Gene Simmons’ Reaction to Seeing Taylor Swift in KISS Makeup to Punk This Country Star (Exclusive) originally appeared on Parade.
Gene Simmons loves a good prank — especially when it involves fellow musicians.
The 75-year-old rockstar opened up about what it was like seeing Taylor Swift, who was fully decked out in his band’s iconic stage makeup, punk Keith Urban more than 15 years ago while chatting exclusively with Parade ahead of the “KISS Army Storms Vegas” event in Las Vegas in November. The event will commemorate the 50th anniversary of the KISS Army fan club.
In 2009, Swift, now 35, toured as an opening act for Urban, 57, during the singer’s Escape Together Tour. At a Kansas City stop, she and her band members dressed as KISS and surprised Urban by coming on stage during his performance of “Kiss a Girl.”
“The entire band came out and punked Keith Urban at a show, and Taylor was dressed like our original lead guitarist Ace [Frehley], and the whole band was dressed up in KISS [makeup],” he recalls.
“There are people who feel it’s cool,” he adds, saying that the gesture was “appreciated.” He explains, “It’s a nod of the head, because you can’t get me to dress like Boy George!”
The philanthropist and Rock & Brews Restaurants co-founder goes on to tell Parade that he thinks Swift is “great” as both an artist and person.
“She’s phenomenal,” he says. “She started off in country [music], and then just did what she wanted to do, which is go mainstream.”
Fans can catch Simmons and his bandmates at the “KISS Army Storms Vegas” event in Las Vegas from Nov. 14-16.
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Gene Simmons’ Reaction to Seeing Taylor Swift in KISS Makeup to Punk This Country Star (Exclusive) first appeared on Parade on Jul 17, 2025
This story was originally reported by Parade on Jul 17, 2025, where it first appeared.