In light of the recent death of Robin Williams, suicide, depression, and drug addiction have been popular topics of discussion. In a recent interview with Gene Simmons, conducted by SongFacts, the topic of drugs and depression came up and Gene handled them with the grace of a toddler in a bulldozer. When asked the question “Do you get along with the original guys,” he started by saying “No, I don’t get along with anybody who’s a drug addict and has a dark cloud over their head and sees themselves as a victim,” but that wasn’t all. He went on to talk about how drugs and alcohol lead to depression and how he’s unsympathetic to those dealing with the issues by saying “’and for a putz, 20-year-old kid to say, “I’m depressed, I live in Seattle.’ Fuck you, then kill yourself,” but that’s not all, he then went on to say “I’m the guy who says ‘Jump!’ when there’s a guy on top of a building who says, “That’s it, I can’t take it anymore, I’m going to jump.”
His full quote:
No, I don’t get along with anybody who’s a drug addict and has a dark cloud over their head and sees themselves as a victim. Drug addicts and alcoholics are always: “The world is a harsh place.” My mother was in a concentration camp in Nazi Germany. I don’t want to hear fuck all about “the world as a harsh place.” She gets up every day, smells the roses and loves life. And for a putz, 20-year-old kid to say, “I’m depressed, I live in Seattle.” Fuck you, then kill yourself.I never understand, because I always call them on their bluff. I’m the guy who says ‘Jump!’ when there’s a guy on top of a building who says, “That’s it, I can’t take it anymore, I’m going to jump.”
Are you kidding? Why are you announcing it? Shut the fuck up, have some dignity and jump! You’ve got the crowd.
By the way, you walk up to the same guy on a ledge who threatens to jump and put a gun to his head, “I’m going to blow your fuckin’ head off!” He’ll go, “Please don’t!” It’s true. He’s not that insane.
(Via Songfacts)
Sixx took a few minutes on his Sixx Sense radio show to address Simmons’ comments, as well as his disdain for someone with such influence to spread such negative advice. He went on to say “Gene is basically saying he has no sympathy for drug addicts or people who are depressed,” and then relating to his own struggles, “I’m a recovering drug addict. If I had done what Gene Simmons said and that is to jump, so many wonderful things would have not happened in my life. We’ve just lost Robin Williams. He dealt with drug addiction and mainly depression. When I was young, I was depressed, drugs helped me suppress that. I came from a messed up situation not unlike a lot of people. There’s almost 15 million American that are depressed. Gene Simmons says I should have just killed myself…15 million people should just kill themselves? To be honest with you, I like Gene, but in this situation, I don’t like Gene. I don’t like Gene’s words, because … there is a 20-year-old kid out there who is a Kiss fan and reads this and goes, ‘You know what? He’s right. I should just kill myself’.”
The segment is available to listen to here.
(Via Billboard)
