Gene Simmons, bassist for one of the greatest rock bands of all time, KISS, gave President Donald Trump’s Oval Office his seal of approval during an interview on the red carpet at the Kennedy Center Honors last weekend. Simmons has made a number of comments over the years suggesting he leans more than a tad to the right on political issues, unlike his former band’s now-retired lead singer, Paul Stanley. Stanley has made it clear he’s a Democrat with no love for Trump.
It’s always struck me as strange when rock stars lean anywhere but conservative or libertarian, given the inherent rebellion of the music they create. Rock and roll — and its darker child, metal — has always been anti-establishment and driven by a do-it-yourself spirit. Why in the world would a musical culture built on individuality ever embrace the hive-mind mentality of modern progressive politics? Make it make sense.
Breitbart News spoke with Simmons just before the event began, asking what it meant to him to be honored by President Trump and what he thought of the Oval Office, now sporting numerous presidential portraits and a whole lot of that bling-bling gold.
In trademark rock-and-roll fashion, Simmons responded to being an honoree by saying, “It doesn’t suck.” One thing’s for sure: you can’t say Simmons doesn’t speak the language of the common man. He then compared Trump’s Oval Office to those of former Presidents Bill Clinton and George W. Bush, calling Trump’s “terrific.”
“It used to be drab. I’ve been here through Mr. Clinton and Mr. Bush, and it used to be a pretty drab place. It’s coming alive. I think it’s great,” Simmons told Breitbart.
Speaking of Paul Stanley, he was also honored at the event. He, too, was asked for his thoughts on being recognized by the president for his contribution to the arts. Surprisingly — given his left-wing bent — he had nothing but kind words.
“It’s an incredible honor. It’s surreal, and as a kid who grew up with nothing, the idea of being in the White House, the Oval Office, receiving accolades from the president — that’s beyond anything I could have ever fathomed,” Stanley said. “And that’s what makes America great: the fact that we can all achieve whatever we set out to do with hard work. Hard work makes anything possible. Achieving something is determined by how hard you’re willing to work for it, and that’s what gives it its value. So I’m humbled and grateful and blessed to share it with my wife.”
Those are shockingly good words. Stanley himself is proof that if you’re willing to put in the work and make a few savvy marketing moves, you can not only build a successful career but also make meaningful contributions to culture. Is luck involved? Always. But mostly, it’s about pouring yourself out until you’re dry as a bone to achieve your dreams and goals.
KISS drummer Peter Criss was also honored. When asked for his thoughts on the Oval Office, he said, “You could feel the vibes in the room. I was looking at the desk, going, ‘Well, that’s where Roosevelt sat during the war. That’s where Lincoln sat. That’s where JFK sat.’ I was a big JFK kid, and it was a high. When you see it in motion pictures, they always make it look ginormous. It’s tiny. It’s a really little room, but the history that went on there — the paintings of Lincoln and Washington on the wall — it was dynamite. It was really cool.”
“A kid from Brooklyn — I never thought I’d be in the Oval Office sitting with the president of the United States,” Criss added. “So it’s been wonderful.”
Ace Frehley, original KISS lead guitarist, died in October, but was honored with a moment of silence during the event.
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