Simmons formed the rock band Wicked Lester in the early 1970s with Stanley Harvey Eisen (now known as Paul Stanley) and recorded one album, which was never released. Dissatisfied with Wicked Lester's sound and look, Simmons and Stanley sought out other musicians and eventually joined up with drummer George Peter John Criscuola and lead guitarist Paul Daniel Frehley — who would become Peter Criss and Ace Frehley, respectively.
When Simmons and Stanley attempted to fire their old band members, they met with resistance and they quit Wicked Lester, walking away from their record deal with Epic Records. They decided to form the ultimate rock band, and started looking for a drummer. Simmons and Stanley found an ad placed by Peter Criscuola, who was playing clubs in Brooklyn at the time; they joined and started out as a trio. Paul Frehley responded to an ad they put in the Village Voice for a lead guitar player, and soon joined them. Kiss released its self-titled debut album in February 1974 and has continued to perform, with Stanley as lead performer on stage and Simmons being the driving force behind the extensive Kiss merchandising franchise. Since its 1974 debut, Paul Stanley and Gene Simmons have remained consistent in the band as Kiss underwent numerous line-up changes.
In 1983, while Kiss's fame was waning, the members took off their trademark make-up and enjoyed a resurgence in popularity that continued into the 1990s. The band hosted their own fan conventions throughout 1995, and fan feedback about the original Kiss members reunited influenced the highly successful 1996-1997 Alive Worldwide reunion tour. In 1998, the band released Psycho Circus, its first album in almost 20 years by the original line-up. Since then, the original line-up has once again dissolved, with Tommy Thayer replacing Ace Frehley on lead guitar, and Eric Singer (who performed with Kiss from 1992 up through 1996) replacing Peter Criss on drums.
Simmons currently lives in Beverly Hills, California with longtime partner and former Playboy Playmate Shannon Tweed (they are not married). They have two children: a son, Nicholas (born 22 January 1989), and a daughter, Sophie (born 7 July 1992). They appear with him on their reality show Gene Simmons Family Jewels on A&E.
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