Reader’s Digest UK – July 2019

...MY FIRST KISS, AGED ABOUT 2.

Some relative or neighbour came to
our home in Israel, where I was born,
wearing bright red lipstick, which I’d
never seen before. There wasn’t a lot
of infrastructure in the country, back
them, so my mother, Flora, didn’t use
much make-up.
I wound up dancing a jig on the
coffee table and this woman squealed
and kissed me. I was horrified. It
affected my attitude to kissing for a
while—until I stuck my tongue out for
the first time and the earth stopped.

...BEING TERRIFIED BY

SOMETHING HIDING IN MY

H AT. We had to wear caps to keep

out the sun at school, and one day,

mine just wasn’t sitting right—

because there was an enormous

spider sitting underneath. I was

scared of insects for years. Then,

after Kiss formed, I found a black

belt with a huge tarantula on the

buckle. I must have worn it every

day for more than a decade—

it was a sort of confront-your-

fears approach.

ENTERTAINMENT

Rock legend, actor, one-time ladies’ man and TV

personality Gene Simmons, 69, has sold more than

100 million albums as bassist and co-lead singer

with the American band, Kiss

I REMEMBER...

Gene Simmons

30 • JULY 2019