Simmons, at left atop tower, and Kiss performing in Paris circa 2022. The band’s signature stage pyrotechnics in full display.
“stole” his nanny. “I got a call one day and the voice said, ‘Hi this is George!” recalls Simmons. “I said, ‘George who?” Seems the Star Wars filmmaker wanted to hire the Simmons family nanny, Tawny, who’d developed a stellar reputation as a caregiver and teacher. Simmons demurred at first—“go get your own nanny!”—but Lucas’s offer of a large house on 2 acres and longtime financial security were too much to turn down. “Years later we came back for her wedding,” Simmons adds. In some ways, Lucas eventually
urges young people to abandon their technology and read. “There used to be these buildings filled with things called books where people would go to read,” he oozes with OK Boomer sarcasm. He credits his constant reading of music- business publications in the early days of Kiss for much of the financial success the band enjoyed. An unapologetic capitalist who ascribes to the job- creator-as-God line of thinking, he believes great wealth shouldn’t be met with suspicion but admired. “The rich are good!” he says, unequivocally. “Even the worst billionaire—maybe a
returned the favor: His visual effects company Industrial Light & Magic created the Kiss avatars that will carry the band’s brand into the future. Gene Simmons, Inc. Simmons is also a sought- after speaker on the business lecture circuit, a career trajectory that followed the release of his 2014 book, Me, Inc ., in which he details his various philosophies on business and life. His overarching theme is encapsulated in his concept of the “inferred fiduciary duty to yourself”—basically, what he sees as an inherent responsibility we each
terrible person, not giving a penny to charity—still [through his business projects] you’re creating jobs,” says Simmons. “A poor person never gave me a job. And I was a poor person once myself.” Simmons frames his business advice in simple
terms—“for the great unwashed masses,” he
says—with basic analogies. Work hard, spend wisely, learn everything you can about everything. He calls it a “Cliff’s Notes of life.” A favorite analogy is
the idea of everyone having two pockets of money: One pocket
Rock & Brews restaurants are one of several business endeavors Simmons has launched during his music career
have to position ourselves to be as successful as possible. A big part of that fiduciary duty is through education— not necessarily a traditional classroom education, but through constant, life-long learning. Describing himself as a “voracious” reader who speaks four languages, Simmons
represents all the money going out—taxes, basic expenses, lifestyle purchases, non-necessities, vacations, etc. The other represents money going in—salary, investments, savings. Simmons wants as little money leaving the first pocket and as much going into the second as is possible. “How much
April 2025
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