Category Archives: Gene Simmons

Gene Simmons – Asshole (2004, Sanctuary Records)

1. “Sweet & Dirty Love” … 3:04
2. “Firestarter” … 3:21
3. “Weapons of Mass Destruction”… 3:44
4. “Waiting For the Morning Light” … 3:22
5. “Beautiful” … 4:05
6. “Asshole”… 3:19
7. “Now That You’re Gone” … 3:21
8. “Whatever Turns You On” … 3:15
9. “Dog” … 3:07
10. “Black Tongue” … 4:28
11. “Carnival of Souls” … 3:27
12. “If I Had a Gun” … 2:59
13. “1,000 Dreams” … 3:19

Band:
Gene Simmons – Vocals, Bass, Guitar, Backing Vocals

Additional Musicians (TONS, but most notably):
Frank Zappa – Guitar, Spoken Word (“Black Tongue”)
Dave Navarro – Guitar (“Firestarter”)
Bruce Kulick – Guitar (“Weapons of Mass Destruction”)
Richie Kotzen – Guitar
Dweezil Zappa – Guitar (“Black Tongue”)
Eric Singer – Drums (“Weapons of Mass Destruction”)

Produced by: Gene Simmons

Quite an interesting album. Some good moments, but a lot of it is a head scratcher. Just like his 1978 solo release.

The album definitely kicks off right though- “Sweet & Dirty Love” is a great rocker, probably one of the best songs he’s ever written. It’s a shame it got stuck on this unnoticed, unbalanced album and not on an actual KISS release (it’s been a constant work in progress since Gene first wrote it in 1977). It’s got a great 70s southern hard rock vibe. Ballads like “Waiting for the Morning Light” and “Beautiful” are nice. “Beautiful” particularly sticks out.

“Firestarter” is a lame straight-up cover of the Prodigy song. I didn’t like them doing the song, I don’t like Gene doing the song. Oddball cover to do as well.

Gene apparently hooked up with this musician called “Bag” and he helped with writing some of the album. He was just another one of Gene’s failed projects and it’s easy to see why, some of these songs are awful. “Asshole”, for instance, is absolutely atrocious and the lyrics are completely lame. Some of these songs, like “Asshole” and “Beautiful” were actual submissions from bands. Yes, Gene was pleading with bands to send HIM songs to put on HIS album.

If doing a cover song and taking submissions wasn’t lazy enough, “Black Tongue” is a fleshed out idea of a song from Frank Zappa that Gene got the rights to and I think most of the other songs were from the hundreds of piles of songs Gene had demoed over the years.

If I’m remembering correctly, “Weapons of Mass Destruction” was from the Psycho Circus sessions and was reworked from the original title of “Psycho Circus” (Paul Stanley’s version won out and made the album). Sounds more like a song for Carnival of Souls, and I wouldn’t be surprised if THAT’S where the song originally came from. Of course, never one to pass up a good song title, Gene has a song called “Carnival of Souls” on this very album.

This album is a mixed bag. The really good moments are canceled out by REALLY bad, weird moments. This release is only for KISS/Gene die hards, and I know even many of those don’t like it.

Highlights: “Sweet & Dirty Love”, “Weapons of Mass Destruction”, “Waiting for the Morning Light”, “Beautiful”, “Now That You’re Gone”, “Black Tongue”, “Carnival of Souls”

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