‘Stop Interrupting Me, Gene Simmons’

Our chum (and, quite shortly, Defamer Australia’s South by Southwest operative) Elmo Keep recently interviewed formidable KISS frontman Gene Simmons on the eve of the band’s appearance at the Grand Prix and the interview is definitely worth reading, particularly when the two argue over the future of the music industry.

Let us provide you with a taste…

“The record industry is dead!” Gene Simmons roars, getting rather worked up. “College kids file-sharing and downloading for nothing. The very same people that love and care about music so much are the same people slashing the throat of the music! There’s no business model anymore. That’s why the next great band from Brisbane or Adelaide doesn’t have a chance – because there’s no structure.”

“I don’t know about that. I’ll posit you this – “

“ – ‘I don’t know’ is a fair statement. From you.”

“Ok, thanks.”

“Well it’s true,” Gene Simmons taunts.

More - and a mention of the recently leaked Gene Simmons sex tape - after the jump…

“The way that Radiohead have done what they’ve just done – “

“ – you don’t have a clue what they’ve done or how they’ve done it or how many pieces they’ve sold.”

“The band are saying they’ve made more money online out of that model than from the previous sales of all their records combined.”

“Not true, not true. You know why?”

“Tell me why.”

“Because everybody else would have done it right away.”

“I think we’re going to have to wait and see.”

“Are you making a conjecture based on nothing, or are you stating fact? Are you saying it’s going to happen, or that it’s happening?”

“I’m saying it’s happing, and it will continue to happen.”

“You can’t say it’s going to happen because you aren’t qualified to make that statement. You can’t say it’s going to happen. This first thing I would say to that is, based on what?”

“OK, if I could finish what I was saying.”

“Yep. Good luck with this, by the way.”

“If you’re thinking about the music business, and it’s in so much trouble, blah blah – “

“ – I don’t have to think about it. But a new band does.”

“That’s what I’m trying to say.”

“- that’s the saddest part.”

Frustrated and risking the end of the interview, I try a little school teacher admonition of my own:

“Stop interrupting me, Gene Simmons!”

After a very brief pause he says, “Yes Ma’am.”

Phwooaar! We enjoyed that very much.

News Gene Simmons is the latest celebrity to have a sex tape leaked? Not so much.