Radio stations have begun refused to play any more Kiss music after Gene Simmons said that depressed people should "kill themselves."
DJ Uncle Vito of New York's WPYX has said he will not play Kiss music and then added that Simmons is "an arrogant, unfeeling a--hole," UltimateClassicRock reports. Triple M broadcasting in Australia also banned any Kiss music.
These "are not topics he should be using to further his notoriety or sell records," network chief Mike Fitzpatrick said. "His desperation to use mental health issues to find relevancy in a modern age is sickening. I can only put it down to a brain fade on his part."
As previously reported, the Kiss rocker spoke with SongFacts.com and said, "Drug addicts and alcoholics are always, 'The world is a harsh place.' My mother was in a concentration camp in Nazi Germany. I don't want to hear f**k all about ‘the world as a harsh place."
He then added, " She gets up every day, smells the roses and loves life. And for a putz, 20-year-old kid to say, 'I'm depressed, I live in Seattle.' F**k you, then kill yourself,”
The comments come at a particularly poor time for Simmons as Robin Williams' suicide continues to dominate headlines and people come to terms with his passing.
Simmons took to Facebook to try and clarify his recently made comments noting that "I deeply support and am empathetic to anyone suffering from any disease, especially depression."
The rocker added that "Unkind statements about depression was certainly never my intention" and he added he wouldn't defend himself "by listing the myriad charities and self-help organizations I am involved with."
image via INFphoto.com