Gene Simmons has apologised after an interview in which he suggested that "bad decisions" were a contributing factor in the death of former Kiss guitarist Ace Frehley, who died in October from a brain bleed after falling down the stairs at his home in Morristown, NJ.
"He refused [advice] from people that cared about him – including yours truly – to try to change his lifestyle," Simmons told the New York Post. "In and out of bad decisions. Falling down the stairs – I’m not a doctor – doesn’t kill you. There may have been other issues, and it breaks my heart."
"The saddest thing," he continued. "You reap what you shall sow, unfortunately."
The comments went viral, with some fans accusing Simmons of insensitivity in the wake of Frehley's passing, and now he's apologised.
"On reflection, I was wrong for using the words I used," says Simmons. "I humbly apologise. My hand to God, I didn’t intend to hurt Ace or his legacy, but upon rereading my words, I see how it hurt everyone. Again, I apologise. I’ve always loved Ace. Always."
The furore surrounding the remarks comes in a busy period for the bassist. On Sunday, Simmons and fellow original Kiss members Paul Stanley and Peter Criss were celebrated by President Trump as the band were awarded Kennedy Center Honors, and on Tuesday he spoke during a Senate subcommittee hearing on the American Music Fairness Act, which would ensure that musicians receive payment for radio play.
"If you are against this bill, you are un-American," said Simmons. "You cannot let this injustice continue. It looks like a small issue, but our emissaries to the world are Elvis and Frank Sinatra."
Simmons continued with a remark that may land him in yet more hot water, saying, "And when they find out we’re not treating our stars right – in other words, worse than slaves; slaves get food and water. Elvis and Sinatra and Bing Crosby got nothing for their performance. You’ve got to change this now."
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