“All due respect, but that music is intended to show off how well you play – but I don’t care about that. The hardest thing to do is write a good simple song or riff. That’s really hard.”
Simmons said: “There are an awful lot of amazing bass players, like Jaco Pastorius and the jazz guys. Or guys like Flea, who is really good on his instrument, but I can’t remember anything he plays – and I also do not like the sound of a bass being slapped.”
The bassist and vocalist explained that he has a “less is more” approach, before quoting Eric Clapton: “The hardest thing to do is to know what notes to put in a solo, and what notes not to put in a solo.”
Simmons concluded: “Sometimes, if it’s shockingly simple, and barely moving at all, but I can hum it, that’s what matters because it’s memorable.”
The musician has also recently weighed in on the prospect of a Smiths reunion, responded to Oasis fans being unhappy with dynamic ticket pricing and shared his thoughts on Linkin Park’s new singer Emily Armstrong.
In other news, Simmons recently defended the controversial comments he made on Dancing With The Stars after receiving accusations of misogyny.
The KISS member said last month that he’s fine with being called an “asshole” – even suggesting he’s “reclaimed” the word and attempting to compare it to “black people taking possession of the ‘n’ word”.
KISS finished their farewell tour in New York last December, but they have since shared plans for an “immersive” avatar show that will be “beyond anything that anyone else has contemplated”.
