Love ’em or hate ’em, Kiss is one of the most successful bands in the history of music.
Gene Simmons was born Chaim Witz in Haifa, Israel. His mother was a Hungarian Holocaust survivor whose family perished in concentration camps. She married an Israeli named Yeichel Witz. The two married and had Simmons while they were living in Tirat Carmel. Simmons grew up in an impoverished household, selling fruit on the road which he had picked in the wild.
His mother and Simmons moved to New York City when Simmons was 8 years old, leaving their father behind. As a child, he was influenced by the Beatles, who made their debut in America on “The Ed Sullivan Show.”
Simmons founded Kiss in the early 1970s. Their incorporation of face paint, over-the-top stage outfits and outlandish, blood-spitting antics led them to great commercial success. Simmons is also a businessman, having had a reality television show and many business ventures, including 182 trademarks that include phrases like “Zipper,” “Sextacy,” and “Topless Car Wash.”
He also wrote a book titled, “On Power: My Journey Through the Corridors of Power and How You Can Get More Power.” That’s certainly a title.
