That said, for some reason, I picked up SEX MONEY KISS--the
latest book effort by Gene Simmons . . . perhaps it was the
outrageous cover (featuring a long red tongue against a silver
background), but once I got reading, I almost couldn't put it down.
Simmons, of course, was the founder of KISS and the mastermind
behind the group's enduring success . . . here he tells many
of the secrets that have made him so successful.
I found myself laughing in many spots, but also thinking to
myself in others that this guy makes a lot of sense . . . imagine
getting people to pay $100 to attend a one-day convention
about the band . . . even more amazing: how he self-published
KISSTORY and successfully sold that for an amazing
$158.95 (no typo!) . . . then came back with KISSTORY II and
sold still more books for the same price.
How did he do it? The same way that he urges readers to
do; i.e., save your money, don't smoke, don't drink, don't get
high, equate time with money and know that being rich is
better than being poor . . . he also espouses, more than once,
the following bit of advice: "The worst thing a man can do,
financially and biologically speaking, is to get married."
You may well find yourself disagreeing with some of what
he says . . . and regardless, you'll most likely come to the
conclusion that he is sexist in many of his beliefs . . . yet
if you read between the lines, you'll also find many thought-
provoking passages; among them:
* The word "cheap" is a wonderful word! Learn to love it. Be cheap,
just like me. And try this on for size: Less is more. That's right.
If you want more, try having less. The less you spend, the more you
have. That makes sense. We all know that. The less you smoke,
the more you live. Well, that makes sense too, but we don't need
to read it on the side of a cigarette pack. Or do we? We keep
smoking anyway. It will cost you a fortune. And that doesn't take into
account the cost of your future medical bills (remember cancer?) The
less you complain, the happier you are. Perhaps. And tread lightly
on this one: The less you marry, whether it's once of multiple times,
the richer you are and will be. And, of course, the less you eat, the
thinner you are.
* The idea that anybody in their twenties or thirties would ever think
about taking a vacation before they've amassed fame and fortune
is a wonderful idea-for losers. Not everyone can climb Mount Olympus;
somebody's got to wrap fish. Perhaps it's Nature's way of weeding
out the winners from the losers. Those who work harder make more
money-period. Two people who work at the same job and earn the same
salary and have the same relative talent will make the amount of money
if they work the same number of hours per week. However, if one decides
to work on the weekends, he or she will not only make more money,
but usually at double or triple rates . . . and of course your boss will take
note, hint, hint!