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Gene Simmons before he was famous

Before Kiss, Gene Simmons taught sixth grade in Manhattan.

The nobody years

  1. Reconstruction of Gene Simmons in 1958: ISRAEL TO QUEENS

    1958 ISRAEL TO QUEENS

    At eight, he and his mother left Israel for Queens.

    At eight, after his parents divorced, he and his mother emigrated to Queens. Source

  2. Reconstruction of Gene Simmons in 1970: AN EDUCATION DEGREE

    1970 AN EDUCATION DEGREE

    He earned an education degree from Richmond College on Staten Island.

    Earned a degree in education from Richmond College on Staten Island. Source

  3. Reconstruction of Gene Simmons in early 1970s: TEACHING SIXTH GRADE

    early 1970s TEACHING SIXTH GRADE

    For six months, he taught sixth grade in Manhattan.

    Spent six months teaching sixth grade in Manhattan. Source

  4. Reconstruction of Gene Simmons in early 1970s: AN ASSISTANT AT VOGUE

    early 1970s AN ASSISTANT AT VOGUE

    He also worked as an assistant to an editor at Vogue.

    Worked as an assistant to an editor at Vogue. Source

  5. Reconstruction of Gene Simmons in January 1973: FEWER THAN TEN PEOPLE

    January 1973 FEWER THAN TEN PEOPLE

    Then Kiss played its first show to fewer than ten people.

    Kiss played its first show to fewer than ten people at a club in Queens. Source

  6. 1945

    His mother had survived the Nazi camps and was liberated from Mauthausen. Source

  7. 1949

    Was born Chaim Witz in Haifa, Israel, to Hungarian Jewish refugees. Source

  8. 1958

    Took the name Gene Klein, from his mother's maiden name. Source

  9. 1964

    Formed his first band, Lynx, at fifteen. Source

  10. 1972

    Wicked Lester, his band with Paul Stanley, recorded an album Epic never released. Source

Reconstructions of documented moments, generated with AI. Not archive photographs, and not depictions of real people. © The Nobody Years

Sources

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