Demon Dreams: A Chat with Gene Simmons

“We’re working our butts off making music, then having a pimply faced kid steal it. It isn’t a charity.”

It was a call that my 10-year-old self would never believe could happen in a million years.

The chance to interview rock icon Gene Simmons, the man whom none other than fellow legend Bob Dylan refers to as “Mr. KISS,” fell into my lap, and I was expecting a call from the Lord of the wastelands at 2 p.m., Central. Tricky demon that he is, he actually called me at 1, catching me slightly off guard.

“Hello, this is Gene,” came the familiar voice on my phone—at which point I proceeded to hang up on him, albeit totally by accident.