Gene Simmons says he has no inclination to record a new Kiss album.
The band’s last studio release was 2012’s Monster and the bassist and vocalist says it’s hard finding time to record new material – and people would just illegally download if they did.
He tells Canton Rep: “We’re so busy touring around the world, and people in America might not know it, but we just came back from Japan and we’re going to Europe in May. We start in Moscow May 1.
“It’s just tough to find the time to sit down for six months and do nothing but a record. I’m not inclined to go out there and work your ass off making something you’re proud of and then to have everybody steal it and download it and file share it. That’s not for me.”
The Kiss star has also lined up a solo show at the Agora Theatre in Cleveland on March 18, which will coincide with his appearance at the city’s Wizard World Comic Con that weekend.
Simmons continues: “This is gonna be a first for me. Outside of Kiss, I’ve never done a solo tour. I never did anything like that. Every once in a while I’ll jump up on stage and do a song with somebody. Johnny Depp and I did a few songs together, a few other knuckleheads, but that’s about it.
“When Wizard World and I agreed to do five events together, the idea of jumping up onstage and gulping it on for an hour or so came up.
“And I got a great bunch of guys, real rocking guys who are gonna get up with me, and we’ll play all the hits and have ourselves a good old time.”
Last week, the band’s Paul Stanley ruled out the possibility of former guitarist Ace Frehley returning to the fold after months of speculation.
Ahead of their tour Russian and European dates, Kiss have a pair of shows in the US planned for late April.
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Kiss 2017 tour dates
Apr 21: Reno Grand Sierra Resort & Casino, NV
Apr 22: Laughlin Events Center, NV
May 01: Moscow Olympiski, Russia
May 04: Helsinki Hartwell Arena, Finland
May 06: Stockholm Tele2 Arena, Sweden
May 07: Oslo Spekrun, Norway
May 09: Horsens Forum, Denmark
May 10: Gothenburg Scandinavium, Sweden
May 12: Dortmund Westfallenhalle, Germany
May 13: Stuttgart Schleyerhalle, Germany
May 15: Torino Pala Alpitour, Italy
May 16: Bologna Unipol Arena, Italy
May 18: Munich Olympiahalle, Germany
May 20: Brno BCC, Czech Republic
May 21: Vienna Stadthalle, Austria
May 23: Franfurt Festhalle, German
May 24: Rotterdam Ahoy, Holland
May 27: Glasgow SSE Hydro, UK
May 28: Birmingham Barclaycard Arena, UK
May 30: Manchester Arena, U
May 31: London O2 Arena, UK
Jul 14: Bridgeview Chicago Open Air, IL
Jul 15: Hinckley Grand Casino, MN
Jul 16: Bridgeview Chicago Open Air, IL
