Gene Simmons Defends Charging Fans $12K To Be His Roadie

While the famous rock band KISS was known for putting on a stellar concert, the band also knew how to market themselves. Selling over 100 million albums worldwide, the band also capitalized on merchandising. Selling everything from lunch boxes, toys, shirts, and even caskets, the band found unique ways to market. But recently, it seemed that singer Gene Simmons took it to an entirely new level when he allowed fans to pay him to be his roadie for a day. And with a price tag of over $12,000, Simmons defended his actions after drawing backlash. 

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Speaking with the New York Post about allowing fans to be his roadie for a day, Simmons pointed back to his own childhood, “I was always curious, ‘What’s it like when they’re in a hotel? What’s it like when the stage is set up? What’s it like being onstage when they’re performing and seeing the audience from the stage?’” He continued, “I decided, ‘you know what, nobody’s ever done it. Why not open the idea to be my personal roadie for the day?’”

Although seeing Simmons in concert is cheaper than his roadie package, it did come with a lot of perks. A fan could eat breakfast with him, help set up the stage, and play personal assistant to Simmons throughout his day. But in the end, the package did come with an autographed bass guitar, but a ticket to the concert cost extra.

Gene Simmons Can’t Stay Away From The Stage

Having to jump through some legal hoops to allow such an experience to be purchased, even Simmons knew the price was a little high. But he insisted, “This is not for everybody and it ain’t cheap. It’s also a different world than what I grew up in. Nowadays, if you get a papercut… everybody gets sued.”

To make matters worse, Simmons ended up canceling a string of shows for his solo tour. Excited to get back to the stage, the rockstar admitted, “I thought I was gonna take a few years off after the band I was in for 50 years decided to call it quits. I have other stuff — a restaurant chain, a movie company, a lot of stuff. But I couldn’t stay away.” 

It just so happened around the same time, Simmons received an offer. “Last April we got an offer — ‘Hey, why don’t you put a band together and come and headline the Sao Paulo (Summer Breeze Open Air) Festival?’ I said, ‘What? Do you mean in a stadium?’ ‘Yeah, a stadium.’ “Wow…OK.’”

Ready to get back to the stage, Simmons hoped that some fans would take his offer and experience a day alongside the rock icon.

(Photo by Elsie Roymans/Getty Images)