“People think, ‘You only do this for money.’ And my response is, ‘Of course!’”: Gene Simmons says he’s okay with being called an a**hole
When an artist becomes a household celebrity, people tend to make labels for them. Unfortunately for Kiss‘s Gene Simmons, many have labelled him as an ‘asshole’. But he takes it in his stride, and even wears the label as a badge of honour.
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In a recent interview with Kara Mayer Robinson for her Really Famous podcast, the Kiss bassist asserts that he is almost ‘reclaiming’ the term. “I would say there are some, could be a large number, could not, who think I’m an asshole,” he says. “In fact, I named my second solo album Asshole, which, I thought, was akin to black people taking possession of the ‘n’ word.”
Being called an asshole is hardly equivalent whatsoever to a racial slur, but Simmons is firm. He then goes on to liken it to “fat people, overweight people, obese people taking possession of that” as well. Reclaiming such terms can “lessen the impact,” he argues.
In his mind, when you’ve been rocking for over 50 years, you’re bound to ruffle a few feathers. But that doesn’t change who he is. “I’m okay with being labelled or thought of as an asshole, because I know who I am,” he states.
He takes aim at people who claim he only pursues music for money. It’s his job – obviously he performs and works on music to earn money. “There are other people who think, ‘You only do this for money.’ And my response is ‘Of course’,” he explains. “Why am I not salt of the earth when almost all the jobs on the face of the planet are performed by people who don’t like the job they have? The only reason they’re doing [them is to] earn money to feed their families and put a roof over their head?”
He implies that, if everyone has a job “for money”, why is he an ‘asshole’ for enjoying his job. “Nobody wants to dig ditches on a highway,” he says. “The building we’re in, somebody had to put up. They do that every day. They go to work, do the same thing every day, nine to five, five days a week. Join the union or not, and break their backs and never get rich. That’s the salt of the earth. Why can’t I be salt of the earth? The fact that I make more money?”
People who only focus on his earnings also seem to ignore what he gives back to the community. “I also give to philanthropy,” he explains. “It’s none of your fucking business who or what or where. I’m not trying to impress you or not. I know who I am. And maybe that’s the best thing to do in life, is to just be comfortable in your own skin.”
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Source: www.guitar-bass.net
