Customer Reviews

Sex Money Kiss

5 star:		(35)
4 star:		(14)
3 star:		(8)
2 star:		(4)
1 star:		(7)

 

 

As a follow up to his bestseller, Kiss and Makeup, this book offers very little in the way of "new" information. It is mainly typical Gene Simmons reiterating his thoughts on, naturally, sex, money and Kiss. In fact, his views and opinions on women and relationships, though veiled in a pose of pragmatism, reveal a sense of paranoia that is more than a little unbecoming in such an accomplished man. He continues to pat himself on the back for his accomplishments (yawn) and, thankfully, devotes an entire page of text to appreciation for his partner in crime, Paul Stanley, whose accomplishments have often been overlooked admist the din of Simmons' carnival barking. Of his other bandmates, Simmons is often dismissive of their contribution and seems to be making another buck from exploiting their personal choices and mistakes. In these respects, Sex Money Kiss is no different - truly - than his last book. He continues to maximize on his ability to sell anything with the Kiss logo attached and makes no apologies for this, a trait which may or may not be admirable, depending on how often you've heard his dramatic manifesto regarding the importance of money. He willingly subscribes to the notion that there's a sucker born every minute. And in all honesty, when I thumbed through the book, I was not interested in buying a copy at all - even as a Kiss fan - until I found that I was holding a limited edition autographed copy.

Having said all this, I can say that the book has value for anyone seeking to understand a method for maintaining some sense of financial success while reaching for their dream, be it rock stardom, weekend gardener, the acquisition of wealth or whatever. While so much of Simmons' persona is clearly for effect, his opinions on personal finance (and how to maintain it while seeking professional fulfillment) are shockingly conservative, practical and worthy of attention. Indeed, anyone would benefit from his practical advise in this area - and I've already adopted some of his ideas into my own financial situation to good effect. In a world where we are encouraged to spend, Simmons says "SAVE." In a society where we are subjected to every possible dangling carrot, Simmons says "DON'T BUY IT UNLESS YOU NEED IT." And while we all seem to look for that vacation, those days off and any reason NOT to work, Simmons tells us that with every available minute we should find extra work, become more productive and, ultimately, figure out a way to make money doing what we love. Interesting advice because while many would assume that this would mean quitting the day job to invest time and energy to your dream in order to find success, Simmons reccommends keeping that day job AND working on the dream. He succinctly illustrated his own ambitious endeavors throughout his life and is even practical about failures - "They mean nothing. Go on to the next thing." - going so far as to list his own failures as proof.

For his advice on relationships, Simmons' posturing is silly and, at times, possibly dangerous considering the influence he commands over a small segment of society. His repeated attacks against Ace Frehley and Peter Criss are tiresome and, by now, in poor taste. But his personal financial advice is spot on perfect, especially considering it comes from a successful rock star (never the type of person one would think capable of managing money) who doesn't let anything - people, drugs, drink, or even fame - get in the way of his financial security.

I must admit to not being a big KISS fan . . . in fact, it would be
safe to say that if you asked me, I don't think I could recall even
one of the group's songs.

That said, for some reason, I picked up SEX MONEY KISS--the
latest book effort by Gene Simmons . . . perhaps it was the
outrageous cover (featuring a long red tongue against a silver
background), but once I got reading, I almost couldn't put it down.

Simmons, of course, was the founder of KISS and the mastermind
behind the group's enduring success . . . here he tells many
of the secrets that have made him so successful.

I found myself laughing in many spots, but also thinking to
myself in others that this guy makes a lot of sense . . . imagine
getting people to pay $100 to attend a one-day convention
about the band . . . even more amazing: how he self-published
KISSTORY and successfully sold that for an amazing
$158.95 (no typo!) . . . then came back with KISSTORY II and
sold still more books for the same price.

How did he do it? The same way that he urges readers to
do; i.e., save your money, don't smoke, don't drink, don't get
high, equate time with money and know that being rich is
better than being poor . . . he also espouses, more than once,
the following bit of advice: "The worst thing a man can do,
financially and biologically speaking, is to get married."

You may well find yourself disagreeing with some of what
he says . . . and regardless, you'll most likely come to the
conclusion that he is sexist in many of his beliefs . . . yet
if you read between the lines, you'll also find many thought-
provoking passages; among them:

* The word "cheap" is a wonderful word! Learn to love it. Be cheap,
just like me. And try this on for size: Less is more. That's right.
If you want more, try having less. The less you spend, the more you
have. That makes sense. We all know that. The less you smoke,
the more you live. Well, that makes sense too, but we don't need
to read it on the side of a cigarette pack. Or do we? We keep
smoking anyway. It will cost you a fortune. And that doesn't take into
account the cost of your future medical bills (remember cancer?) The
less you complain, the happier you are. Perhaps. And tread lightly
on this one: The less you marry, whether it's once of multiple times,
the richer you are and will be. And, of course, the less you eat, the
thinner you are.

* The idea that anybody in their twenties or thirties would ever think
about taking a vacation before they've amassed fame and fortune
is a wonderful idea-for losers. Not everyone can climb Mount Olympus;
somebody's got to wrap fish. Perhaps it's Nature's way of weeding
out the winners from the losers. Those who work harder make more
money-period. Two people who work at the same job and earn the same
salary and have the same relative talent will make the amount of money
if they work the same number of hours per week. However, if one decides
to work on the weekends, he or she will not only make more money,
but usually at double or triple rates . . . and of course your boss will take
note, hint, hint!

Funny how Gene says in his book credit cards are for losers yet he struts around promoting his KISS Visa, of which he receives a nice royalty piece of the action from the ridiculous 19.0% interest rate.
Most of us will never be in a rock band that accelerated in profit like KISS has. Gene says "pay cash for everything". Your home(s), car(s), anything you WANT, save and pay cash.

Well Gene most of us do not have a hundred mil to blow. Most of us make in the 50k range per year. (USATODAY AVG income poll). So saving for a house or car would take forever. This book is for millionares who are perhaps having trouble with their millions. Not the guy trying to make it.

The book also mainly souts Gene's opinion on staying single for eternity and hoard your dough. Whatever. Oh and there are pages of Gene's doodle art as fillers to the book as well as oversized reprinted quotes on the same page as fine print. (another filler)

Some slam dunks on other band members.

I found no REAL PRACTICAL advice form this tongue wagging rock reptile. I am a KISS fan and think I will just do what most of us do. Enjoy the LIVE show.

I can sum up his book for you right here: PAY CASH for everything, work 7 days a week, take zero vacations (only losers do this) do not get married, look out for ME 1st, and do not do drugs. Vague info.

It took a book to say that?

I do not see Gene as a guy who writes to really help people...but simply to hoard in on the $$$$$. Hence his TM money bag.

Gene you are always saying you only care what the fans think, here goes.

Let me start by saying I am a huge kiss fan. This book goes to everything that is bad about the band, they are a business first and a band second (maybe third behind comic book characters). I admire Gene's honesty but his thoughts on reality are a little clouded by his money. His advise to by a house only when you can pay for it, great if your first was over a million dollars! I enjoyed his first book very much, buy it. This one I got because I found an autographed copy and didn't know what it was about. It is like a self-help book. When you are a millionaire for more than 20 years (and deservedly so I may add) it is a little hard to stay in touch with the common man.

Gene Simmons is a character, and that alone is good enough reason to read this book. The book is simple, straightforward and generally very enjoyable. He weaves in just the right amount of humor, personal opinion, and basic truth to create an interesting read. There are some wonderful anecdotes and nuggets of wisdom throughout.

Here is my one problem. If his audience had read and adhered to this book in 1973, they never would have "wasted" a dime on something as frivolous as Kiss and he would not be who or what he is today. I'm not saying Mr. Simmons would not be successful, I'm sure he would, but there would be no Kiss. He owes much too all the "losers" (his words to describe people who spend on sporting events, entertainment, dates, vacations, etc). Who separated themselves from their cash for Kiss related garbage. If when Kiss came to town, all the "losers" took his advice and were too busy working to go see the show, he wouldn't be what he is today.

The tone of the book is "look how rich I got selling an ideal to all the "losers" who would give me their cash for a "mutually beneficial" transaction." However, I'm a "winner" and never would give a dime to "The enemy." (people trying to separate him from his cash). For me it all rings hypocritical. "look how I made all my money...thanks suckers. Oh, by the way, if you had saved your money instead of buying Kiss products you would be a lot better off."

Music is a religious experience for a lot of people. We enjoy the escapism, we enjoy losing ourselves in the fantasy, we enjoy our characters larger than life. I guess I am a "loser" for buying into the belief that the music stands for something more than the performers getting fame, riches, and free sex. You got me Mr. Simmons, and you have gotten a lot of my cash over the years. Here is the thing. Mr. Simmons is very anti "passing the hat" at church. He doesn't believe you should "pay to pray." So for those of us who worship at the alter of rock, he equates to nothing more than something he despises, a millionaire preacher. And we are all dupes.

His opinions on many things are interesting and even if you don't agree with them, he provides much fodder for debate. I do agree with much of what he says. One point he makes is "If you don't have money don't spend it," and "live below your income." Everyone needs to follow those two nuggets of wisdom. It is good, sound financial advice.

One more thing, and Mr. Simmons would be proud of me for this. I did not buy this book, I checked it out of the library for free. Yes sir, it took some time but I learned that lesson. I don't want to consider Mr. Simmons my "enemy" so he will not separate me from my cash again.

After reading "Sex Money Kiss" it is obvious that Gene Simmons enjoyed writing this book even more than his autobiography "Kiss and Make-Up." The writing is much looser and feels more natural than his rather stiff auto. As a result, "Sex Money Kiss" becomes more illuminating and informative as to who Mr. Tongue is as a whole person.
I'm able to come to a better conclusion about him and that conclusion is is that although he is very smart in terms of handling money,he is a control freak with overtones of meglomania and extremism in his pursuit of money. This is evident in the deals he makes with companies like Marvel Comics. He demands the lion's share of profits with little or no financial investment on his part while sticking others with the bill and no way to recoup or make a profit for themselves. He trademarks everything in sight. His status as a rock star ensures that no woman will make any demands in exchange for her body. Perhaps sadder, is that these people continue to act this way FOR HIM. This is as close as it gets when people say "you've made a deal with the devil."
One problem with the book itself is that Gene doesn't go in depth with his friendship with Paul Stanley. He doesn't describe the dynamics of their relationship with any real clarity. He also doesn't give any reasons for the behaviors of Ace Frehley and Peter Criss. Maybe he doesn't know (or want to).
He's very insightful, but this book reveals more about Gene Simmons than he may have intended.

This book, while somewhat of an entertaining read, doesn't have any real value to it's target market (people interested in KISS, self-improvement/business, or both). "Sex Money Kiss" fails as a book about KISS because there are many others out there that are much, much better. Simmon's recent "Kiss and Make-Up", for example, provides a more candid account of the band's tenure in a more detailed and entertaining way. "Sex Money Kiss" also fails as a book about business and personal philosophy because the logic is largely flawed. For example, while discussing career choice, Simmons argues that someone who goes to dental school may not be as well-off financially as compared to someone who chooses to turn their hobby into a professional career. For example, he states that to become a dentist, one must spend many years in school (educational cost), lose out on money that could be made while in school (opportunity cost), and later purchase equipment and everything needed to run a dental office (PP&E cost). He argues that if you choose to pursue a hobby as a career, particularly one with very low overhead, you can amass a larger fortune than someone who pursues dentistry. That logic is entirely flawed. Most businesses where the entry to market is easy are very difficult to succeed in due to cut throat competition. As a result, most ease of market entry businesses fail rather quickly. His point of doing what you love for a career makes sense, however, business isn't that simple. Just because you like to do something doesn't mean that you can turn it into a successful, profitable venture. It is unfortunate that some readers might take his argument to heart and lose a lot of money in the process.

His argument about marriage and it's relation to financial wealth is also flawed. For example, he argues that he, Oprah Winfrey, and Martha Stewart (pre-scandal) are all rich and are also unmarried- and that's not a coincidence. Therefore, because the three of them are rich and not married you shouldn't get married either. That argument is also completely flawed. If you examine the literature on the wealthy in the United States (net worth of at least one-million dollars), you will find that not only are most of them indeed married, but have been married to the same person for many, many years. Also, for every wealthy person who isn't married (Oprah, Martha, Gene, etc.) you can find countless others who are married, have been for a long time, and still remain wealthy. Although I understand Simmon's criticisms of the institution of marriage itself, his logic in persuading others to avoid getting married is totally illogical.

In short (too late), if you're looking for a book about personal finance and how to live below your means, there are many other alternatives out there that are much better. If you're looking for a book about the history/story of KISS, get "Kiss and Make-up" instead.

There's something almost heroic about Gene's single-minded ability to gouge as much money from his fans as possible.

But the results don't lie. Gene gives solid advice and tells you what you need to hear, not what you want to.

I can't wait for his lectures to be put on dvd. Man, he's got me buying more Kiss Krap!

This book is 100% about Gene...about his philosophy, his attitudes, his reasoning and thought processes, and (mostly) his money.

A previous reviewer mentioned that Gene pooh-poohs credit cards in the book, but yet promotes a KISS credit card with a usurious interest rate. On the surface, this may seem like hypocrisy but not when viewed in the light of Gene's guiding philosophy: to get your money in his pocket. If you don't pay off your credit card balances on time, whose fault is that? Which leads to another Gene-ism: always pay cash up front for all your purchases. Granted, this is not entirely realistic for mere salaried mortals. However, it begs the questions: do you really need it and can you get it more cheaply?

Gene's views on men and marriage are devastatingly spot-on. In a capsule: don't get married! Listen to Tom Leykis and read this book and you will NEVER see women the same way again. The financial repercussions for not having a pre-nuptial or cohabitation agreement are gruesome for a man. The courts undoubtedly favour the woman in the event of a divorce (a 50% likelihood). She'll most likely get 50% of your assets, 50% of your pre-tax income (spousal support), and custody of the kids (did I mention child support?). All this so she may live "in the style to which she was accustomed". The law says squat about a man's living standards after marriage. Does this sound like a good deal to you? Thought so....

In a nutshell, the book is this:

1. Work hard to get more money
2. Expand your business horizons to get more money. Don't re-invent the wheel. Be a copycat to make more money. See if your hobbies can be turned into a business venture. Figure out a way to get their money in your pocket.
3. Stay out of debt and live below your means.
4. Don't get married or live common-law. If you do, have a pre-nup or cohabitation agreement.
5. Keep your body clean (internally). No drugs. No alcohol.

It's a fairly simple philosophy and an even simpler read, but nevertheless there is a lot of common sense in his ideas.

The reason why this book only gets 4 stars is because there is a lot of filler in the form of enlarged quotations and doodles that I find superfluous and self-aggrandizing. Once the point has been made, it doesn't need to be made again in large type.

Overall, I recommend this book because it contains simple truths that have worked very well for Mr. Simmons and that may very well work for you.

As a physician, I'm going to tell you why I count this as a very influential health book.

First a few stats from a study released in September of 2004 by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (please bear with me...I promise these numbers relate to this book):

*************
In 2001, 34,833 (yes, that's thirty four thousand eight hundred and thirty three) people in the US died from cirrhosis of the liver, cancer, and other diseases linked to drinking too much beer, wine, and spirits.

Another 40,933 died from car crashes and other mishaps caused by excessive alcohol use (this number doesn't include those permanently paralyzed).

Those under 20 made up 6% (a little more than 1 out of 20) of the death toll.

Alcohol related car crashes alone have killed more people in the US than all of our wars combined including the Civil war.
************************************************************

In case you don't have a calculator handy...
that's an average of 207 people (we are talking about real people) per day who die in the US from alcohol. The average person killed has their life shortened by 30 years.

Alright, thank you for your patience...back to this book...pages 89 through 91 may be one of the best arguments I've seen written about why not to drink. Several characteristics of Mr. Simmons' argument make it especially forceful.

1. He doesn't mention death. Of course alcohol will kill a family member of 1 in 4 US citizens, but none of us really think much about death and are seldom influenced by arguments that talk about death.
2. Mr. Simmons has made a fortune in an industry that has this motto, "Sex, Drugs, and Rock & Roll." Yet, he uses his unique position of a Rock Superstar to say to young adults (he also makes the college lecture circuit) that this slogan is absolute garbage. In fact, Mr. Simmons says he has never been drunk in his life, doesn't do drugs, never has done drugs, and doesn't tolerate people in his life who participate in these activities (even the groupies who came to his room were not allowed to drink in his room). He says, "I've never been drunk in my life. I have never been high, except in a dentist's chair."
3. Mr. Simmons ties his financial success strongly to staying sober and even ties his success with women to staying sober. He says, "I haven't sat down and done the arithmitic, but I would imagine I've saved a small fortune simply by not drinking." Later he says, "I chose a certain lifestyle: hard work, no drugs or booze..."

I for one will have my sons read Mr. Simmons' book because his strong statement of no drugs or alcohol coming from him makes his statement much stronger.

The book also makes some strong points about thrift. Mr. Simmons didn't buy a car until he was 35 years old and claims still to have not taken a real vacation in his life but chose to work in such a way that he could enjoy every day.

There are also some outrageously funny parts to the book (the man taking a shower vs. the woman taking a shower for example).

I'm sure some will find Mr. Simmons thoughts about women shocking. If it really bothers you that much, I'd suggest you simply tear out pages 89-91, throw the rest of the book away and give those pages to your teenager to read.

While we're on the subject of women, however, it's hard to deny some of his thoughts on marriage. One could make the case that in the many states that give much preference in the final judgement to the woman when in divorce court (no matter what her behavior), it's becoming less desireable for men to marry and that our present family court CONTRIBUTES TO THE PROPOGATION OF DIVORCE by taking away responsibility of one of the parties in an project (marriage) for which success requires the determination of both parties. I admit that I'm biased on this point by being one of those who was raped in court for having the one characteristic which seems to be an openly tolerable reason for prejudice in a U.S. courtroom--having a Y chromosome in family court.

Mr. Simmons makes a big deal out of the Y chromosome prejudice factor in family court and about his decision to not marry. I'm not sure what to say to my three sons about marriage any more...unfortunately Mr. Simmons is correct about the absolute financial stupidity of the proposition of marriage for the man in 2005 in the USA. Oh well, I offer this only as a sideline opinion of the book. I'll probably remarry and risk seeing another fortune walk out the door (some of us die happily broke romantics).

I don't recommend the book for the marriage/women philosophies of Mr. Simmons. I recommend the book because Mr. Simmons started out as the son of a single mother (who was a financially poor Jewish woman refugee of a German prison camp) with very few resources except thrift and hard work to become wealthy...while remaining drug and alcohol free throughout his journey through an industry that has "Drugs" as part of it's official motto. I recommend the book because this journey gives Mr. Simmons a strong voice to help cut the number from 207 people per day dead in the US from alcohol to something less.

--Charles Runels, MD
Author of "Anytime...for as Long as You Want: Strength, Genius, Libido, and Erection by Integrative Sex Transmutation"