HOLLYWOOD, CALIFORNIA – MARCH 20: Gene Simmons attends the Los Angeles Premiere of Lionsgate’s “John Wick: Chapter 4” at TCL Chinese Theatre on March 20, 2023 in Hollywood, California. (Photo by Axelle/Bauer-Griffin/FilmMagic)

Gene Simmons recalled the last time he saw Eddie Van Halen. Simmons, who played a key role in the development of Van Halen, had signed them to a production deal and produced the pre-fame demos recordings for the then-unsigned act. When he failed to bring the group to the next level of securing a recording deal, he graciously let them free from their deal.

During a new chat with Classic Rock, Gene Simmons spoke about his late-friend and legendary guitarist: “My friendship with him is something that I will always treasure. In the beginning we saw one another a lot, but less so as the years passed by. Our final meeting was in Los Angeles, we bumped into each other on Sunset Boulevard. He was already deeply affected by cancer. I had read that he blamed his condition on using a metal guitar pick, putting it in his mouth. In my view that wasn’t the case. Ed smoked all the time.”

He went on to say, “All the same, when I heard that familiar voice calling my name on the street — ‘Hey, Gene!’ — I wasn’t sure what to say. His condition was well known at that point. He brought it up at the start of the conversation: ‘Hey, man, how you doing? I’ve got cancer.’ I was embarrassed and wanted to reach out and hug him, but standing there on the street with a cigarette in his hand he opened his mouth and smiled: ‘Check this out,’ inviting me to look at the space where his upper palette should have been. He just shrugged: ‘I’ve got this disease, watcha gonna do? I’ll see you around.’ It was typical Ed; happy-go-lucky.”

Simmons laid out the bottom line about Eddie Van Halen, explaining, “Eddie was all about the music, not just the chicks or the rock n’ roll lifestyle. That’s something I always admired about him. He was a lover of life. Whenever you met him he smiled from ear to ear.”

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