It's Official: GENE SIMMONS Is An '***hole'

KISS bassist/vocalist Gene Simmons has set "***hole" as the title of his highly anticipated solo album, due on April 20 through Simmons Records/Sanctuary Music Group. The title track, ""***hole", will be the first single released to rock radio on April 15. This release will mark the second solo album from Simmons since his self-titled platinum solo album in 1978.

Produced by Simmons, this forward-thinking, genre splitting effort, is an ambitious musical tour-de force through Simmons' psyche, revealing yet another side to the multi-talented artist. "Doing a solo record is important because I write so many different kinds of songs," Gene said. "I literally have hundreds of songs that are demoed up that aren't right for KISS, and some songs that weren't used on KISS records I still like, like 'Carnival Of Souls' and 'Sweet & Dirty'. In assembling the album, I went and reviewed over a hundred songs that I had lying around, and then it was by process of elimination I determined what would go on the record. But at the end of the day, above and beyond style, I had to like the songs."

Like his 1978 self-titled solo album, "**hole" is a model of versatility, drawing together an eclectic swath of styles including hard rock, blues, thrash, neo-psychedelia, BEATLES-esque pop, rap, prog-rock and even power ballads. "My taste is eclectic and all over the place," Simmons said. "I love all kinds of artists, from PATSY CLINE to THE BEATLES, Motown to HOOBASTANK. As for the record's stylistic diversity, I'm a child of THE BEATLES. They created this sort of hybrid white version of American music. They could do it all — LITTLE RICHARD, country, pop, soul, psychedelia. They had no rules. That had a major effect on me and that influence comes through on the record."

Transcending genres and confounding expectations, "***hole" resounds with a surprise at every turn. Like the artist's self-titled solo effort, a number of musical luminaries join in on the fun. Bob Dylan and Gene co-wrote the album's "Waiting For The Morning Light". Frank Zappa and Gene share co-writing credit on "Black Tongue" and the Zappa Family, Dweezil, Ahmet, Moon, Gail and Frank Zappa himself sing and play guitar on the song. Other guests featured on the album include Dave Navarro, ex-KISS members Bruce Kulick and Eric Singer, new Simmons Records/Sanctuary Music Group signing BAG, as well as Gene's longtime live-in Shannon Tweed and their two children, Sophie and Nicholas.

Track listing is as follows (order subject to change):

01. ***hole
02. Carnival of Souls
03. If I Had A Gun
04. Weapons
05. Waiting For The Morning Light
06. Whatever Turns You On
07. Sweet & Dirty Love
08. Beautiful
09. Dog
10. Now That You're Gone
11. Black Tongue
12. I Dream A Thousand Dreams
13. Firestarter