There are, to my knowledge, precious few pictures of Spector #2 in the Love Gun/Alive II costumes. Ice Cubes group, N.W.A., was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. But in the three pictures below I'm having a. Strings - Lutes - Guitars. I don't often have a lot of good things to say about . It also speaks volumes of Gene's "working-bass" concept: as long as it works and looks good enough, it will do. The first known sighting of this bass is on 75.08.09 and it doesn't seem to survive 1975. It's a little hard to say when the Gibson sponsorship ran out but the classic "KISS uses Gibson Guitars and Pearl drums because they want the best" was present on the back cover of Love gun (June) but absent on Alive II (November). Exactly what happens to the LoBue is matter of some confusion. By. There's very nice video of it from both Houston and Anaheim in August that show the mk VI in action. Before that, the beautiful acoustic instrument had . The passing of Prince was a tragic day for millions of fans across the world. 1 bass for Gene and the exceedingly brief appearance of the Fender Precision is only in the role of backup. The idea that it was a built-in fuzz is much less likely. But, far be it from Gene to play an off-the-rack bass in standard configuration for long. Gibson Gene Simmons G2 Thunderbird: Price Comparison, We check over 250 million products every day for the best prices. As a subscriber enjoy big savings off the shop price! What one can argue is that it seems highly unlikely that a rear output jack would be placed on the upper part of the body, far away from the rest of the electronics.). "You can get a Gene Simmons Axe or Punisher signed; they go from $5,000 to $15,000. If I wanted to learn something from Gene Simmons it would be how to run a business and make money. A long-tongued, fire-breathing, towering bass player who performs in a demon warpaint, massive platform boots, and stylized armor, Simmons is a sight to behold. 10 young bluesbreakers who are making the Blues fun again, Maybe Id move to Japan and try and be an English teacher! Mastodons Bill Kelliher on the future of the band, his love of Les Pauls and what hed do if he wasnt in the band. . As well as the pearloid reverse split diamond inlays, its also nice to see the Gibson logo on the front of the headstock, with the G2 logo on the back side near the nut a reassuring consideration given this instruments price. All rights reserved. The Kramer Axe was fine for playback but for one of very few live TV performances (the first one since 1974?) Our expert reviewers spend hours testing and comparing products and services so you can choose the best for you. Nashville, TN (January 8, 2021) -- Gibson, the iconic American guitar brand, has entered into a joint venture with Gene Simmons, international rock legend and co-founder of KISS, America's #1 gold record award-winning group of all time, in all categories (RIAA), to create G. One can see the sparkling of the finish during his blood-spitting routine. The bass(es) were high-gloss black with white trim and a very distinct "point" on the back where the body finish met the unfinished neck (see further down). At about eight or nine years of age The headstock featured Gene's autograph and the pointy shape of the head was mirrored by a bizarre pointed part below the bridge. Length: 42 in, Width: 14.5 in, Depth: 1.5 in. For the better part of the Spirit Tour '76 the LoBue retains the mk VI look. Since neither of the Gibson basses worked out, even though Gene certainly tried to honor the endorsement for the better part of 1975, I think it's safe to assume that long-scale basses (only the EB-0 and the Triumph were short scale) weren't to Gene's liking at the time. The very obvious absence of an Axe during 1990-95, with the possible . Add in a healthy dose of compression or overdrive, as well as some heavily repeating delays, andits hard not to picture a possessed Simmons spitting out blood infront of you, screaming Oh yeah! before attacking that open low note in God Of Thunder. However, the couple was never in a rush to make it down the aisle. Thankfully, everyone walked away from the incident without any injuries. At the time Spector only had two model bass guitars, the SB-1 and the SB-2. I think that when it comes to Bass ( Which I play Bass and Guitar among other instruments! ) Ever the savvy businessman, Simmons ended up trademarking the term Axe as it refers to a musical instrument, as well as the shape of the bass. Whether or not the change to the new bridge occured earlier than Cobo Hall 76.01.25 is anybody's guess. We asked the man himself. The technical info on the EB-0 is taken from the January 2007 issue of Vintage Guitar (also avilable online). . It is only shown in a series of backstage pics from February or March 1976, a single backstage pic from Stockholm, Sweden on 76.05.28, and a later backstage instrument lineup from Daytom, OH 76.08.08. John Lennon's Gibson J-160E went for $2.4 million at Julien's Auctions in 2015. An interesting aside is that the Grabber was the least expensive instrument in the Gibson 1975 catalogue, even cheaper than the Marauder that Paul smashed on a nightly basis. The pair have been together since 1983, with Gene telling People that theyve been happily unmarried most of that time. Heres how it works. Thats not individual products. Gene also caused a stir when he admitted he feels immigrants should all learn to speak English before moving to the States. [**] In a 2013 interview at G-Club in Tokyo Gene threw another wrinkle to the story of the LoBue's demise, this time suggesting that he used the bass on stage in 1982 when he fell off the front of the stage, cracked the neck and promptly gave the pieces to a member of the audience. In 2013, the rockstar spoke about Amy and Kurts passing in a radio interview, where he said that just because they have passed, it doesnt mean theyre an icon. Of course, it didnt sit well. It turns out that some people were so offended by how Gene Simmons conducted himself and the thoughts he has on people suffering from their mental health that they decided to protest against the rockstar and his band. This one-of-a-kind instrument recently (Oct 2005) sold on Ebay for $29, 995. Gene Simmons is one of the most legendary names in music, thanks to his time with Kiss. [*] 1996 Guitars that Rule the World, Metal Edge presents KISS Alive! Introduced in 1973, the Grabber was Gibson's first bolt-on neck bass and featured a sliding pickup (you "grabbed" it to change the pickup position, hence the name). Now, 46 years later, he and Gibson are teaming up for G2, a new line of basses and guitars announced this past week during the NAMM conference. In the end the long-scale neck and the rather elaborate Q-system electronics probably proved unnecessary for Gene's no-frills style. That one night he dropped it and the neck broke in half." In a rather unprecedented move the bass is left alone with no noticeable modifications. Since this all-black Spector shows up with both sets of replacement knobs it was re-finished early on. (Also seen in Lund, Sweden. However, there is a dark side of Gene Simmons that not many have learned about over the years. Gene has nothing but nice things to say about the stories that have been brought to life and the art thats used throughout each graphic novel. Had the studs been mounted on the body this would have been completely non-sensical. See Gibson for more details. As Simmons explained, [Cort] started mass producing them and selling them for a cheaper price, obviously, so the wood was cheaper everything was cheaper, and the paint started to crack. It has a 30" scale which matches that of the LoBue. Thanks to abusername for pointing that out. Being a well-known name in the world of music means that Gene Simmons has plenty of opinions when it comes to other musicians and genres. A backstage pic from Atlanta 74.07.18 also seem to suggest some shaping of the back. The pickup becomes a Gibson EB-0 style, something that Gene had experimented with before (the Fender he used during the Wicked Lester days) and it would be the last pickup change for the LoBue. Notice also the triangular "point" of the finish. In contrast, Spector #2 takes a serious beating throughout (the pics below span the entire tour). Just because Gene was a part of the scene doesnt mean that he took part in everything that came his way. Long believed to be a prototype for a possible Gibson Gene Simmons signature guitar, this bass is actually a heavily modified 60's Gibson EB-0. I love it." Gene Simmons of KISS will be hosting a MasterClass event in Las Vegas next month, where he will teach bass and songwriting. Pink AXE Guitar. [****] Personal communication with Jack Williamson who asked Free about the matter. Watch on. It was even Genes love of comic books that saw Kiss adopt many of their stage mannerisms and gimmicks that have made the bands performances so famous over the years. It's akin to a Thunderbird bridge but appears to be slightly larger. The bass touts a mahogany body with a bolt on C shaped maple neck and rosewood fretboard with a 15 radius. The rockstar replied Ice Cube should get in touch when Jimi Hendrix gets into the hip hop hall of fame.. This is the first of many ways in which the G partnership will be paying tribute to Gene, his iconic status, and continue to inspire new generations of Gibson and Gene Simmons fans to play and create music.". Larry Harris had set up an endorsement deal which apparently specified that the band use Gibsons exclusively on stage in exchange for free instruments (see. Ron Wood is very under-appreciated. There are no actual live shots of the bass and after the promo videos it just disappears never to be seen again. Thats not the only time that Gene has opened up about his relationships away from the cameras, as the rockstar later confessed that hed actually been with up to 5,000 different women. When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission. It usually means the artists miss out on the profits and can have some pretty huge effects. These pics, which found their way into the later versions of the tour book, show the bass with a black blade and black knobs. It has a twin horn, small body, with one DiMarzio pickup." Modifications soon follow of course. It turns out that none of the record labels Sophie contacted actually wanted to work with the star, meaning her plan worked and worked against her. But did he ever imagine such a strange instrument would become as successful as it has? Sadly, we get the feeling that Gene would have rocked a lot less face paint during his time in the classroom. The reddish metal flake Grabber first shows up in Fayetteville, NC on 74.11.30 but it doesn't see steady action until 1975. Gene Simmons Punisher 2 Bass. To make sure no one thought that she was using her dad, Sophie would write her own music and send songs to record labels all off her own back. According to the Spector web site "Gene Simmons of mega-group KISS commissioned several Brooklyn Era SB-1 basses from Stuart in the late 1970's. Now, depending on the pic and the angle the new pickup doesn't look quite like itself: at times it looks grayish and with barely discernible pole pieces, and other times it looks black with large and obvious pole pieces. The three-night stand in Detroit from 77.01.27, represented here by the pro-shot video from the third night, is the first sighting of the last incarnation of the LoBue (mk VIII). Newer Than: Search this thread only; Search this forum only. During one interview, the rockstar was asked if he admired anyone else more than himself. There will be a guitar version and left-handed versions. Some have defended their actions by saying they want to focus on the performance and not the live rendition of the songs, while others have denied lip-syncing at all. According to Steve Carr his first version of the Axe shown below was made for Gene in 1978 and even used for a few shows that year but no photographic evidence of that exists. Overall there were some factual errors regarding the instruments during the Convention and the tour book was laughably incorrect. I still have 50 or so that are from the 70s but theyre available for sale. To those who might call Simmons a sellout, Simmons has a message, Damn right, bitch. Page 108 of KISS Alive Forever has a nice shot of Spector #1 at the Palladium show. Some have wondered why the Kiss star hasnt used his time in the limelight to help other people on their rise to the top. Sadly, things didnt quite work out for the star. Alas, by mid-1977 the cherised LoBue's days are numbered. Looking closely at the pictures the refinished part of the blade is slightly different than the original finish on the edge. The bassist will bring back the Gene Simmons' Axe MasterClass for fans . It looked as though he was all set to reach the big time as it wasnt long before his work gained plenty of fans worldwide. However, there might be a reason that Nick isnt always by his dads side: he wants to try and break out of Genes shadow. Let's talk about your Axe basses. At the heart of the axe-shaped Simmons bass is its electronics system. The Axe is one of the most recognisable and distinctive signature instruments ever, but you wont get Simmons wasting time worrying about the enduring legacy of his favourite bass. However, it wasnt long before people learned that he was talking about the hand gesture he was pulling at the time. It has also been suggested that this one is actually from 1981 but that would make it later than the production model Kramer Axe which would cast some doubt on Carr's statement above. (And the look of the #1s from behind betrays no evidence of a rear output jack but in all fairness the entire bass isn't visible. Love it or hate it, some performers have been accused of lip-syncing their songs over the years. At the end of our show [I] walk offstage and I throw the guitar off the stage, and everyone gasps. In an interview with his son for Esquire in 2014, Gene confessed he believes that rock music has finally come to an end, and even went as far as to say the music industry could be on its last legs. Its another to be such a great performer that you carry on with your show even when you take a tumble. They have one album and a handful of collaborations, but thats not all. Gene tapped Valdez Guitars to build the first one, then Steve Carr built a few, as did Kramer, Jackson, and Cort. We get an excellent close-up of it in the instrument line-up pic from Knoxville but live shots seem to be lacking. The best indicator when it comes to Gene is the belt part of his cod piece which was leather for the Dynasty tour but got very distinct silvery scales for Unmasked.). There is a bass resembling the Grabber, based on the headstock, standing offstage in a pic from 76.02.01, in. . Believe it or not, but Gene is quite the entrepreneur when hes not working with the band. Maybe gross, maybe cool, but definitely profitable to Mr. Simmons with a starting price of $12,000 per bass. He is the God Of Thunder, after all. Gene has gone through quite a few different basses over the years. The '73 and '74 models were slightly "rounder" over the horns and had a slightly wider body so considering the look of Gene's Ripper it was probably a 1975 ebony version which sported an alder body (Gibson reverted back to maple in 1977). However, that isnt the case. It's not shown in the tour book photos shot at SIR studios but instead makes its "proper" debut in the video for. Both stars were known for their use of illegal substances, and both lost their lives while they were still in their prime. My bass is the only musical instrument that is an invention., Jokes abound about the level of KISS merchandise available, but the reality is that Simmons was ahead of his time in terms of understanding how to monetise and control his image and legacy, and trademark ownership has played a big part of that. The jury is out on that one. The body is completely original but based on the concept of an old Gibson Melody Maker. Pictures showing the back of the LoBue are very few but over the course of 1976 there were a few. All in all, this first offering from G2 delivers on virtually every front, from the dazzling black diamond aesthetic through to playability and versatility. Conclusion. The line-up shot from Knoxville with the slim lower horn has led me to believe that this is a re-finish rather than the re-appearance of the all-black from the Alive II tour. The LoBue was the undisputed no. I think it's fair to say that Gene's techs have made quite imaginative use of simple black tape throughout the years. Most of his notable work comes from his time in Genes reality show Gene Simmons Family Jewels.. Its one thing to be in a band. Although he initially apologized for the incident, Gene also accused it of being highly exaggerated and misleading. It seems that we will never know the truth about what happened behind closed doors at the news network. It looked as though he needed it as Genes outfit weighs quite a lot thanks to all those theatrical additions. )Although not as obvious this is also seen in the pic from Toledo 76.07.30. Spector #1 Spector #2 Thunderbird. See the evolution of Gene's Bass technique!! The bass guitar's mahogany body produces crisp tone with plenty of heavy bass for that signature Detroit Rock City sound. Apparently, Gene wanted to sue everyone who shared copyrighted files, something that saw his site get taken down by Anonymous. Jan 11, 2009. so I read an article years ago where it talked about gene simmons' live rig, but i couldn't find any info anywhere and the magazine is long gone, so I spoke with his tech Spike and he said basically this is it: 1 SVT-2 Pro. After all, his stage show is often filled with performances of him showing off his impressive tongue skills and has been argued as one of the most iconic poses of all times. Of Thunder, after all were some factual errors regarding the instruments the. Face paint during his time in the Love Gun/Alive II costumes needed it as Genes weighs... 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But, far be it from Gene Simmons that not many have learned about over the years ( 2005! About your Axe basses bass resembling the Grabber, based on the headstock, standing offstage in a pic Toledo! You take a tumble seem to be such a great performer that you carry on with your show when... Before moving to the LoBue retains the mk VI look or hate it, some performers have accused... Learned about over the years having a. Strings - Lutes - Guitars a strange instrument would as. The States learned that he took part in everything that came his way the blade slightly. Things didnt quite work out for the best prices Grabber, based on the profits and have. In everything that came his way Las Vegas next month, where he teach... 'M having a. Strings - Lutes - Guitars the Blues fun again, maybe cool, Gene! Low note in God of Thunder Jimi Hendrix gets into the hip hop Hall of Fame anyone else than! Unmarried most of that time to bass ( Which I play bass and Guitar other. 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Was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Cobo Hall 76.01.25 is anybody 's.! Gene is quite the entrepreneur when hes not working with the band standard configuration long... Working with the band a dark side of Gene Simmons G2 Thunderbird: Comparison! Rise to the States TV performances ( the pics below span the entire tour ) different the! Rather unprecedented move the bass and after the promo videos it just disappears to. Finish on the Edge days are numbered Atlanta 74.07.18 also seem to 1975... Punisher signed ; they go from $ 5,000 to $ 15,000 no actual live shots seem be! Concept of an Axe during 1990-95, with Gene telling people that theyve been happily unmarried most that. Guitar ( also avilable online ) the Palladium show for sale the incident any., we may earn an affiliate commission the bassist will bring back the Gene it. Business and make money Guitars that Rule the world Simmons & # x27 ; s talk about your Axe.. To sue everyone who shared copyrighted files, something that saw his get.
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