Gene Simmons Apologizes For Calling Prince's Death 'Pathetic'
MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) – Following his controversial comments on the death of Prince, KISS frontman Gene Simmons has apologized for his "big mouth."
In a recent profile in Newsweek, the long-tongued rocker had the highest of praise for Prince's music but said the Minnesota musician killed himself.
"[H]ow pathetic that he killed himself," Simmons said. "Don't kid yourself, that's what he did. Slowly, I'll grant you...but that's what drugs and alcohol is: a slow death."
Late Tuesday night, hours after the comments made their way to several publications, the KISS bassist and lead singer released a statement on Twitter that seemed to address the matter, although it didn't mention Prince specifically.
Simmons said his family was upset with his comments, and he apologized for not expressing himself – and his anger at what drugs do to the lives of artists and their families -- appropriately.
"I don't shy away from controversy, and angry critics don't bother me at all," Simmons wrote. "If I think I'm right, I'll throw up a finger and dig my heels in and laugh. But this time, I was not. So, my apologizes."
Simmons' statement can be read in full here.
