In a new interview with 95.9 The Rat‘s Carl Craft, Gene Simmons detailed his “Ultimate Gene Simmons Experience” for fans on his upcoming tour. This $12,495 package grants one fan per show the chance to be his personal assistant and a band roadie for the day, including meeting the band, assisting with load-in and setup, attending soundcheck, backstage access, a meal with Simmons, an on-stage introduction, and a previously used bass guitar.
Regarding the $12,495 cost, Simmons explained (as transcribed by Blabbermouth): “Here’s the deal: when I was a kid and I went to see Hendrix or somebody, of course I enjoyed the show and really got off on it — we talked about it forever and stuff — but I didn’t know what it was like. What’s the beginning of the day like? What’s it like to sit and have breakfast or lunch with my favorite rock stars, and then get in the limo, go to the gig, set up the drums, do soundcheck and then be on stage with your video, ’cause nowadays everything’s on video. You can’t take a poop without a camera coming in under the stall. And then you get pulled up on stage to sing along with them.
“Now, having said that, we only do one roadie for a day per show. And I’ll tell you why — because nowadays everything is so litigious. That’s a big word, like gymnasium. That means everybody sues everybody for no reason. So if you get a paper cut, somebody gets sued. And that’s just the way life is here in America — much more in California, by the way. It’s crazy out here. So, I can’t even, if I wanted to, bring out do roadie for a day with 10, 20, 30, as many people [as we would like]. So we do one, because the insurance costs for that are astronomical. And so this ain’t cheap. It’s not for everybody. And for that one person, you do have to pay premium numbers. That’s just life.”
Simmons explained that the $12,495 fee covers more than just the usual perks, including financial and legal liabilities.
“Somebody has a bad experience and they sue you and it costs you hundreds of thousands of dollars,” he said. “You need insurance for everything. Do you have a car? You’ve got insurance. Everything in life, apparently… In fact, you buy anything — a tool — they give you insurance. Would you like the one-year or three-year? Everything’s insured.”
After postponing nearly 20 dates to 2026, Gene Simmons‘ solo tour with the GENE SIMMONS BAND is now set to kick off on May 2 in Peachtree City, Georgia, and continue until August 3 in Sturgis, South Dakota.
Simmons‘ $12,495 “Roadie for a Day” experience offers these perks:
* You will meet up with Gene and GENE SIMMONS BAND members early in the day (either at his hotel or designated location) to go over the band’s show day schedule.
* You will be on the GENE SIMMONS BAND team crew for the entire day!
* You will get a GENE SIMMONS BAND crew member shirt and hat
* You will get a GENE SIMMONS BAND crew member VIP laminate
* You will have a meal with Gene Simmons (at the hotel or backstage at the show)
* You will arrive and load in to the venue with the band
* You will help the band set up for the show
* You will hang out backstage
* You will sit in on soundcheck
* Gene Simmons will bring you on stage during the show and introduce you
* You will get a setlist signed by Gene Simmons
* You can take photos throughout your entire experience
* You may bring one guest
* You may bring four items for Gene to sign (no instruments, parts, etc.)
* And… you get a Gene Simmons (KISS-rehearsal-used) bass signed by Gene Simmons
This package does not include show tickets, which must be purchased from the venue.
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