NIKKI SIXX Weighs In On GENE SIMMONS' Condemnation Of PRINCE's Alleged Drug Use - "I Like My Heroes To Be Humble And Have Compassion; Nothing He Says Resonates With Me"
May 16, 2016, 8 years ago
“Bowie was the most tragic of all because it was real sickness,” KISS bassist/vocalist Gene Simmons tells Newsweek in a new interview where he discusses recently deceased musicians David Bowie - who died at 69 in January - and Prince, just 57 at the time of his death in April.
“All the other ones were a choice.” Even Prince? “His drugs killed him. What do you think, he died from, a cold?”
Simmons continues: “I think Prince was heads, hands and feet above all the rest of them. I thought he left (Michael) Jackson in the dust. Prince was way beyond that. But how pathetic that he killed himself. Don’t kid yourself, that’s what he did. Slowly, I’ll grant you... but that’s what drugs and alcohol is: a slow death.”
Former Mötley Crüe bassist Nikki Sixx weighed in on Simmons' comments on a recent installment of his syndicated radio show, Sixx Sense. Check out the audio.
Simmons' comments pissed off a legion of fans, including KISS co-founder Paul Stanley, who posted the following message on Twitter:
Embarrassed by cold clueless statements re Prince's death. Without all the facts better to say nothing. My apologies https://t.co/Arb5XQ4o7l
— Paul Stanley (@PaulStanleyLive) 10 May 2016
Simmons posted an apology online since the interview was published. It appears in its entirety below.
— Gene Simmons (@genesimmons) 11 May 2016
Read the rest of the Newsweek interview, where Simmons talks about drugs and alcohol, the death of rap music, the KISS Rocks Vegas concert film and more, at Newsweek.