– Good day! Can we speak a little Hungarian?
Good afternoon! Of course, yes, because Hungarian is my mother tongue. That’s how my mom talked to me, but I wasn’t born in Hungary. I was born in Israel. But my parents in Israel also considered themselves Hungarian, I also call myself Hungarian. I am a Hungarian Israeli American.
– What do you think about Hungary?
Because of my parents ’drama, my feelings have always been mixed, and they still affect me today, but as much as I resented the Nazi fascists and all those who found the persecution of the Jews acceptable, I am at least as proud that Hungary was the first in the former communist bloc. a society whose people took up arms against the Communists in 1956. That’s why I think I’ve never had a problem with most Hungarians, and that’s why I say I consider myself Hungarian. I will never be reconciled to what happened in World War II, but I am not angry. I somehow recorded this to myself in such a way that the period of the Second World War was not good for Hungary, which can also be said about other European countries in this context.
Not bad! KISS bassist sends message about the Arena concert in Hungarian: you must hear this too – video
– The point is that you are welcome to come to Hungary.
Simmons: Yes, and I have been planning for a long time to go to Jandra, the little village where my mother was born in 1925. It is located in the northeastern part of Hungary on the banks of the Tisza. But before that, I want to find someone who can guide me there. I don’t think I’ll have a chance to do that after the concert in Budapest, because we’ll only have an empty day before we perform in Bucharest. I want to visit there in calmer conditions. My prosperous mother and I were very close. After my father started another family, my mother took me to the United States. He told me a lot about Jánd, his childhood, that’s why I want to go there.
“Is it true that your late mother, Flora Klein, never told you about the time she spent in concentration camps?”
Simmons: Not a word. Never. I think he wanted to protect me with that. I was already older when I found out he was a teenager when his parents and brother were killed in a death camp in Germany; my grandparents and my uncle, and he was there when that happened. He certainly didn’t want this trauma to overshadow my life as well.
“How much time did your late mother have to spend in concentration camps?”
Simmons: I don’t know exactly, but it was shocking when I found data on him at the Yad Vashem Holocaust Museum in Jerusalem. I shuddered when I found my mother in several places in the Nazi documents I had obtained and processed. He turned up in several camps before he regained his freedom when the Mathausen concentration camp was liberated in May 1945. There were even records of him being put on a train and traveling between two camps. He never told me about these things. He must have been very worn out by the tragedies, but he is glad he had a long, happy life. He always said every day is a good day. I lost it four years ago. I miss you very much.
– The title of their concert tour is a little sad: The last tour. Do you feel bitter?
Simmons: We are happy and sad at the same time. We feel like when we graduated. We know an important era in our lives is coming to an end, but at the same time we enjoy being in it and looking forward to the next day, the next party together. We are also proud of everything we have achieved so far. We are the hardest working band on earth, right!
– As a musician, are you most proud of that?
Simmons: Yes! For continuous touring. We’ve been on concert tours since the first moment, we didn’t take a major break. We also broke the tournament records for Elvis Presley and the Beatles. The pandemic also erupted when we were on our way around the world. I’m glad we can continue, I’ve been looking forward to it, but at 72, I think it’s time to say goodbye. By the end of the last party, my heart is sure to be hard, but even now I can only think about how much I love it all. This is my life!
“And what are you most proud of as a private person?”
Simmons: That I live is healthy and I can live in a free, civilized, democratic country. I am also proud of my various businesses, but I know that success requires more than just hard work. If I had been born in North Korea, Iran, or South Africa, I could hardly have realized my business ideas or myself.
– They also come to Budapest with a spectacular stage picture. Not only is pyrotechnics amazing, but it’s like flying saucers are flying overhead.
Simmons: We wanted these UFOs to all move on their own, and that was accomplished. They also fly up, down and sideways and shoot, but there are also screens. It’s really spectacular, fans really like it, and that’s the most important thing. On the last tour, we will honor our audience with a huge show.
“It’s also amazing that he does two-and-a-half-hour concerts in an 18-pound set. Only the hoof boots are four pounds each.
Simmons: But I only feel how heavy when I walk out of the locker room. I don’t feel their weight on stage. After that, of course, I am exhausted; i feel like after a hike, but i can handle it. The fact that I never took drugs and I never liked alcohol, but also that I was thoroughly prepared for this tour, can play a big role in this. I also hiked a lot during the downtime. That’s what came for me. Up the hill and down. My weight is 105 kilograms, moving it in the fresh air guarantees good condition, although I consider touring to be a better workout. But if we’re on topic, I think if Bono or Mick Jagger did a party like that myself, they’d pass out in half an hour.
– Have you ever drunk alcohol?
Simmons: I was never interested in alcohol. Neither beer nor wine, but I accept that many people love it. In fact, I recently entered the alcohol market myself with a vodka as part of my Money Bag fashion and beverage brand. They say it went well and I’m glad you think about it. For those who are weird about this, I used to say that the chef doesn’t like all the food on the restaurant’s menu either.
– What do you do toast?
Simmons: If I can choose, it’s with a Money Bag soft drink, but if I’m in a position to pour champagne for everyone in the company, I’ll accept it too and take a sip of it, but I wouldn’t freak out on it myself. I really don’t like alcohol, and I don’t like the smell of it, but a little sip sometimes fits.
“Although she married the partner of her life, actress Shannon Tweed, 11 years ago, she never denied that, as a rock star, she was happy to offer charming fans. Tell me, have the grumps gotten older?
Simmons: Overall, everything I think is because of the makeup. Through face painting, we have remained eternal, and there are many young people in our audience as well. The only difference that distinguishes KISS’s current and recent tours from the beginners is the development of technology, and I’m not just focusing on stage technology here. Today, wherever I go in the world, I can connect to the security cameras in my home on my smartphone and look around my property. Amazing.
“Do you still consider yourself a skirt hunter?”
Simmons: We men appreciate women until we die. I myself had been the wolf for too long, but when I married Shannon, I felt it was enough. Marriage is a serious thing, and I mean it. Our son Nick is 33 years old and our daughter Sophie is 29 years old.
– What are they doing?
Simmons: They’re both successful. Nick is commissioned as a screenwriter, has already written a book, and is spreading his wings as a musician. Sophie became a singer-songwriter. Millions have downloaded their songs from major providers, and last year, Love Turns Lonely became a Top 10 hit in Canada, but it also performed well in America.
– Put your hand on your heart. Do you find aging annoying?
Simmons: No. Not at all. On the one hand, not because I am a man, and we men do not care about that; aging is a fear of women. On the other hand, I don’t get annoyed because I’m proud. I am aware of everything I have achieved at every moment. If I hadn’t achieved goals that kept me in the fever, I’d be melancholy, I’m sure of that. I would be preoccupied with aging and death then, but I wouldn’t be annoyed about it either.
