APA

Bio

Gene Simmons is best known as "The Demon", the blood-spitting, fire-breathing, and tongue-wagging bassist and one of the lead vocalists in the hard rock band Kiss, an act he co-founded in the early 1970s.  KISS continues to be the juggernaut of licensing and merchandising, with over 2,500 licenses.  Gene was born in Haifa, Israel in 1949, and is the only child of his mother, a German Nazi Concentration Camp survivor.  He came to America at eight and a half years of age.  He graduated State University (NYSU) and City University (CUNY) and got a Bachelor of Education degree.  He taught sixth grade in Spanish Harlem in New York City.  Gene discovered Van Halen and produced their 15 song demo.  He managed the recording careers of, among others, Liza Minnelli, produced New Line Pictures’ DETROIT ROCK CITY, acted and co-starred in movies such as RUNAWAY and WANTED DEAD OR ALIVE, NEW GUY and television series such as UGLY BETTY, THE APPRENTICE, THIRD WATCH (NBC), MIAMI VICE (NBC) and many others.  Gene’s also written two New York Times Best Selling Books, KISS AND MAKEUP (Crown), SEX, MONEY, KISS (Simmons Books/New Millennium) and LA Times Best Seller, LADIES OF THE NIGHT.  GENE SIMMONS ROCK SCHOOL (VH1) is his reality show.  GENE SIMMONS FAMILY JEWELS (A&E) is his other reality show.  MY DAD THE ROCK STAR (Nickelodeon) is a cartoon he created and executive produces.  MR. ROMANCE (Oxygen) is an original show he created.