Gene Simmons attacks Radiohead, Nine Inch Nails

[jq]

www2.kerrang.com/2007/11/simmons_blasts_nine_inch_nails.html

Kiss bassist and entrepreneur Genes Simmons blames Nine Inch Nails and Radiohead for decline of music industry.

In an interview with US magazine, Billboard, Simmons blasted artists like Radiohead and Nine Inch Nails mainman Trent Reznor for seeking a different businesses model to sell their music.

"The record industry doesn't have a fucking clue how to make money," said Simmons venting his spleen on both band's recent decisions to make their albums available for download on a pay-what-you-like basis.

"I open a store and say 'Come on in and pay whatever you want.' Are you on fucking crack? Do you really believe that's a business model that works?"

Simmons also stated that he doesn't plan on making a new Kiss album because he doesn't know how he'll get paid for it if people expect to get music for free. He also went on to rant against illegal file sharing college students too.

"Every little college kid, every freshly-scrubbed little kid's face should have been sued off the face of the earth. They should have taken their houses and cars and nipped it right there in the beginning."

Full billboard interview here

www.billboard.biz/bbbiz/search/article_display.jsp?vnu_content_id=1003671447


Thoughts? Opinions?

[Kizzume]

So what if music just becomes free and artists make their living off of touring and merchandise?
Well therein lies the most stupid mistake anybody can make. The most important part is the music. Without that, why would you care? Even the idea that you're considering giving the music away for free makes it easier to give it away for free. The only reason why gold is expensive is because we all agree that it is. There's no real use for it, except we all agree and abide by the idea that gold costs a certain amount per ounce. As soon as you give people the choice to deviate from it, you have chaos and anarchy. And that's what going on.

That part at least has some truth in it. The problem is that he is NOT addressing the fact that artists don't make jack shit from album sales anymore. He's not addressing the fact that the whole industry and the way music is marketed has changed so much. He's not addressing a lot of things.

He can blame Radiohead and NIN on the music industry if he wants to, but he's a fool. To him, the ONLY important element in making music is to make money. That's why they made crap like "I wanna rock and roll all night and party every day". "Destroyer" was actually a halfway decent album.

[jq]

I agree. To me, Kiss=Commercialism. By making these comments-- especially by saying that all kids who have downloaded music should have their homes taken away-- Gene is making far more enemies than friends, and therefore, less buyers and more "criminals" of his music. I know that from this point on I would never support him, even if he came out with a great album. (Though obviously that won't happen. He refuses to even make a new album, yet alone take the time to make a good one.) I have never been a kiss fan, always thought they were about image, but never had anything against them. Now I do.

PS, did you see all the ferocious comments made on kerrang in regards to that guy? Of like 50 posts he maybe had 2 supporters (I am only seeing one, but I only skimmed it.) The only thing close I see to supporters are people who say they don't like NIN or radiohead. But that's about it. I think he made a serious error by taking this interview. (Although I guess he doesn't care at this point since he is already filthy rich and not interesting in continuing music for artistic reasons.)

[Kizzume]

I think he's going to regret those comments one way or another. I haven't looked up Prince lately to see how much his rants have affected his sales....