Gene Simmons on His Kids, Nick & Sophie, “I bought them brand-new, never lived in homes”

In a new appearance on the Inside of You With Michael Rosenbaum podcast, KISS bassist/vocalist Gene Simmons opened up about how he separates success from self-worth and the hard line he has always taken on drugs and alcohol with his family. Speaking candidly, he detailed the strict deal he made with his children, Sophie and Nick, the way he and Shannon raised them, and why he believes real consequences and clear boundaries matter more than being seen as a “nice guy.”

An excerpt from the interview has been transcribed (via full in bloom) below.

Michael Rosenbaum: What do Nick and Sophie and Shannon mean to you?

Gene Simmons: Oh, everything. Both Nick and Sophie are so much better human beings than Shannon or I will ever be. When they were growing up, they never got an allowance, and we used to have a potty bowl, a see-through bowl, and when everybody had potty mouth, you’d say “fk” or “st” or something like that, you’d have to put in a 10 or a 20 or a 5. Yeah, depending on how bad the words were. There was no nonsense stuff. One or two of Nick’s friends are dead. They grew up together. They turned bad. And I remember when Sophie was, oh, she might’ve been 12 or 13, we dropped her off at a party of her school things, and by 9:30 she called, “Mom.” I was at home. “Mom, can you come pick me up? I don’t like this part.” The kids started to secretly start drinking, and yeah, there’s no fooling around here.

So she doesn’t drink?

No. Nobody does.

Were they easy to raise? Were you the disciplinarian or was Shannon?

You know what’s interesting? The word yes and the word no meant something. There was no rolling of the eyes that kids do and no slamming the door. No. You’re out on the street wiping the poop off the dogs, and you’re taking out the garbage and stuff. That’s what. Roll your eyes out there. “Oh, I’m going to slam the door in my room.” No, it’s not your room. The food you eat is my food. The air you breathe is my air. While you’re here, you don’t like it? Go out and leave.

Our daughter Sophie is an alpha female. At two and a half years of age, she can’t remember why, and we don’t know what happened. One day she turned around and grimaced like the devil child, and she said, “I’m leaving.” So she got a broom handle without the broom at the end, just the thing, and just like in cartoons, tied a big handkerchief with I don’t know what in it, cornflakes or something, and started to walk down to the gate. And by the time she got to the gate, she looked around and changed her mind and came back because she remembers the episode, but she had no idea what was so important to her.

No. They’ve never used drugs, alcohol, never been drunk, or gotten high or anything, or smoked cigarettes. Nope, because I made a deal with them. The deal is pretty simple. You and your children, and for a few generations, you won’t have to worry, you’re going to have a safety net. They have their own homes, no mortgage, nothing, modern homes, and they live next door to each other. I bought that. You’re not getting away from us. Just over the hill. I bought them brand-new, never lived in homes overlooking the Hollywood Sign. They both have great cars and…

But what’s the deal?

The deal is if I ever find out you passed out in a thing or on Sunset Boulevard, you’re done. You’re not in the will. You’re nothing. You’re going to have to do what most of the people on the planet do, work. You’ll wash dishes, you’ll sweep floors. You will do whatever needs to be done and never come to me and ask for a penny. It’s a fair trade. Your mother gave you life, and now it’s what you do with it that’s going to make you eligible for what your dad brings to the table, which is money and stuff and things that’ll make your life easy. Yeah. Or if you decide to look a gift horse in the mouth, go out and be a garbage collector. See what real work is like.

Because I admire the garbage collectors, sanitation men, I beg your pardon, much more than I admire lots of people that sit in cubicles and do nothing. Because if that guy in the cubicle loses his job, life on Earth isn’t affected. If your sanitation man doesn’t pick up your garbage, you’re f****d.