Earlier this week, KISS icon Gene Simmons made headlines not for his trademark onstage fire-breathing, but for a real-life scare offstage—a car accident that briefly sent him to the hospital. According to NBC4 Los Angeles and reports from the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department, on Tuesday, October 7, Simmons was driving his Lincoln Navigator along Pacific Coast Highway in Malibu when he reportedly passed out or fainted behind the wheel. His SUV veered across multiple lanes and struck a parked car near the 25,000 block of PCH, with the accident occurring just before 1 p.m. The Los Angeles County Fire Department transported Simmons to a nearby hospital, though fortunately, no one else was injured in the incident. His wife, Shannon Tweed Simmons, later told NBC4 Los Angeles that doctors had recently changed his medication and that dehydration may have played a role, mentioning Simmons has been public about his atrial fibrillation, a heart condition that can cause fainting. By Wednesday, October 8, Simmons was already home and recovering, and he took to X—formerly Twitter—to calm fans, posting, “Thanks, everybody, for the kind wishes. I’m completely fine. I had a slight fender bender. It happens. Especially to those of us who are horrible drivers. And that’s me. All is well.” This message, playful yet reassuring, was picked up by outlets like The Music Universe and ABC7.
Simmons’ health scare arrives at a transitional moment for the 76-year-old rock legend and his band. KISS officially retired from touring at the end of their “End of the Road” farewell tour in late 2024, but the brand is far from dormant. The next big event for the KISS Army is “Kiss Kruise: Landlocked in Vegas,” set for November 14–16 at Virgin Hotels Las Vegas. This fan convention will feature unmasked performances by Simmons, Paul Stanley, and Tommy Thayer, along with Q&A panels, appearances by former members, tribute bands, and even a look-alike contest, as detailed by KIRO7 and River 1037. It’s a sort of 50th anniversary victory lap for the band, now shifting focus from the road to new ventures, including a much-hyped digital KISS avatar show inspired by ABBA’s Voyage concept.
On the business front, Simmons remains a relentless mogul, with new KISS licensing deals, documentaries in production, and a steady stream of media appearances. There’s no sign of a classic lineup reunion—Simmons and Stanley have been clear that the touring era is over—but the KISS legacy is being carefully preserved and expanded through technology and merchandise.
Despite a flurry of online rumors alleging everything from a life-threatening crash to secret health crises, major outlets like CNN and Reuters have not reported any such events, and Simmons himself has dismissed the chatter as baseless. “I’m healthy, I’m working, and I’m not going anywhere,” he told interviewers, urging fans to ignore unfounded gossip—a sentiment echoed by Indian Decisions, which debunked the viral misinformation. In the past 24 hours, the only major verified development is Simmons’ own social media update and confirmation from his rep to People magazine that he is indeed “fine and back to work already.”
In the grand narrative of Gene Simmons—rock star, businessman, and pop culture lightning rod—this week’s car accident is a momentary blip, not a turning point. But it’s a reminder that even legends are human, and that the KISS empire rolls on, with or without the makeup. For the latest on Gene Simmons, always check official channels—and don’t believe everything you read online.
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