KISS icon Gene Simmons is featured in a new interview conducted by Michael Cavacini for The Aquarian Weekly. Simmons discussed his new boxset, The Vault, at length as well as his Gene Simmons Band, collaborating with former KISS guitarist Ace Frehley, and his thoughts on guitarist Vinnie Vincent. An excerpt is available below.

Q: Is there any chance of the Gene Simmons Band releasing a studio album or a live album?

Simmons: "I really haven’t thought about it. It started in January of this year. A lot of the speaking engagements I had wanted to know if I’d jump up on stage and do a few tunes, so I quickly put together this band. They’re actually from Nashville and are spectacular musicians. It just kind of happened all of a sudden. In a week I go to Japan and then Bolivia. South American countries. Mexico. If you go to GeneSimmons.com you’ll see the dates. They’re just filling up. So, most of the time I keep saying, 'No.' But when there’s enough time and KISS is not touring, my little band, the Gene Simmons Band, picks up dates here and there. There are no rules, I’m just having an awful lot of fun. About just as much fun as I can have with my pants on."

Q: Would the Gene Simmons solo band or KISS ever tour together with Ace Frehley’s band?

Simmons: "As you know, Ace jumped up on stage and helped me put together this relief concert for the hurricane victims in Houston. We raised $1.3 million, and food trucks went right down to Houston. Ace asked me to write for his next solo record and I did. We wrote two songs, which Ace tells me are going to be on the record. But there are no plans. Everything is nice and easy. He’s happy. KISS is happy. When parents get divorced kids always ask, 'Hey, Mom, when are you going to get back together with Dad again?' And they don’t understand."

Q: Speaking of people you got divorced from, Vinnie Vincent is re-emerging from seclusion in January for a KISS Expo. Would you ever work with him again?

Simmons: "No. No. He’s a very talented guy. Everybody’s got their troubles in life. You can’t fix everything. I’m a big supporter of his talent. You know, go with god. Enjoy life, be happy. But I don’t need more dark clouds over my life. It’s nice and calm. Eric and Tommy have been with us for a very long time, and it’s professional to the highest degree. Everybody is happy to be together. Everybody shows up on time. There’s no, 'The dog ate my homework.' None of that crap.

When you use drugs and alcohol and other bullshit things, it’s everybody else’s fault. You’re always the victim. You never take charge of your situation, and I’m sick of it. I don’t tolerate any of that. I won’t have any of those losers around in my life. That includes regular people too. If somebody I work with in other areas drinks, they’re gone. By the way, they don’t care about you. They just want what they want."

Check out the complete interview at this location.

Simmons performed with his solo band on June 2nd at the Trocadero Theatre in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, following the Wizard World Comic Con event at the Pennsylvania Convention Center. Fan-filmed video footage from the show is available for streaming below.

Gene performed the following setlist:

“Deuce”
“Shout It Out Loud”
“Nothin' To Lose”
“Calling Dr. Love”
“Do You Love Me”
“I Love It Loud”
“Parasite”
“Radioactive”
“Christine Sixteen”
“Sweet & Dirty Love” (live debut)
“Got Love For Sale”
“Cold Gin”
“Charisma”
“Domino”
“Rice Pudding” (Jeff Beck cover)
“Let Me Go, Rock 'N' Roll”
“Rock And Roll All Nite”