Earlier this week in an interview with UCR, KISS bassist and co-vocalist, Gene Simmons, lent his support to COVID vaccine mandates, whilst also putting the blame on ex-US president Donald Trump for allowing the Coronavirus pandemic in the US to spiral out of control the way it did.
Simmons spoke to the publication ahead of KISS’ upcoming tour. The band will hit the road one last time for their End Of The Road World Tour, which re-kicks off in Massachusetts next Wednesday, 18th August. The band are planning to hit “150 to 200” cities, according to Simmons.
The tour started back in 2019, but was forced to hit pause back in early 2020 due to the Coronavirus pandemic. Since then, it’s been difficult for the band to navigate embarking on a world tour with the world in its current state.
“My druthers would be that everybody is mandated to get vaccines,” Simmons said during the interview. “I hope everybody is going to be wearing their masks. But we can only control what we can control, and different states and different countries have different rules.”
The band will implement stricter procedures for their tours, to protect the band and their crew. They will not allow anyone backstage who aren’t vaccinated and not masked, and they will also scrap meet and greets.
“Obviously, we’re giving up a pretty penny because fans pay a premium to come up and take photos and stuff. That’s gone.”
He went on to speak very passionately about anti-vaxxers.
[They say] “”I have my rights, don’t tell me what to do” – which is curious because you do not have the right to drive down the highway in a car without a seatbelt. You must stop at a red light — that’s not a right you have. And you don’t have the right to walk naked down the street.”
“These are not life-threatening ideas. We’re talking about a fuckin’ pandemic and people are fighting it.”
“I blame our former president,” he went on. “I knew the man before he entered politics. But he got vaccinated and so have most of the other party.”
“I’m not worried if an idiot gets COVID and dies. I’m worried he takes other people with him. Who didn’t have a choice.”
“It doesn’t have to be death. Being in a hospital is horrific. There are so many cases of people who were deniers and who are begging in the hospital to get the vaccine. But it’s too late.”
KISS are scheduled to return to Australia this November/December.
