Gene Simmons blasts Rihanna as fake
By Alexandra Heilbron on March 22, 2012 | 26 Comments
During a press conference this week to promote KISS’s upcoming 40-date music tour with Mötley Crüe, Gene Simmons compared his band and the rock and roll shows they perform with what some of today’s younger music stars have to offer, singling out Rihanna for ridicule. “We’re sick and tired of girls getting up there with dancers and karaoke tapes in back of them,” Simmons told reporters. “No fake bullshit. Leave that to Rihanna, Shmianna and anyone who ends their name with an A.” (Madonna and Lady Gaga, anyone?)
Mötley Crüe drummer Tommy Lee was in agreement, telling Billboard afterwards, “I’m glad he said that actually because I don’t think I can bear watching another f**king award show that is just a little bit better than American Idol. It’s f**king pathetic to watch people go out and f**ing karaoke with a bunch of lights and video. It’s all completely watered down.” KISS lead singer Paul Stanley added, “So whatever pop artist you see dancing around on a stage lip synching, that’s a con game and that’s not a live concert. If you want karaoke, go to a karaoke bar.”
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I agree, Rihanna sucks but don’t compare her to American Idol, those kids can really sing.
Actually, some cant Joan. I dont think Paul from last year could, but thats my opnion. And amen! Im sick of those autotuned girls who need tits and tricks to sell records. I love Kelly Clarkson and Adele because they dont, and if we had more singers like that, then this world would b so much better
agreed!
agreed!
Adele and Kelly Clarkson–two of the best! At least Lady Gaga is interesting. Rihanna is all T&A.
Never did like KISS though. They used plenty of gimmicks themselves, kind of hypocritical to accuse others of doing so.
Said by the guy who wears six inch heels and a gallon of face paint. Can you say hypocrite?
And the guy who said or years that he would never ever get married (just like a certain shock jock) who lost all credibility for me well before the capitulation. (To be fair, I have never seen a full episode of American or Canadian Idol, nor do I intend to. It’s bad enough to see talented people compete and lose out at auditions without putting them on national TV for embarrassment and humiliation.
There are some people who love these “fake karaoke” singers. Like gay marriage, abortion or other more important issues, what difference does it make to Mr. Moneybags anyway? Let people enjoy what they want to enjoy and if they want to spend their money on this or that with which WE don’t agree, as long as they are not harming US, we should just STFU.
arrrghhhhh….stupid website does not let us edit comments….
“..the guy who said FOR years…”
“…humiliation.)”
blah blah blah blah Rhianna blah blah blah blah.
Gene Simmons who I loved as child because I thought he was a real demon (turned out he is actually a jewish man from Queens) says this kind of stuff everytime he launches a tour. he complained about Nirvana saying they were going to show these grunge bands how the big boys do it. I loved Kiss even though it was a fake story about Gene grafting a cow’s tongue onto his own. But the old Barnham and Bailey tricks work everytime now Rhanna’s fame is associated with some chubby over 60 “rock stars” who have replaced two of the guys in the band with imposters wearing their makeup. There is no way that is Ace and Peter in those shots. blah blah blah blah Rhianna blah blah Kiss blah blah the guy the used to be married to Pamela Anderson blah blah
Rihanna may be autotuned or whatver but people buy it. So don’t criticize the singer when its the people that support it
Wow it amazing how so many people totally miss the point! Kiss is talking about how pop “stars” don’t they sing, they just put on a show. They are not hypocrits for putting on a great stage show as long as they sing for real, and anyone who has ever seen Kiss knows they put on a great show and they do it for real without auto-tune.
Well she IS fake!! But OMG does this mean Simmons doesn’t get it that “HE” is fake????? Yikes!!!!!!!!!!
I agree with you Mark. Kiss can really sing. Yes they put on a show as that is part of what you go to a concert for. Its the ones who dont actually sing is what Genes point was. Anyways, alot of artists today are jsut in the industry for their looks. Technology can provide them with the voice. Its really sad. This is why I am a Classic Rock fan. The real music.
Oh you know you guys are right. When I want a real rock star who is real and really does it I tune into “Family Jewels” reality – right?
I didn’t like Rhianna before reading all these comments but she is starting to seem cool to me. I think I might add an a to my name jeffa.
By the way Kiss influenced everything I have done in my life. I worshipped the ground they walked on. I still love them and if Motley Crue were not on this tour I would go to the show. I just don’t like when a person uses another person do define themselves. Why pick on Rhianna? Why pick on anyone. Kiss is great and don’t need to do that. Sorry for picking on you Gene. I hope you are still touring at 70.
DOESNT THE TRUTH JUST BURN TO ALL THE YOUNGER PEOPLE OF TODAY WHO ARE BRAINWASHED IN TO BUYING THIS WATERED DOWN SHIT THEY PASS FOR MUSIC TODAY IN THESE POP STARS HAD TO GO IN FRONT OF A LIVE AUDIENCE AND REALLY SING THEY WOULDNT LAS 30 MINS ON A STAGE. IM A MAN AND HOT BLOODED AND LOVE TO SEE BEAUTIFUL WOMEN EVERY DAY BUT I DONT NEED A TRAMP OR A WHORE ON STAGE TO MAKE ME BUY RECORDS OR CARS ETC ETC ITS JUST ANOTHER CREATION OF TODAYS SELF CENTERED SOCIETY BY COMPANIES WHO NEED GIMMICKS TO PROMOTE THEIR PRODUCTS JUST LIKE NO TALENT SINGERS WHOM ARE ALL COOKIE CUTTER CREATIONS OF TODAYS RECORD LABELS ..THANK GOD I GREW UP WITH MUSIC IN THE LATE 70’S AND ALL THE 80.S NUFF SAID
FYI… Metallica ends with an “A”.
Don’t be hating Gene…. it takes all kinds.
If anything, he should be happy, because those with limited talents can make those with true talents look awesome.
You know, true musicians that don’t need an elaborate stage show, costume and make-up to hide the simplistic lyrical and musical content of a performer’s songs.
Live and let live 🙂
God the internets are full of stupid people! Learn what hypocrisy is before you accuse someone of it! He’s hating on all the lip syncing pop stars that put on karaoke “concerts”, with no musical instruments or bands, just recorded music & vocals, with a stage full of dancers. His concerts have a real live band with live instruments & vocals. That’s NOT hypocritical. Hating lip syncers, then going out & lip syncing himself would be hypocritical.
Rihanna is a talentless hack. Her music is awful and so is the message she represents. All “gangsta” music needs to be banned.
Amen to that brother! Some people call it rap. I say that someone left the “c” off of that word.
he is hypocritical cuz he is is saying that today young musicians are fake because they are saying that today’s stuff is watered and implies its all about the money for today’s singers. And really KISS and Motley crew aint about the money? Why are the touring now and still trying to bed young girls and act like they are 2o when they are grandpas? Aint that fake too. Gene HIDING the fact he was a Jewish boy from Queens so as to seem a legit hard core metal head and not to alienate metal fans is not FAKE? Bunch of hypocrites. As others have said: Gene and Tommy porno Lee just do your thing. If people wanna pay money for your shows then it their decision more money to them. if others wanna pay money for Rihana, Justin Bebe(a) and Lady gaga then its their decision. |same way let no one dissuade me from paying a bunch of money to see Adele, Prince or Drake (yeah as varied as that and who cares). as far as people saying only 70s rock music was the genuine stuff remember parents back then thought rock music especially metal or hard rock was garbage compared to Sinatra, Louis Armstrong, Nat King Cole and the old heads of that time. I happen to think every guitarist after Jimmy Hendrix is pure garbage and every drummer other than John Bonham (and maybe Neil Peart) are not worth listening to. But guess what? IT IS JUST MY OPINION does not matter s*it to anyone else. So Gene and Tommy STFU!
@gbh999 yeah we know how some folks just hate rap cuz of the type of people who predominantly perform the art form (and the fact it has gotten bigger than anything out there even if the said it would go the way of Disco). I guess you must hate poetry too cuz of Mya Angelou. I also heard they mistakenly spelt Rock with and R instead of that same C that u are clamoring about. i subscribe to neither of these ridiculous C low blows. And what instrument pray tell you play 9before you ask I play 5 at expert level and average on another 3 at average level
These guys speak the truth. They WRITE and SING their own music. They are the real deal not some pre-packaged BS. Hail rock n roll!
Well here is my 2 cents.I am a HEAVY METAL fan.I do listen to some of these “fakes”.It does not bother my ears I will listen.I just do not like twangy Country.I was not that big on KISS,until they did Beth.After that METAL ballot,they were a much more refined band.The gimmicks should be left with bands like Alice Cooper,the artists Rob Zombie,Marilyn Manson,and Lady Gaga.To tell you the truth though,there is no memorible artists today.It is all just elevator music!
I got a chuckle out of Gene’s rant… I total and honestly believe he’s on the money. As we lost our minds when we found out that Milly-Vanilly were doing dub-overs, and lip synching, as well as it wasn’t their own voices on the tracks or on the stage. Now with the glamour girls and boys, it’s all about the 52 dancers working the chorus line, the singer taking the glory the lighting techs and music gurus keeping it all together.
Personally I’m a lover of Crue, Kiss, Priest, Nickelback, Seether, This is the music I like for all their pyro and blasting noise I’m cool with it. On the other hand I really don’t care about how people/performers got to where they are, and there are many singers I don’t like, and how I deal with that is I don’t go to their concerts, I don’t buy and pay for their music. I don’t believe it’s an easy job to be a performer of any kind. In the end everyone doesn’t like everyone, and thats fine. Life goes on, and freedom of speech and choice…yada yada..
@ Trevor pretty ignorant of you to say that. The last I checked she was an R&B singer. She doesn’t represent gangsta music. Get your facts straight.
Calling somebody fake yet it took him how long to get married? Look at the pot calling the kettle black.
KISS is not a hippocrit group. They put on a show. Being flashy and make up is not what he was saying. He was saying a live show with dancers distracting you and lip-synching! KISS and Motley are up there on stage ACTUALLY singing and playing their music and still rockin on stage and sweating because they are belting out great tunes they they mostly wrote themselves! Not these musi-machine-made-kids nowdays that are sweating cause they are just dancing/doing aerobics. Yes, they are good dancers, but it’s the mucis Gene is talking about.
I like Gene’s comment!