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ABOUT GENE SIMMONS AND HIS BOOK LADIES OF THE NIGHT: A HISTORICAL AND PERSONAL PERSPECTIVE OF THE OLDEST PROFESSION IN THE WORLD

Gene Simmons—mega-rock star, businessman, marketing genius and self-proclaimed free spirit—follows up his best-selling books Kiss And Make-Up and Sex, Money, Kiss with Ladies of the Night, an examination of the history of prostitution.

Simmons makes the case that men have been stepping out on women since the beginning of time, and that the practice is not about to stop. For that reason alone, Simmons argues that prostitution should be legalized. He argues that prostitution is a victimless crime that could be made safe and become a large source of tax revenues. Simmons, who has never used a lady of the night, believes no one should have to pay for sex, whether it is through prostitutes or marriage.

Regardless of where you stand on the issue, Simmons’ book is an arresting, informative, humorous and outrageous exploration of the world’s oldest profession, drawing on human nature, history, science and public policy.

PUBLISHERS WEEKLY REVIEW OF THE BOOK
Simmons, the fire-breathing leader of rock icon Kiss—who once bragged that he had bedded more than a thousand women—delivers an entertaining if sometimes simplistic short overview of prostitution. Simmons (Kiss and Make-up) manages to work into his narrative both the Greek philosopher Diogenes and Nevada's Moonlight Bunny Ranch brothel. Other than the occasional sex joke, Simmons is serious about giving his subject its historical due, stating upfront, "I am not here to judge women's personal choices or how they choose to empower themselves." The book doesn't cover what Simmons admits is "the dark side of prostitution," focusing primarily on one of his favorite issues: money. Since "throughout history, women have never had access to power," Simmons argues that prostitution has been a way for women to "monetize" the "only thing that women have ever owned." Using numerous famous illustrations (e.g., William Hogarth's 18th-century painting A Harlot's Progress), Simmons and coauthor McCarron support this argument by adroitly exploring a range of topics: Sumerian goddess of sexuality Ishtar; the adulterous "jara and jatini" of ancient India; legal prostitution in Amsterdam's "toleration zones"; and Theodora, wife of Roman emperor Justinian, who Simmons considers "the very first prostitution reformer." All this from the man who once wrote a song on the Kiss album Love Gun titled "Got Love for Sale." -- Publishers Weekly

GENE SIMMONS BIO
Gene Simmons was born in Haifa, Israel in 1949 and is the only child of his mother, a German Nazi Concentration Camp survivor.

He has always attributed his ethics, morals and drive to his mother's notion's about life. "Every day above ground, is a good day," his mother is apt to say. Every day above ground, indeed.

He came to America at eight and a half years of age.

He graduated State University (NYSU) and City University (CUNY) and got a Bachelor of Education degree.

He taught sixth grade in Spanish Harlem in New York City.

He then became the Assistant to the Director of the Puerto Rican InterAgency Council, a government funded research and demonstration project.

He worked at Glamour and then at Vogue, as the assistant to the editor, Kate Lloyd.

Gene speaks a few languages: English, Hungarian, Hebrew, German and is getting better at Japanese every day. At present, he is becoming fascinated by Mandarin Chinese and has every intention of becoming fluent in it.

Make no mistake about it. He will.

Gene Simmons has never been married. He has had live in relationships with Cher and Diana Ross. He has been happily unmarried for 23 years to Shannon Tweed, the mother of his two beautiful children.

Gene Simmons lives in Beverly Hills, California.