayRod711]

Flea's line from Soul to squeeze is a masterpiece as well as a master class in melodic bass 🤘 The way he builds intensity from beginning to finale is just🤌

[@JayRod711]

I'd like to see Gene do ANYTHING even remotely as complex yet melodic.. of course in his head 😂

[@thepizzaveteran]

Why is it controversial that Gene Simmons expressed his opinion? He likes what he likes just like everyone else likes what they like. KISS is also more than gimmicks, costumes and showing off. Really listen to some of the music, ignore the lyrics but listen to the music. There is a lot of very well composed songs in their catalog and some pretty cool base lines as well. While not being the most technically proficient players they did create some pretty cool music.

[@landguitar]

This. Gene is just a New Yorker frankly expressing his particular opinions. He’s not a diplomat, he’s a promoter. Tyler’s not a KISS fan, fine, but they built a very successful business. Is it all great music? No, but a lot were hits and many songs are hummable and rock anthems. KISS was kind of the Taylor Swift of Rock, making their own success on their terms. While I am very familiar with John and Mahavishnu and have even seen them live, it’s just not my thing. I appreciate it for what it is, but I don’t turn it on when I’m in the car…I think that’s what Gene is saying. It’s really just a waste of time to compare Mahavishnu to Gene or KISS! Same with Ingve; great player but I rarely listen to his music… I think Tyler needs to look harder for interesting topics; this was not one of them. I only watched because it was short!

[@SH-fm5eu]

I bought Kiss's first album the day it came out on the cover alone. I Also bought the first NY Dolls record, Crimson's Court of the Crimson King and Nursery Cryme by Genesis at the same time. In the Midwest in the mid 70's you could see KISS 4 or 5 times a year they toured that much. And when they came you could tell they were putting money back into the show. That built a fierce loyalty at the time. Well worn off by now but dude in 1977!

[@MichaelBrewster-x7n]

I love hearing a musician push the boundaries of their instrument any instrument any style take music to new places and I also love simplicity just say something when you play make me feel what you feel

[@guitarmark40]

Honestly, I don't think anybody cares what Gene Simmons has to say.

[@tombailey1059]

He doesn't write or play particularly well, but he does make some good points. His most accurate point is music was ruined by the fans. The quality nose-dived right when people stopped paying for it. The trend toward flashy playing rings hollow for many because the 20th century competition was based around songs and melodies, not technical prowess. The push for excellence is still there - none if it is going into the craft of songwriting, however. Also, a secret element in this debate is people who grew up in the '90s tend to find shred guitar incredibly corny, while people born later see nothing wrong with it. I'd guess 75% of millennials think it's cheesy - akin to going in the '80s Yamaha keyboard direction rather than playing on a grand piano.

[@redmed10]

And yey you're watching about what gene Simmons said.

[@RichieLee-dn3fd]

Was a fan of kiss in the beginning, when no one knew who they were. Of coursr,after the alive album blew up(& everyone at the time for 3 yrs putting out double live albums) have to say Gene, along w Glenn Hughes,J.P Jones,& the great Gary Thain put me on the path to becoming a bass player. Thanks & respect to all of them.

[@josephgarland6649]

Spot on Tyler. I got to see Al do his electric show a couple months ago but my favorite was his Grand Passion album at The Sheldon in St Louis. Unbelievable musician. Would love to see John MacLaughlin. Gene who?

[@mikesallee2509]

I like that Rush used to tour with KISS in the 70's. What I love about Rush is that they have successfully merged mainstream and prog. Great song writing without sacrificing musicianship. Permanent Waves and Moving Pictures are great examples. Dream Theater has done the same thing even though they haven't received as much recognition. Petrucci solos are very catchy and memorable. I'd take them over KISS any day of the year.. 💯💫

[@Jedizen07]

The irony of Gene's statement, is based on the fact that he hardly played bass on the Kiss albums, especially during the 80s and early 90s. Bruce Kulick, Paul Stanley, Eric Carr and Desmond Child all played the bass guitar parts on those 80s/90s Kiss records when Gene was doing movies. . . I mean, the IRONY. . .

[@noeditbookreviews]

I agree 💯 and it was nice to hear your thoughts on the fatbat.

[@Axmød3us]

i love kiss, i love the demon persona, i love the influence they have on muisc, i love the members, but i do not like Gene

[@revwillyg6450]

Same, he is a douche

[@TrickyGomez]

I've seen Poco, Al, and John with Steve Morse back in the day...... Never forget that incredible performance when all four jammed together. Insane magic that night. Kiss is all show and in this day in age I think it would be a good Vegas act as it was back then.

[@saguarotreker]

I love that video of Gene sitting down with Carol Kay and getting schooled on how to count to 4!!!

[@GuyNarnarian]

Yeah music is not a sport. I like shredding just as much as a good slow power ballad. You can play with feel at any speed.

[@RichardHoogstad]

Strutter has some memorable bass lines. I kind of like his disco octaves and rolling melodies. His words on the other hand, not so much

[@The_Beautiful_People]

Gene’s crazy quotes are mostly to push his band in the music business. He ain’t there trying to be a top notch musician. For him it’s all about the over all show, that’s what matters to him. If people don’t know your band and music, you can’t be a legend in the biz.

[@nebakanezer13]

Listen to sure know something from Kiss MTV Unplugged. Nice bass line.

[@theubie]

Speed serves the song. If the song calls for speed, it's good. If it calls for slow it's not. I appreciate virtuosos, and there are so many of the on KZbin. I also appreciate those who are more passionate and soulful who would be considered "sloppy". In the end here's the truth: Someone, somewhere, thinks what you think is great sucks. Someone, somewhere, thinks what you think sucks is awesome. In the end, everything sucks to someone somewhere. Like what you like.

[@TribalGuitars]

This sounds like the same interview they drag out every few years like he just said it, and when it is a recent interview the answers don't change. Gene isn't saying anything a lot of other musicians haven't said. Decades ago Little Richard was asked about certain genres of music and musicians that did it and he said, "It's fine, but can you hum it?" In the studio, they always switched up to whomever had the best vibe when tracking instruments. Sometimes Paul played bass and Gene played rhythm. Paul and Gene have also written and produced for a lot of major artists. And let's not forget Gene was the one that got Van Halen in the studio for the 1st time to lay down their demo record. Ace is a seriously underrated player. Eddie Kramer (Hendrix, Zep, Stones, Clapton, Santana) and Bob Ezrin (Aerosmith, Deep Purple, Pink Flyod, Phish) know a thing or twp dozen things about music and have said that Ace was the heart and soul of KISS and was often held back. I think Ace is finally getting his due, with famous players who are famous for their playting talent and not just as part of a famous band, are saying how much Ace was responsible for them not just picking up guitar but influential in their playing. I'm a fan, not a fanboy. There are definitely songs they have I can't listen to, and there are many other places I get a bit squinty-eyed about what they were thinking on some issues, music or otherwise.

[@matcoffidis1135]

I agree. I love Ace's solo on Love Gun. The way it slowly builds and those bends. He has great feel and emotion in his playing.

[@welder062]

Man, this is going to be like drop kicking a hornets nest. Lol...... gotta appreciate you are not afraid of saying what you are saying. The band KISS has done a lot of revenue over the DECADES (plural) to just write him or the band as a fad. It's a lot easier to collect views over record sales. I had to literally go buy the record if I wanted to get sales pre-internet. The ad revenue you aquire via making videos is probably compatible. It's not about money to me as a musician. It's about what inspired me to be the rock star. Love your channel.

[@TorridDesign]

Just searched most famous bass lines, and can confirm there are many that are memorable.

[@IndyRockStar]

Kiss is just one of the reasons I believe Commercial music has little to do with Music and A Lot more to do with image.

[@kabemccallister6859]

If someone criticizes a guitar or bass part because they can't sing it, maybe they need to work on their singing. I will acknowledge that some lines and solos are borderline impossible to sing, but I think one of the perks of musical instruments in general is that they allow us to express musical ideas we literally can't vocalize. You can't hum every note of an Em7 simultaneously, but playing every note of an Em7 simultaneously on guitar is easy.

[@xATown23xGaming]

When I think bass players I think, Steve Harris, Cliff Burton, David Ellefson, Geddy Lee and of course Flea. Never once did I think of Gene, I sometimes forget he played the damn instrument

[@terrybohling6194]

I grew up on Kiss, but as i got older, I realized that as a band, Kiss are entertainers more then musicians. Don't get me wrong, individually each are excellent musicians, I still love what Ace and Bruce brought to the band. But they made "memorable" music, not great music.

[@mikeb.7183]

We went from Page & Clapton to EVH in about 8 years. After that the guitar world went absolutely nuts within 10 years we had Malmsteen, Gilbert, Steve, Satch and even a record company that specialized in music that was more fretboard gymnastics than soulful guitar lines. Now twenty-five years post shred we have this new wave of incredible wave of players who do things that are amazing, yet the songs are geared towards musicians' ears than the normal person. That is why we have such the big spread between Taylor Swift and Justing Bieber and not even sure what the name of the band is with the kid who wears sweaters with the neck tattoo. We don't have many bands who can provide a musicality and pop sensibilities it's either one or the other.

[@joaquinlezcano2372]

I'm think we have plenty of those bands. Is just that the discussion is completely outside of music discourse and it's rather a commercial and industry discourse.

[@davep2945]

If you appreciate good music and good musicianship then you know fast, raw power, playing can be amazing and slow melodic playing can be as well. And both can suck out loud. Good is good and bad is bad. The people who say they love music but then say they only like country or rap or metal really don't love music. They just love the music they love but they don't realize it. And some folks almost seem compelled to, depending on their idea of what they think others want to hear, bash certain genres and styles. The old say, haters gonna' hate, comes to mind.

[@TribalGuitars]

Tyler, learn some KISS tunes and tell us you don't have a blast playing them. Play "Parasite","Firehouse", "Cold Gin", or "War Machine", just for a few. Hard? No. But they make one feel like a rock star, especially new players. Oh, and the solo for "Strutter" , especially that big haunted bend... Chef's kiss You should check out those walking bass lines Gene put in those songs. Paul might have played some of them in the studio but the songs would have a whole different feel if Gene hadn't been a huge Beatles fan and, instead, gone with the basic bass lines so many rock bands were doing back then.

[@facurojas4477]

As a hige KISS fan, I believe Gene does exactly what Tyler says at the end: he says something controversial and that moves peoples minds a little, and it's on purpose Getting that aside, it's a shame that Tyler is not that into KISS and shares that known opinion of them being a "marketing machine" Many people ignore the best of their music because of their fame and their image, when they have a lot of amazing musical moments and amazing stuff in more obscure songs that could be more appreciated If you have this vision of KISS and you're reading this, explore their discography, you will be surprised... the 1978 solo albums, the unplugged, the different genres they explored troughout the years, damn thay went from 70's rock, to disco, to classic metal, to glam, to 90's rock, to grunge, there's so many stuff much people is missing from them

[@RoaldKoger]

So right. Ask any successful rock musician about his influences and KISS comes up every time. There's so much more to music than virtuosity alone.

[@Kyle7K]

I like Kiss, they were the reason I started playing. But Kiss, especially Gene was better in the 70's and 80's before we're were allowed to know the personalities of famous people. I like the Demon. Gene, not so much. I do agree with him, there's a point where mindless noodling becomes a bit much. I dont understand Vinnie Vincent's "shredding" It's seems mindless, without thought or feeling and not very musical. But other shredders, I can dig. Stans at Flea though? Phththrhrhh.

[@Wichitan]

I was a fan of Kiss for their first album. I also saw their 1977 tour kick-off. Then I lost interest. But Gene does have a point. Melody isn't just the notes you play, but also includes the space between the notes. Players who leave no space between notes I don't have much interest in. This is why I always gravitate to players like Jimmy Page, Mark Knopfler, Mick Ronson, Billy Gibbons, or even Luther Allison. Those guys understand not only the space, but that the the guitar isn't an extension of just their voice, but of their soul. Why do you think the superfast players like Yngwie, SRV, et al. always seemed to slow down as they got older? It's not for technical reasons...

[@KyleKalevra]

I was 8 in 1978 and wanted to be Perter Criss. It wasn’t long after, I realized Peter Criss wanted to be Barry Manilow…

[@KawaTony1964]

Ha - you served up your own backhanded compliment: "I know Kiss was influential to guitar players I respect [not anybody in Kiss]".

[@mijwil]

“Not my style, not my cup of tea.” It’s real simple to say you don’t prefer one thing over another without trashing someone else. Pete Townshend hated Zeppelin didn’t think they had a single song worthy of anything. Having been a teenage guitar player in the 70s I can honestly say it’s one of the stupidest things I’ve ever heard. Why can’t some just say, “it’s not my thing” stupid people say stupid stuff….. of course smashing guitars and amps after every performance is “not my thing”

[@zombiepicnic9683]

I'm actually a bigger fan of Flea as an actor. Seriously, the guy was in Back the the Future 2 & 3, as well as The Big Libowski (among others). Those are classics.

[@xamislimelight8965]

My aunt, who teaches paino/keyboards once told me "you can play it fast, or you can play it right. Correct first, speed later. Eventually the 2 become 1."

[@alanbeesby2220]

“I really hate all those things that I can’t do” 😂

[@shanehen]

Even the best fast playing can get grating before long. Gene Simmons' opinions are over-the-top and exaggerated, but I'd rather listen to a David Gilmour album before an Yngwie album. I can also hum Gilmour's solos, which means it's more like singing. Yes, flashy playing can be impressive. But it doesn't take long to get old. If I'm going to listen to "flashy" playing, it's going to be something like Steve Morse, which has a lot of musical depth backing up the chops.

[@antoonhermans8953]

so , whats you're point ?

[@Patrick-k8o6s]

It’s a personal preference. Play fast if you like. I don’t particularly like speed just for the sake of speed. It should be musical. It should add to the overall song. Shredding just to prove that you can is not musical it’s just showing off. If you’re think about the do your remember any solos that are part of a song that are just fast. Hendrix didn’t play fast. S.R.V. didn’t play fast. David Gilmour didn’t play fast. These players played with feel and emotion. They moved you. Jeff Beck and Steve Vai could play fast when they wanted to but knew when not to. It’s what is best for the song.

[@JamesMiller-ou1wr]

Saw kiss at the Hollywood sportatorium on the dynasty tour, I was like 7 or 8. Blew my little prepubescent mind. It was a spectacle. Heard yngwie malmsteen with Alcatraz and it was, kiss who?

[@EricShupe]

"There's no emotion"..."There's no soul"..."There's no feeling"...no, you just can't keep up and you're mad. Practice!

[@lautreamontg]

My thoughts? Gene Simmons mastered trolling for comments before the internet existed, and he's still in top form, apparently.

[@rjamesyork]

Gene Simmons is the only guy who looks at the "publicity" The Nuge's sound bites earn him and thinks "I gotta get in on that."

[@elliepaige5514]

I think the last time I listened to Kiss was 1987, Gene just needs to stay in his lane. Side note, the interview Rick Beato did with Al di Meola is worth watching and John McLaughlin is so underrated.

[@spill1t]

For me, Flea is in my top 3 bass players of all time. He's got great technical skill (oh, BTW, I should say, Charles and Davie are not included in my list - I'm talking about members of a band first, and technical skill second), but he serves some of the funkiest funky bass that in turn serves their music so perfectly. So yeah, Flea, rock on brother. I'm more into the music, than musicianship - so I'm not a big fan of Steve Vai's music for example. The point is - it comes down to the music you enjoy and how the playing suits the song - if it makes sense to be super fast and technical to pull off a particular feel then I say great. If it's a series of melodic bends and timing (feel), then great. SERVE THE SONG.

[@RICHIEV333]

Gene comes from the old-school, Paul McCartney, Walking bass style of Bass Guitar. A style I like. However, the earlier Kiss songs had most of the McCartney Bass influence. 80's Kiss had some terrible or overly simple bass on the tracks which does lend me to wonder who was actually playing the Bass in the studio. I like Gene but sometimes his 'Grumpy old man' does come out... Anyway, Get Off My Lawn!

[@Quigblac27]

dawg I just started playing yesterday and I might be addicted, havent stopped since, im going to be great remember the name blake Guzman

[@Enigma8750]

You know in the 70's when I was growing up and KISS was popular I always thought of KISS as guys that needed to dress up and put on make up because their songs were so elementary with too much simplicity. I have friends that were die hard KISS fans but for me, following a bunch of guys in make up just seemed gay to me back in the day. I know times and attitudes are different now but back then a guy in make up and dressed in Halloween Drag was as gay as playing with the first Gen G.I. Joe dolls. Girls played with dolls, not guys. But that was my teenaged opinion of Kiss back then.

[@LarsPop-Tartus]

Harrison always played within the song. Liked that. In the jazz side Wes Montgomery and Pat Metheny favorites.

[@redinthesky1]

I like Atmo Black Metal, Tech Death, Classic Rock, and most every genre between. Sometines I'm in the mood for fast af sometimes not.

[@alasdairdrake8507]

ok I was going to go town over... oh you said... well then let me just point out... oh just now said it... Did you think about... Oh ok... never mind. I'm pretty much in the same camp as you, bro edit: I do remember at the age of 12 and looking at the album and saying "YES" then listening and thinking the sound doesn't fit the image and pretty not pay attention to them after that. Reading the book always make the movie a let down

[@Angelicus-p5p]

I strongly believe there are "favorites" and no one is "best". How can there be? What are the parameters of best? Is the ability to come up with a great melody worth more than how you pick or shred? And what value in picking apart others music? Luckily there is lots of variety so we all get something. As for media shredders? My favorite artist says it's really impressive...for 50 seconds. But what's your band like? What have you written?

[@STERNWAERTS]

i still don't like mindless shredding, but if you do it like guthrie govan for example, a little bit here, a little bit there, it can be magical, especially if you are able to outline interesting sounding scales in these fast bits.

[@NJR151]

Five Guys is the best. Bacon Double with the works and cajun fries.

[@RanterInShades]

The only memorable thing Gene has ever done on bass is that one lick in Detroit Rock City.

[@dirkmoolman]

You might hate him, but I still like their music. I grew up in the 80s, with KISS and much more.

[@Dr.Dark1331]

Although Ace Frehley is my favourite member of Kiss I still consider Paul Stanley the brains and leader of the band as he has always been the main songwriter, and where is Gene is cool i consider Peter Criss to be above him as Gene was the weakest link of Kiss but his costume seem to get the most fans and he is decent at bass but nothing great but passable, but I think you are 100% right that he just wants to stay relevant in todays topics by saying whatever will focus some attention back to him as there is no such thing as bad publicity

[@snjstr]

Either you like something, or you don't. It's all perception, and has no bearing on other's opinions.

[@therealbrandohall]

Going back to the wrestling reference, Eric Bischoff is on record saying “controversy creates cash”. Gene is 100% on that.

[@Grease-Goblin]

I love Kiss' music, but nobody should pay any attention to what Gene Simmons has to say.

[@craigsphilhower8505]

Not knocking Kiss because all music has its place, but I never got into them. Though I did like Ace a lot, but Gene, didn’t like him or his playing. Gene from that old school “there's no good or bad publicity, just spell my name right.”

[@bamaG1966]

I believe that good is a relative term when it comes to music. EVH said " If it sounds good, it is good." I bet Les Claypool would drive ol' Gene bonkers.

[@donmcglothlin841]

See I like a solo that fits the song I like fast songs I’m a metalhead My favorite guitar solos use both slow and fast And there are licks Gene plays that are fast on the bass here or there, take Detroit Rock City I mean check out Charles Berthoud’s playing It’s musical, varied in speed, tone and style and also sounds good

[@pyroseed13]

Also, a lot of seemingly "simple" stuff is more complex than you think. Take Nirvana. How many guitarists can play their songs exactly as Cobain did? Very few. There are often more nuances to this stuff than people realize.

[@ZigbertD]

Remember this about Gene Simmons and his acumen in the music business. He basically was the first to discover Van Halen, and he failed to get them a record deal. The most revolutionary rock guitarist since Hendrix, second in importance only to Hendrix in all of rock guitar history, and music biz genius Gene Simmons couldn't get anyone in the business interested.