KISS’ Gene Simmons thinks that all bands should immediately cancel any upcoming performances that are scheduled to take place in Russia.
TMZ caught up with Gene and mentioned the fact that numerous bands were still planning on heading to Russia in the wake of the war with Ukraine, to which he replied: “We’re not going… there’s a bigger issue than putting on a rock concert.”
Simmons went on to say that the only justification he could see for performing a concert in Russia currently would be to make a political statement. “But this is beyond politics. This is just lunacy,” he adds.
Gene also touched on the bands who will be playing Russia despite the current invasion of Ukraine, saying: “I mean we were faced with the same problem with Botswana in the days of apartheid. We were offered millions of dollars, but we said, ‘No, we can’t go there, because if a western band goes there, you’re saying it’s okay for apartheid and all the racism and the lack of justice.’ So we said no. There were some bands that went, and they paid the price. Their fans turned on them.”
He continued: “The problem is if a western band plays Russia, it gives credence — a political win for Putin’s outright lies. Stop drinking Russian vodka, just stop it.”
According to The New York Times, the Ukrainian cities of Kharkiv, Kherson, Mariupol, Mykolaiv and the capitol city of Kyiv are currently under the fiercest attacks by the Russian military.
KISS launched their farewell tour back in January 2019 but were forced to put it on hold in 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
“End Of The Road” was originally scheduled to conclude on July 17, 2021 in New York City but has since been extended to at least the end of 2022.