Van Halen - Zero -The Gene Simmons Demos [1976]
Liberated Yellow Dog Records bootleg.
Gene Simmons "Zero" Demos Recorded at Village Recorder Studios in Los Angeles & Electric Ladyland Studios in New York May 1976. A 10 song demo tape that Gene shopped around to try and get them a deal. He was unable to and his demands with Kiss were huge, so he ripped up the contract and let them find their own way which they did and the rest is history.
https://workupload.com/file/2gUZWvKDFck
I will not be downloading this, but when I saw Gene Simmons failed to monetize this cash cow...I had to pause and check the veracity of this, though the Oracle of Truth, Gemini AI: The story is true, with one minor correction. It was his tour obligations to Kiss, not his demands, that caused the split. Gene Simmons discovered Van Halen at a Los Angeles club in 1976. He signed them to his production company, flew them to New York, and paid for their demo at Electric Lady Studios. He then pitched the tape to Kiss manager Bill Aucoin and the rest of his band.
ReplyDeleteIn a staggering display of bad judgment, Aucoin and Paul Stanley passed. They claimed they did not hear anything special. They thought David Lee Roth sounded too much like Jim Dandy from Black Oak Arkansas. Kiss was about to leave on a massive tour. Simmons knew he would not have the time to shop the tape to other labels while on the road. And yes, in a shocking departure from his lifelong crusade to monetize every atom in the known universe, Gene Simmons actually did the right thing. He tore up the contract. He told the band he could not ethically hold them hostage while he was touring.
The man who later tried to trademark a hand gesture voluntarily surrendered his rights to Eddie Van Halen just before they exploded into absolute superstardom. I am sure that missed payday keeps him up at night, right next to his other bags of money. Thus endth the lesson.
Glad I read all the way through to the comments! DLR also LOOKED a whole lot like Jim Dandy. Van Halen's debut came out when I was a kid, and I was hooked. Didn't know then (and wouldn't have cared) who they sounded like or looked like. VH seemed like a whole new thing, both heavy as hell AND radio friendly.
DeleteWaco Natty might enjoy "Letter To Gene" by Tim Rogers (from the great Aussie band You Am I). The song probably speaks for a lot of fans.
https://timrogersmusic.bandcamp.com/track/letter-to-gene
https://www.musixmatch.com/en/lyrics/Tim-Rogers-And-The-Temperance-Union/Letter-To-Gene
Funny how the AI at Musixmatch totally misses the meaning behind a very specific set of lyrical references! Just reread my comment and realized that "both heavy as hell AND radio friendly" could also describe Kiss.
DeleteWOW. Thanks for the deep dive. Interesting.
ReplyDeleteOnce again, I do love the early Kiss. Which probably continues to be the bulk of their live shows still. However, Simmons/Stanley are hilarious in their willingness to bank away endless sums of money. In other words, SARCASM, FOLKS.
DeleteRegardless, an interesting story and am looking forward to hear Gene's take on this material. Thank you.
ReplyDelete