Gene Simmons' Asshole to be released on Sanctuary

Sanctuary Music Group will issue GENE SIMMONS' new solo album, Asshole, on May 18th. Asshole was produced by Simmons. He comments, "Doing a solo record is important because I write so many different kinds of songs. I literally have hundreds of songs that are demoed up that aren't right for KISS, and some songs that weren't used on KISS records I still like, like 'Carnival Of Souls' and 'Sweet & Dirty'. In assembling the album, I went and reviewed over a hundred songs that I had lying around, and then it was by process of elimination I determined what would go on the record. But at the end of the day, above and beyond style, I had to like the songs." Simmons also comments on the variety of music featured on Asshole. "My taste is eclectic and all over the place. I love all kinds of artists, from Patsy Cline to the Beatles, Motown to Hoobastank. As for the record's stylistic diversity, I'm a child of The Beatles. They created this sort of hybrid white version of American music. They could do it all - Little Richard, country, pop, soul, psychedelia. They had no rules. That had a major effect on me and that influence comes through on the record." A number of guest artists are features on Asshole. BOB DYLAN and Simmons co-wrote the album's 'Waiting For The Morning Light'. FRANK ZAPPA and Gene share co-writing credit on 'Black Tongue' and the Zappa family, including Dweezil, Ahmet, Moon, Gail and Frank himself, sing and play guitar on the song . Other guests featured on the album include JANE'S ADDICTION guitarist Dave Navarro, former KISS members BRUCE KULICK and ERIC SINGER, new Simmons Records/Sanctuary signing BAG, as well as Gene's longtime live in Shannon Tweed and their two children, Sophie and Nicholas. Asshole features the following tracklisting: 'Asshole', 'Carnival Of Souls', 'If I Had A Gun', 'Weapons', 'Waiting For The Morning Light', 'Whatever Turns You On', 'Sweet & Dirty Love', 'Beautiful', 'Dog', 'Now That You're Gone', 'Black Tongue', 'I Dream A Thousand Dreams' and 'Firestarter'.