If you are a KISS fan you have probably heard the news of Gene Simmons’ long promised box of unreleased demos finally coming to fruition. In what I can only describe as expected, it’s done in the most Gene Simmons way. Expensive. I give you… The Gene Simmons Vault! So far this will only be available through Gene’s own Gene Simmons Vault website and he is offering three packages. The cheapest of which is $2000 and will require some travel. At your expense of course. Here’s the breakdown.
For $2000 you can attend one of 21 “Vault Experiences” at some hotel in various cities around the world. He will sign it. You get to sit in a hotel banquet hall and listen to him share stories of the songs and take part in a Gene Simmons Vault Q&A. And you get up to 5 minutes with Gene where he will sign up to two items for you as long as they aren’t an instrument. (Head over to GeneSimmons.com for a wide array of signed Demon bass packages)
For $25,000 he’ll give you executive producer credit and stamp your name on the thing. You get to attend one of 11 “Producer Experience” events which include all of the above as well as an intimate hour in a recording studio with Gene.
And lastly if you can pony up $50,000 Shannon (his wife) can buy that addition to the house she’s always wanted and Gene will deliver the vault right to your house. Possibly when you’re home! Where he will eat your cookies and hang out with you for two hours. I recommend challenging him to a game of Jenga.
Honestly all of that is pretty cool. If you have the money. But even the two grand plus travel expenses package seems almost punitive. In a video opening the website Gene claims this is a way for the fans to have access to the artists they love. But he has priced out the bulk of the people who want this. I hope for their sake (and mine) this eventually is released in a stripped down, here is the music version, that his actual fans can afford. For those interested in maxing out a few credit cards head over to GeneSimmonsVault.com for all the necessary details.
BTW Gene. I’m pretty sure for $25,000 you could have met the Beatles.
