KISS at Madison Square Garden
photo by P Squared

KISS postpone more shows after Gene Simmons tests positive for COVID

KISS were recently forced to postpone a show after Paul Stanley tested positive for COVID. He’s since recovered, writing on Twitter, “My COVID symptoms were MILD compared to many others and let me tell you… It kicked my ass. It’s over now.” However, KISS aren’t ready to resume their “End of the Road” tour quite yet; Gene Simmons has now texted positive for COVID as well, and, according to a statement from the band, is “experiencing mild symptoms.” Here’s the statement in full:

KISS will postpone their next four tour dates. While Paul Stanley recently tweeted that he has recovered from COVID, Gene Simmons has now tested positive and is experiencing mild symptoms. The band and crew will remain at home and isolate for the next 10 days and doctors have indicated the tour should be able to resume on September 9th at FivePoint Amphitheatre in Irvine, CA. All previously purchased tickets will be honored for the new dates once announced. More information will be emailed to ticketholders directly.

The postponed dates are September 1 at DTE Energy Music Theatre in Clarkston, MI; September 2 Wright State University Nutter Center in Dayton, OH; September 4 at Hollywood Casino Amphitheatre in Tinley Park, IL; and September 5 at American Family Insurance Amphitheater in Milwaukee, WI.

Meanwhile, Billboard reports that Simmons recently blasted “politicians in Texas and Florida” and the president of Brazil for their COVID policies. Speaking to Marci Wiser on 95.5 KLOS, Simmons said, “Always listen to the CDC and the doctors — not stupid politicians,” continuing that it’s “fucking nuts” that Americans are listening to politicians instead of scientists. “Not all politicians — evil, self-serving politicians of a certain party who are more interested in getting re-elected than actually saving lives. I can’t tell you how furious I am … The politicians in Texas and Florida — evil, self-serving, just moronic. That includes the president of Brazil.”

“The idea that somebody says, ‘It’s my body and my choice’ is so idiotic,” Simmons continued on 95.5 “It is not your choice. It is not your body when you come to a red light in your car. You don’t have the right to go through it just ’cause you feel like it and ‘Don’t tell me what to do.’ And here’s why: Because the rest of the world goes on green and stops on red. Just ’cause you feel it’s your right doesn’t give you the right … You actually do not have the right to stand up in a movie theater and yell ‘fire’ just because you think it’s freedom of speech. You don’t have that right. That’s called incitement to riot. There are all sorts of rights you don’t have.”

Simmons also said he is in favor of a vaccine mandate being enacted. “Yes, there should be,” he told Wiser. “What freedom? The freedom to infect everybody else? Seven hundred thousand Americans — close to it — are dead because of COVID. Of course it should be a law. As soon as you endanger other people. You do not have the right to smoke in a restaurant or in buildings — you don’t have that right. You know why? Because you’re endangering other people.”

Listen to the interview in full, and see pictures from one of KISS’ 2019 shows at Madison Square Garden, below.