Gene Simmons Says It's Better to Be a 'Rich, Miserable F---' After Defending Charging $12K for Tour Assistant Job (2025)

• Gene Simmons is getting candid about money after he announced his upcoming tour would include a pricey roadie package
• These declarations come weeks after Simmons defended the idea behind charging a fan over $12,000 to be his tour assistant for a day
• The Gene Simmons Band kicks off their tour on May 2

Gene Simmons is just happy to get "rich."

In a preview for an upcoming podcast episode with Ultimate Classic Rock, the KISS bassist spoke about money and how he prefers to be wealthy. His comments come a week after Simmons, 75, defended selling a more than $12,000 package for a personal assistant to work for him during his upcoming tour.

The musician spoke about his upbringing in which he was raised as an only child by a single mother. "I developed a harder skin and for myself, realized that everything was about the search for power and money, which is not a very romantic notion. But I didn't want to be poor, because I know what that felt like," he said.

Simmons noted that after surviving Nazi concentration camps, his mother worked six days a week in a "sweat factory."

"All I ever did was try to figure out how to become powerful and make lots of money, for survival," he added. "The only thing money ever does, really, is give you the freedom to do stuff you actually like doing."

Simmons said "fame was nice" being part of KISS, but "there are a lot of famous people who are relatively poor, that's not a lot of fun."

However, "there's a lot of industrial types whose names you don't recognize who are filthy rich."

"It's better to be rich than poor, it really is," he concluded. "And if you're a miserable f--- it's still better to be a rich, miserable f---. That's all I ever tried to do."

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This declaration comes weeks after Simmons announced he was charging over $12,000 a day for a fan to be his roadie in early March. The official title of the role is "The Ultimate Gene Simmons Experience,"where one fan will spend the day with Simmons helping him load-in at the venue, set up for a concert, experience soundcheck and spend time backstage.

Also included is a used bass guitar from a past KISS concert along with an introduction onstage to the crowd during Simmons' gig. Only one fan is able to purchase the exclusive package per venue for a cool $12,495. The fan can bring one guest with them, along with up to four items for Simmons to autograph.

Tickets for the concert itself are not included with the Ultimate Gene Simmons Experience package purchase.

Simmons doubled down on the unusual ticket package offered, telling the New York Post two weeks later that the idea stemmed from his curiosity as a child, wondering what it was like onstage, touring with a band and everything that went into putting on a concert.

"I decided, ‘You know what, nobody’s ever done it. Why not open the idea to be my personal roadie for the day?' " he said. Simmons noted that the day spent together could start as early as grabbing breakfast together.

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“You ride with me to the gig. You can set up amplifiers and drums to your heart’s content. You’re onstage, right offstage to my right. You can video the crowds, whatever. And I pull you onstage to sing a song with me," he added.

The Gene Simmons Band Tour kicks off on May 2.