<p id=”par-1_42″>Kiss’ Gene Simmons had a revelatory experience that made him want to be one of <a href=”https://www.cheatsheet.com/tag/the-beatles/”>The Beatles</a>. His initial <a href=”https://www.cheatsheet.com/entertainment/the-beatles-love-me-do-confused-kiss-gene-simmons.html/”>interest in the Fab Four</a> had little to do with music. Interestingly, Kiss once covered a great, underrated song by a former Beatle.</p>
<h2 class=”wp-block-heading” id=”h-what-happened-when-kiss-gene-simmons-saw-the-beatles-on-the-ed-sullivan-show”>What happened when Kiss’ Gene Simmons saw The Beatles on ‘The Ed Sullivan Show</h2>
<p id=”par-2_58″>In his 2006 book <em><a href=”https://www.everand.com/read/600521407/Sex-Money-Kiss-Family-Jewels#c_search-menu_30358″ target=”_blank” rel=”noreferrer noopener”>Sex Money Kiss</a></em>, Simmons discussed witnessing one of the most important moments in rock ‘n’ roll history. “A pivotal point in my life occurred when I was about thirteen years old,” he wrote. “<em><a href=”https://www.cheatsheet.com/entertainment/george-harrison-didnt-rehearse-the-ed-sullivan-show.html/”>The Ed Sullivan Show</a></em>, a variety show popular in the 1960s, featured The Beatles performing in America for the first time.”</p>
<p id=”par-3_125″>The experience spoke to the hormonal young Simmons. “After I saw The Beatles, I became inspired to do the same thing,” he recalled. “Not just for the purist notion of making the music itself, because that’s not what it’s really all about anyway (and any rock star who tells you he wanted to be in a band just to write and play his own music is lying). I was always honest with myself; I realized that the reason it would be fun to have my own band like The Beatles was that maybe I could get the girls to scream for me, too.” Simmons would do just that, having high-profile relationships with Cher, Diana Ross, and Shannon Tweed. Tweed is his first and current wife.</p>
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<h2 class=”wp-block-heading” id=”h-gene-simmons-didn-t-want-to-be-a-beatle-to-make-money”>Gene Simmons didn’t want to be a Beatle to make money</h2>
<p id=”par-4_54″>While Simmons is a consummate businessman, he wasn’t thinking that becoming a rock star could be lucrative. “I didn’t understand the money part of it back then, but it was clear, even at age 13, that being a Beatle was a pretty good job,” he said. “I wished I could be one of them.”</p>
<p id=”par-5_66″>Simmons went on to become one of the biggest rock stars of his day. His face paint is just as iconic as The Beatles’ moptop haircuts or The Rolling Stones’ tongue logo. In much the same way that The Beatles <a href=”https://www.cheatsheet.com/entertainment/the-beatles-the-monkees-the-rolling-stones-released-psychedelic-albums-1-year-1-wasnt-successful.html/”>inspired numerous artists to go psychedelic</a>, Simmons and company inspired a generation of singers to take rock music in the most over-the-top and theatrical direction imaginable.</p>
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<div class=”related-article related-article–simple”>
<span class=”related-article-flag”>Related</span>
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<a href=”https://www.cheatsheet.com/entertainment/paul-stanley-had-1-hit-song-without-kiss-and-its-about-chers-sister.html/”>
Paul Stanley Had 1 Hit Song Without Kiss and It’s About Cher’s Sister </a>
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<h2 class=”wp-block-heading” id=”h-kiss-released-an-incredible-cover-of-a-paul-mccartney-song”>Kiss released an incredible cover of a Paul McCartney song</h2>
<p id=”par-6_47″>Kiss would eventually pay tribute to The Beatles in a massive way — or, at least, one of The Beatles. 2014 saw the release of <em>The Art of McCartney</em>, a Paul McCartney tribute album featuring covers by Bob Dylan, Alice Cooper, Billy Joel, Brian Wilson, and others. </p>
<p id=”par-7_61″>Kiss contributed a cover of <a href=”https://www.cheatsheet.com/entertainment/shirley-manson-garbage-still-doesnt-understand-1-paul-mccartney-song.html/”>Wings’ “Venus and Mars/Rock Show”</a> to the record. “Venus and Mars/Rock Show” is not one of Wings’ most famous songs, but it’s the one that fits the best with Kiss’ sensibilities. Much like <a href=”https://www.cheatsheet.com/entertainment/gene-simmons-said-kiss-rock-and-roll-all-nite-inspired-sly-and-the-family-stone-song.html/”>“Rock and Roll All Nite”</a> and “Detroit Rock City,” “Venus and Mars/Rock Show” is a high-octane celebration of a certain genre of music.</p>
<p id=”par-8_38″>Paul Stanley sounds more at home singing “Venus and Mars/Rock Show” than the former Beatle did. Perhaps Wings should have let Kiss record that song back in the 1970s! Regardless, Kiss’ cover is a fantastic treat for fans.</p>
<p id=”par-9_16″>Simmons had a dream when he was a teenager — and he made it come true.</p>