Fans are killing music says Gene Simmons

Kiss bassist and general rock legend Gene Simmons reckons that music piracy is destroying the music industry – and fans will ultimately suffer for it

“I still think [downloading] is a crime,” he states flatly in our new issue. “The sad part is that the fans are the ones who are killing the thing they love: great music. For fuck’s sake, you’re not giving the next great band a chance. How much have we lost through illegal downloading? It’s certainly millions. I don’t think it’s tens of millions, but it’s certainly millions. But so much of what we do with the licensing and the merchandising and all that…we do alright!”

Do you agree with Gene? Is downloading still ultimately a crime and should be treated as such?

Oh, and read more from the typically no-nonsense and, dare we say, rather ostentatious mouth of Gene Simmons in our new issue, out now!