Gene Simmons explains why he charges $12K for fans to be his roadie

Gene Simmons recently revealed that fans would be able to buy a new kind of meet and greet package. For $12,495 dollars, a person can buy the “Personal Assistant and Band Roadie for the Day” experience. The fan will have direct access to Simmons during some time and will be able to do a lot of things only authorized personnel can.

A lot of people criticized the price of this new idea and Simmons explained in an interview with 95.9 The Rat’s Carl Craft, why it’s so expensive.

Gene Simmons explains why he charges $12K for fans to be his roadie

“Here’s the deal: when I was a kid and I went to see Hendrix or somebody, of course I enjoyed the show and really got off on it — we talked about it forever and stuff — but I didn’t know what it was like. What’s the beginning of the day like? What’s it like to sit and have breakfast or lunch with my favorite rock stars, and then get in the limo, go to the gig, set up the drums, do soundcheck, and then be on stage with your video, ’cause nowadays everything’s on video. You can’t take a poop without a camera coming in under the stall. And then you get pulled up on stage to sing along with them.”

“Now, having said that, we only do one roadie for a day per show. And I’ll tell you why — because nowadays everything is so litigious. That’s a big word, like gymnasium. That means everybody sues everybody for no reason. So if you get a paper cut, somebody gets sued. And that’s just the way life is here in America — much more in California, by the way.”

He continued:

“It’s crazy out here. So, I can’t even, if I wanted to do roadie for a day with 10, 20, 30, as many people [as we would like]. So we do one, because the insurance costs for that are astronomical. And so this ain’t cheap. It’s not for everybody. And for that one person, you do have to pay premium numbers. That’s just life.”

“It’s also exposure, financial and legal exposure. Somebody has a bad experience, and they sue you and it costs you hundreds of thousands of dollars. You need insurance for everything. Do you have a car? You’ve got insurance. Everything in life, apparently… In fact, you buy anything — a tool — they give you insurance. Would you like the one-year or three-year? Everything’s insured,” he said (Transcribed by Blabbermouth).

Paying Simmons $12,495, you will:

• Meet Gene and his band members early in the day (either at his hotel or designated location) to go over the band’s show day schedule.
• You will be on his team crew for the entire day!
• Get a crew member shirt and hat
• Get a crew member VIP laminate
• Have a meal with Gene Simmons (at the hotel or backstage at the show)
• Arrive and load in to the venue with the band
• Help the band set up for the show
• Hang out backstage
• Sit in on soundcheck
• Gene Simmons will bring you on stage during the show and introduce you
• Get a setlist signed by Gene Simmons
• You can take photos throughout your entire experience
• You may bring one guest
• You may bring four items for Gene to sign (no instruments, parts, etc.)
• You get a Gene Simmons (KISS-rehearsal-used) bass signed by Gene