Gene Simmons keeps talking but KISS fans won’t like his recent comments

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KISS fans often have strong feelings about the song “Beth.” Many don’t think it represents the band at their best – it’s a very sweet and gentle song, quite different from their usual hard-rock sound. This contrast is even more noticeable because “Beth” is on what many consider to be KISS’s greatest album, Destroyer.

What set this song apart was that it wasn’t sung by the band’s usual vocalists, Gene Simmons or Paul Stanley. Instead, the drummer, Peter Criss, sang lead. While his voice doesn’t drastically change the song, it’s perfectly adequate.

For years, people believed Peter Criss, the singer of KISS’s 1976 hit song (which reached number 7 on the charts), also wrote it. However, in a recent interview on the Professor of Rock podcast, Gene Simmons revealed that wasn’t the case. Surprisingly, the song wasn’t written by anyone actually in the band KISS.

KISS’s Gene Simmons disputes Peter Criss wrote “Beth”

The story of how KISS ended up recording “Beth” began with Peter Criss humming a melody inspired by a song called “Beck” while riding in a limousine with Gene Simmons in Michigan. Simmons suggested changing the lyrics from “Beck” to “Beth” because the softer sound would flow better with the music and avoid an abrupt ending.

The song actually originated with a band Peter Criss played in with Stan Penridge, who was the primary songwriter. While Penridge and KISS producer Bob Ezrin both received songwriting credits, Criss’s name was listed first. Gene Simmons indicated an agreement was made with Penridge to ensure that order.

Simmons occasionally just wants to share his side of the story, and it’s hard to verify what happened since Peter Criss isn’t around to confirm or deny it. Fortunately, Simmons isn’t trying to claim credit as a songwriter, which is a positive thing.

Most KISS fans likely aren’t concerned with who penned the song. In fact, many probably wish it had never been recorded, and it’s definitely not considered one of their greatest hits. It simply doesn’t sound like a typical KISS song, and likely never will.

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2026-01-09 22:00