The Outrageous Life of Legendary KISS Rockstar Gene Simmons

According to Simmons, Eddie Van Halen once considered joining KISS during a difficult period in Van Halen. Eddie even played guitar in a KISS-related session, and Simmons was impressed by his musicianship, including his use of synthesizers.

Still, Simmons told him that KISS was not the right place for his talent. As frustrated as Eddie may have been with David Lee Roth, Simmons believed his abilities would never be fully recognized inside KISS’s style. Instead of gaining a new guitarist, Simmons gave advice that kept a rock legend on his own path.