Why Gene Simmons Still Wants More Money
Gene Simmons explained why he remained interested in making more money, comparing the pursuit of wealth to an Olympics contest.
The Kiss members was speaking during his first art exhibition, where some of the paintings he created after taking up the hobby during lockdown sold for as much as $245,000.
“Money, for me, has become what champions in the Olympics do,” Simmons told People in a recent interview. “They want to keep improving because they want the judges to hold up a higher number.” He added that it was different when someone was starting out and struggling for cash. “Once you have enough, a roof over your head and food in your belly and stuff, it’s ‘How much better can I do this? How much more can I do this?’ More like a contest. It's different.”
But he rejected the idea he took up painting to make money. “I just wanted to stay sane,” he said. ”I didn't know you were supposed to have a style, and I didn't do anything except try to keep my mind busy. So the art is more stream of consciousness.”
The art exhibition took place in Las Vegas and featured around 50 of the works he created during 2020. With Kiss back on the road, Simmons noted it was unlikely he’d be painting again in the near future. “I don't know what I'm doing,” he said. “I never considered myself a painter. I never considered myself much of anything. You're talking to the least qualified person you'd ever meet. ... I can tell you that I have a sense of wonder.”