Gene Simmons wants KISS to play final show in Liverpool
In homage to his musical heroes The Beatles
Last updated 5th Sep 2022
Gene Simmons has told Planet Rock he ‘dreams’ of KISS playing their last ever concert at the world-famous Cavern Club in Liverpool.
As part of KISS THIS!, our month-long celebration of KISS on Planet Rock, Gene Simmons was the very special guest on My Planet Rocks with Ian Danter last night (4th September) and he cherry-picked some of his favourite songs of all time including tracks by David Bowie, Led Zeppelin, The Clash and Queen.
Unsurprisingly, Gene also selected two tracks by his beloved Beatles, and The Demon told Dants he’d love KISS to end their career with a show at the 350-capacity Cavern Club.
The Fab Four played hundreds of shows at The Cavern Club as fledgling musicians in the early 1960s, however the iconic venue was demolished in 1973. A new Cavern Club officially opened at 7 Mathew Street just metres from the original location several years later.
KISS previously stated that they will end their career where it all began in New York City, and Dants asked about 'the when and the where' of the final gig.
“I honestly don't know,” Gene replied. “I have dream scenarios in my mind. I don't have the right to say these words - I'm not qualified to say those words - it's even semi-sacrilegious but boy would I love the last time to play (with) very small amps at The Cavern Club. Even if nobody was there, just some sort of full circle. A tip of my soulful hat to these four guys who came out of Liverpool - you're killing me! (The Beatles) not just changed my life but gave me a reason.”
He continued: “You know, I was about to become a sixth-grade teacher in Spanish Harlem in New York and I worked at a government research funded project where I was the assistant director. I was making money. It was not like I needed a job. By the time I was 23, I'd saved $23,000. So that was big money back - that's after tax - so I was doing really well.
“I just couldn't see going through life without somehow picking up the guitars and basses and all that and trying to do what those guys (The Beatles) did. Of course, we can't shine their shoes. We can't. We can't! We're not qualified to walk in their shadows. But ‘homage’ is a good word. My knees would buckle at the thought of playing that very last show, maybe to a group of friends, at The Cavern Club.”
You can listen to the full episode of My Planet Rocks for the next seven days below, and find out more details about KISS THIS! on Planet Rock RIGHT HERE.
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73) Guns N’ Roses – ‘Paradise City’ (1987)
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72) Guns N’ Roses – ‘Estranged’ (1991)
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71) Bon Jovi – ‘Wanted Dead or Alive’ (1986)
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70) Iron Maiden – ‘Powerslave’ (1984)
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69) UFO – ‘Lights Out’ (1977)
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68) Neil Young – ‘Like a Hurricane’ (1977)
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67) Judas Priest – ‘Beyond The Realms of Death’ (1978)
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66) Free – ‘All Right Now’ (1970)
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65) Extreme – ‘Play With Me’(1989)
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64) AC/DC – ‘Back in Black’ (1981)
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63) UFO – ‘Love To Love’ (1977)
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59) Pearl Jam – ‘Alive’ (1991)
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58) Metallica – ‘Nothing Else Matters’ (1991)
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53) Steve Vai – ‘For the Love of God’ (1990)
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52) Deep Purple – ‘Sometimes I Feel Like Screaming’ (1996)
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51) AC/DC – ‘Thunderstruck’ (1990)
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47) Pantera – ‘Cemetery Gates’ (1990)
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43) Slash – ‘Anastasia’ (2012)
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40) Genesis – ‘Firth of Fifth’ (1973)
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39) Deep Purple – ‘Smoke on the Water’ (1972)
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38) AC/DC – ‘Let There Be Rock’ (1977)
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36) Ozzy Osbourne – ‘No More Tears’ (1991)
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32) Ozzy Osbourne – ‘Crazy Train’ (1980)
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30) AC/DC – ‘Whole Lotta Rosie’ (1977)
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29) Led Zeppelin – ‘Since I’ve Been Loving You’ (1970)
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28) Queen – ‘Brighton Rock’ (1974)
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19) Gary Moore – ‘Still Got The Blues (For You)’ (1990)
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16) Bon Jovi – ‘Dry County’ (1992)
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15) The Jimi Hendrix Experience – ‘All Along The Watchtower’ (1967)
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13) Gary Moore – ‘Parisienne Walkways’ (1979)
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8) Guns N’ Roses – ‘Sweet Child ‘O Mine’ (1987)
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