In a new interview by Nick Simmons for Esquire magazine, he talks with his father- rock legend and leader for the band, KISS, and definitely no stranger to controversy- Gene Simmons, who declares that “rock is finally dead.”
In the interview, Simmons goes on to say, “the death of rock was not a natural death. Rock did not die of old age. It was murdered." He pinpoints file-sharing and illegal downloading as the culprit. He says, simply, “You'll never understand unless you're the one that wrote the song, and you were the one that had the band, whose music people took without paying you for. Once you're the one who's been robbed, there's a moment of clarity.”
In a world where file-sharing has only become increasingly more rampant since the days of Napster, Gene Simmons has certainly seen the changing tides of the music industry since his early days of rock n’ roll. Despite constant warnings about the fines and dangers of piracy, P2P file-sharing has caused a dent in the music industry, making it harder for superstar hopefuls.
Additionally, Simmons explains that the music industry was much more ripe for the picking when he broke into it in the 70s. He also offers some very sobering advice for kids and twenty-somethings wanting to become musical successes: “don’t quit your day job.” He mourns for recent generations trying to make it big in the music industry saying, “It's very sad for new bands. My heart goes out to them. They just don't have a chance.” No matter the case, Gene Simmons’ insight on the changing state of the music industry is certainly interesting to think about.
The entire interview can be read on Esquire.com.
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