Gene Simmons reveals moment iconic KISS song was born

Gene Simmons connected family, fame

Gene Simmons reflects connected his roots and the emergence of KISS 05:50

For much than fractional a century, KISS' Gene Simmons has been 1 of the astir recognizable figures of stone and roll. Simmons roseate to stardom arsenic the "demonic" bassist and co-lead vocalist of the stone set formed successful New York City successful 1973. 

"All my beingness I've been a chameleon. Everything is simply a costume," Simmons said successful an interrogation for "CBS Mornings" that aired connected Wednesday. 

But his devilish make-up and theatrical persona are a stark opposition to his precise humble upbringing arsenic the lad of an migrant azygous mother. Long earlier helium became a KISS icon, helium was known simply arsenic Chaim Witz, meaning "life" successful Hebrew.

The roadworthy to KISS

KISS' Gene Simmons reflects connected his puerility successful an interrogation with "CBS Mornings." CBS Mornings

"You privation to beryllium successful a stone band?" Simmons recalled his parent asking. "That's not going to fly, babe."

Before moving to New York astatine property 8, Simmons was calved successful Israel – a kid of Jewish refugees from Hungary. His mother, Flora Klein, survived the Holocaust.

"After the horrific unimaginable beingness my parent went done wherever she saw her full family, our family, wiped retired successful beforehand of her face, each determination I was going to marque I thought astir my parent first," Simmons said.

Simmons vowed to beryllium determination for his parent each measurement of the way, reminding himself, "Don't interruption your mother's heart. Don't bash it."

He said it was an reflection his parent made that inspired him to beryllium a musician. While watching The Beatles execute connected "The Ed Sullivan Show" 1 night, Simmons recalled his parent coming successful and commenting successful Hungarian.   

"I'll ne'er hide this…she said thing like, successful Hungarian, 'They're truly weird people.' And astatine that point, I thought they're cool," Simmons said.

The commencement of "Rock and Roll All Nite"

After making immoderate wealth from singing inheritance for different artists astatine New York City's Electric Lady Studios, Simmons and his pal Paul Stanley went connected to signifier the legendary set KISS successful their aboriginal 20s. 

Eddie Kramer, who worked with The Beatles and Jimi Hendrix, agreed to nutrient and technologist their archetypal demo. But they struggled successful obscurity until a situation from their label's president led to 1 of the astir celebrated lines successful stone history.

While buying frozen blistery dogs and a tin of beans successful San Francisco, Simmons recalls Stanley turning to him and humming immoderate of the lyrics to the opus that would aboriginal go the iconic 1975 deed "Rock and Roll All Nite."

"We were successful San Francisco, we went downstairs to bargain frozen hotdogs and a tin of beans. And Paul said, what bash you deliberation of this?" 

"That's truly good. What bash you got? He goes, 'That's each I've got,'" said Simmons aft Stanley sang the chorus. They yet enactment much verses together. 

"And that's however the opus was born," helium said.

By 1977, pursuing the merchandise of their performance medium "Alive!" They were 1 of the astir celebrated bands successful America. Today, KISS has much golden albums than immoderate different American set and has sold much than 100 cardinal records worldwide. 

Though KISS retired from performing arsenic a band, Simmons, present 75, is presently connected tour.

"You're moving a contention successful a sense, the contention of beingness and the decorativeness enactment is coming up close up of you. What are you going to do? Slow down, oregon are you going to velocity up?" Simmons said.

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