Gene Simmons, 75, sparks fury as he charges KISS fans FIVE-FIGURE sum to be personal assistant for a day: ‘Disgusting!’
KISS co-founder Gene Simmons is offering fans the chance to be his personal assistant for a day during his upcoming tour – but it will cost them a staggering £9,650 ($12,495).
The 75-year-old rock star, who retired from KISS in 2023 after their End of the Road World Tour, is giving one fan per show the opportunity to join his crew for the day.
Dubbed “The Ultimate Gene Simmons Experience”, the package allows fans to shadow the bassist, known for his iconic demon makeup and extraordinarily long tongue.
The tour with his Gene Simmons Band begins on April 3 in Anaheim, California.
According to the official website, participants will meet Simmons and his band members early in the day at his hotel or a designated location.
They will receive a Gene Simmons Band crew member shirt, hat and VIP laminate as part of the package.
The experience includes having a meal with Simmons, either at his hotel or backstage at the show.
Fans will get to hang out backstage and sit in during sound check.
Simmons will bring the participant on stage during the show and introduce them to the audience.
One guest is permitted to accompany the fan throughout the experience, and photos are allowed.
The lucky fan will be required to work as part of the crew, arriving and loading in to the venue with the band.
They will help with setting up for the show, essentially functioning as a roadie for the day.
As souvenirs, participants will receive a signed set list from the performance.
Simmons will also sign up to four personal items of the fan’s choosing, though instruments and body parts are excluded.
Perhaps most valuable, fans will take home a signed bass guitar that was used by Simmons during KISS rehearsals.
The website promises that fans will find Simmons “very down-to-earth, funny, and knowledgeable on almost any subject”.
Fans have reacted with outrage to the high price tag for Simmons’ personal assistant experience.
On social media, many criticised the rock star for charging fans to work for him, with one person calling the scheme “disgusting”.
“Shouldn’t he be paying someone to be his roadie and PA for the day? Not like he’s short of a bob or two is it?” one fan commented.
Others pointed out that Simmons, with an estimated net worth of $400 million, hardly needs the money.
“Gene Simmons is as big (and bad) a joke as at this point. He’d have to pay me…and a hell of a lot more than £10k,” another critic wrote.
Some fans noted that tickets to the actual show aren’t even included in the price.
Since KISS retired in 2023, Simmons has been touring with his Gene Simmons Band, which features drummer Brian Tichy and guitarists Jason Walker and Brent Woods.
The band performs Simmons’ solo material alongside KISS classics.
Simmons co-founded KISS in 1973 with Paul Stanley, later bringing in Peter Criss on drums and Ace Frehley on lead guitar.
The legendary rock band performed their final show in December 2023 in New York City, where the group first formed.
]The upcoming tour represents Simmons’ continued musical career following the end of KISS’s 50-year run.
For fans who can’t afford the full personal assistant experience, Simmons offers alternative packages.
A meet-and-greet option starts at $6,500, which includes meeting the rock star backstage after the show.
Simmons also offers a “Gene Simmons Bass Experience” for $6,500, which includes a signed instrument and the chance to meet him.
For those willing to spend more, a bass guitar that Simmons played on stage starts at $12,500.
The official website notes that payment plans are available for these packages.
Tickets to the actual performances are sold separately through the individual venues.