Just when everyone thought The Beatles had done all that could be done with rock music, the 1970s arrived. Following the momentous hippie phase of the late 1960s, this new decade was marked by more anarchistic countercultural revolutions in the punk wave alongside progress in the realms of heavy metal, glam rock and prog-rock. Somewhere amid this chaos was the New York City glam metal group Kiss.
In the early 1960s, rock bands mostly stuck to dark suits, later embracing colourful, fluffy jackets and shoulder-length hair in the psychedelic era. By the time the 1970s rolled around, glam rockers like David Bowie and Marc Bolan operated at the fashion vanguard, the former with colourful flare suits and orange hair and the latter with a fetching stovepipe hat and cheek glitter.
Taking heed of such developments in style and showmanship, Kiss made icons of themselves by layering their faces with white makeup and elaborate suits that developed throughout the years. As bassist Gene Simmons unravelled his six-inch tongue on stage before tearing into an early hit like ‘Deuce’, there could be no mistaking who stood on stage.
Behind all the glitz and glam, however, Kiss were serious about their craft and prided themselves on innovative composition. Invariably, their music was hard-hitting, inspired by early metal innovators like Black Sabbath and Led Zeppelin, with an appreciation of catchy bass hooks and uptempo rhythm guitar work.
As the band’s co-lead vocalist, prolific songwriter and bassist, Simmons relied on inspiration from all corners of the musical map. As a bassist and composer, few of Simmons’ luminaries could measure up to Paul McCartney, whose songwriting prowess seemed to outshine his melodic grasp of the bass throughout the 1960s. “When I was growing up as a Beatles fan, I heard a Beatles song, and you’d listen to it, and you’d go away humming it,” he reflected in a 2016 conversation with Rock Cellar. “You only later realise that every once in a while, you’re humming a bass part.”
As a bassist, Simmons tried to elevate the role of the humble bass guitar by using it as a dynamic lead instrument. Beyond McCartney’s influence, Simmons also found much to admire in the work of legendary lead guitarists such as Jimi Hendrix and Jimmy Page. His overall favourite guitarist was the guitarist’s guitarist, Jeff Beck.
When Beck, former guitarist of The Yardbirds and John Mayall’s Bluesbreakers, passed away in January 2023, Simmons was among the stars to pay tribute. “It’s difficult; I learned about Jeff’s passing not too long ago, just a few hours ago,” he said, struggling to compose himself after hearing about his guitar hero. “So you can hear in my voice, it’s a little much.”
Simmons had met Beck on several occasions and was always struck by his humble demeanour. Where their careers differed was that Kiss were always destined for arena tours and popular acclaim. Meanwhile, Beck remained mostly on the periphery of commercial allure, respected by the many musicians who understood his crucial service to rock music from a multidisciplinary background.
Beck was primarily rooted in the blues, yet over time, he blended aspects of classical and jazz into his complex compositions. Such material may have been more esoteric than Jimmy Page’s work with Led Zeppelin, but it wasn’t lost on musicians like Brian May and Simmons. “The greats, the Claptons, the Jimmy Pages, the Brian Mays, all amazing, amazing talents,” Simmons continued, speaking to the BBC. “Only Jeff Beck had the ability, the God-given blessing to be able to easily be an icon in jazz, in fusion, rock, blues. He could do it all.”
Signing off his live statement in memoriam of Beck, Simmons picked out one of his favourite compositions from the late guitarist’s oeuvre: “You want to hear something classic? Listen to Jeff Beck’s version of ‘Nessun Dorma’ with a symphony orchestra. If nobody’s around, you will cry.”