KISS bassist/vocalist Gene Simmons has opened up about his lack of friends in the October/November 2022 issue of Goldmine magazine.
“Even today as I sit here, other than Paul [Stanley, KISS co-founder], and we only get together when we do stuff for the band… How do I say this without sounding inhuman? I don’t have friends,” Simmons said.
“Yeah, if friends means, ‘Gee, I don’t know what I’m going to do this afternoon. Hey, you want to come over and hang out?’ I’m more interested in what I want to do, and I don’t want to pretend that I’m interested in what you want to do because I am not.”
Simmons previously touched upon his lack of friendships in a 2006 interview with KISS‘ official web site.
He stated about his relationship with Stanley at the time: “Quite honestly, Paul and I don’t always agree on musical changes, or choice of songs, but intrinsically and at the heart of it, Paul is simply the brother I never had. I feel closer to Paul than anyone I know. I have almost no friends. On purpose. I prefer acquaintances. I don’t expect anything from anyone and I don’t want anyone coming to me with their problems. Everyone is a grown up. But I digress. Paul and I live very close to each other and we don’t see each other often. But at the end, he knows I will always be in his corner, simply because I respect him.”
Stanley previously said about his relationship with Gene: “He’s my brother. His family is my family. I think of Shannon, his wife, as my sister-in-law. We’ve never been closer than we are now. We’ve come so far and done so many great things for each other, it would be ungrateful if we were anything less. We’re there to cheer each other on and text each other. We’re more than good.”
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