On 20. December, 1974, Gene Simmons got high for the one and only time in his life, after he ignored Creem journalist Jaan Uhelszki’s warning to avoid eating brownies, not knowing they contained hash. Kiss was playing two shows at the Michigan Palace, Detroit, and the promoter held a reception in the Palace’s Mezzanine Lobby following the first show to celebrate Peter’s birthday.
Jaan Uhelszki:
“I was at the party and talking to Gene and Paul. Gene has a notorious sweet tooth and was hovering over a plate of brownies. I said to him, “I wouldn’t eat those, they’re hash brownies.” – He said, “How would you know that?” And I said, “I live here, I know these people.” And he goes, “No, I’m gonna have one.”
– “Nothin’ to Lose: The making of Kiss (1972-1975)” by Ken Sharp, Gene Simmons, and Paul Stanley.
Gene Simmons:
“After the Detroit show, we were presented with an award and went to a party thrown in our honor. There was plenty of action at the party — lots of booze, music, and women. I wasn’t interested in the booze; I had had my fill of music for the day; and I even had my female companion for the night, a writer from Creem magazine who was doing a feature article about the band. I was ready to leave with her, when I spied the waitress moving through the crowd with a plate of brownies. My sweet tooth got the better of me, and I pounced on those suckers. I must have eaten six or seven of them before I had my fill. Within five minutes I became Gene in Wonderland. Immediately my head shrank to the size of an apple. My feet ballooned to the size of boards. My hands grew bigger the longer I stared at them. I grew frightened, took the hand of my female companion, and ran out to the waiting limo.
Once inside I became very thirsty for milk. I had to have some, and within a block of the concert hall, in a seedy part of Detroit, we pulled up to an all-night diner. Inside it was quiet, and there were a few people with their heads down, either eating or drinking coffee. I stepped up to the counter, thinking that my voice couldn’t be heard because my vocal cords must have shrunk along with my head. I screamed at full volume, “May I have a glass of milk, please?” It scared the pants off the waitress. Everyone at the place, now startled, looked up. I was embarrassed. I thought they were all looking at how small my head had gotten. I left the diner, dove back into the car, and thanked God my female companion knew where the hotel was. She got us there, and as I was walking down the hallway, propped up by her, every step felt as though I were walking through a funhouse mirror.
When we got to the door to my room, I couldn’t fit my key in the lock. My key was now the size of an anvil, and the keyhole no bigger than the eye of a needle. The only saving grace that night, when we finally got into bed, was that I was finally proud of my manhood and couldn’t imagine anything getting bigger.”
– “Kiss and Make-Up” by Gene Simmons.
Rick Munroe:
“After the first show in Detroit, we held a party for Peter’s birthday up in the balcony of the Michigan Palace. Somebody came around with some brownies, and as soon as I bit into one I knew what was going on. I ate a bunch of them. Of course, we all got the munchies and had to get something to eat. Gene was there and asked if he could go with us. On our way out, I said, ‘So what did you do at the party, Gene?’ ‘Oh, nothing. I ate some food that was there. It was pretty good.’ ‘Gene… you didn’t have the brownies, did you?’ ‘Yeah! Very chocolatey, very fudgey. They were really good.’ Remember that Gene is as straight as can be. He doesn’t drink; he doesn’t smoke; he doesn’t do anything. ‘Gene, didn’t you know those brownies were spiked?” “What do you mean by spiked?” “There was marijuana in those brownies, Gene.’ ‘No! Is that why I’m so hungry?”
“By this time, the only place still open is this White Castle with the bright, white fluorescent lights; it was hard to walk into that; it was so bright for us. We were all just hammered. I remember Gene stood out with his platform shoes and a tarantula for a belt-buckle, and skulls on his rings and there is no one in there but a bunch of rednecks. They all turn around and look at us. We’re just standing there, and he says to me: ‘Um, why is everybody staring at me?” ‘Gene, take a look at yourself.’ ‘And why do I feel so stupid?’ ‘Because, Gene, you’re high as a kite, and you don’t know it.””
– “Kiss Alive Forever” by Jeff Suhs and Curt Gooch.
Peter Criss:
“I got a call at about three in the morning. It was Gene. He’s giving me all these scenarios about his brain shrinking, his hands looked tiny, and his face didn’t fit in the mirror. I told him, ‘Gene, it’s no big deal. Order up some brownies, without hash, and some milk and go make passionate love to some babe and you’ll come down in a few hours. You’ll thank me.” And he did. That was the only time he ever got high.”
– “Kiss Alive Forever” by Jeff Suhs and Curt Gooch.
Photo taken 9. October 1975
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On 20. December, 1974, Gene Simmons got high for the one and only time in his life, after he ignored Creem journalist Jaan Uhelszki’s warning to avoid eating brownies, not knowing they contained hash. Kiss was playing two shows at the Michigan Palace, Detroit, and the promoter held a reception in the Palace’s Mezzanine Lobby following the first show to celebrate Peter’s birthday.
Jaan Uhelszki:
“I was at the party and talking to Gene and Paul. Gene has a notorious sweet tooth and was hovering over a plate of brownies. I said to him, “I wouldn’t eat those, they’re hash brownies.” – He said, “How would you know that?” And I said, “I live here, I know these people.” And he goes, “No, I’m gonna have one.”
– “Nothin’ to Lose: The making of Kiss (1972-1975)” by Ken Sharp, Gene Simmons, and Paul Stanley.
Gene Simmons:
“After the Detroit show, we were presented with an award and went to a party thrown in our honor. There was plenty of action at the party — lots of booze, music, and women. I wasn’t interested in the booze; I had had my fill of music for the day; and I even had my female companion for the night, a writer from Creem magazine who was doing a feature article about the band. I was ready to leave with her, when I spied the waitress moving through the crowd with a plate of brownies. My sweet tooth got the better of me, and I pounced on those suckers. I must have eaten six or seven of them before I had my fill. Within five minutes I became Gene in Wonderland. Immediately my head shrank to the size of an apple. My feet ballooned to the size of boards. My hands grew bigger the longer I stared at them. I grew frightened, took the hand of my female companion, and ran out to the waiting limo.
Once inside I became very thirsty for milk. I had to have some, and within a block of the concert hall, in a seedy part of Detroit, we pulled up to an all-night diner. Inside it was quiet, and there were a few people with their heads down, either eating or drinking coffee. I stepped up to the counter, thinking that my voice couldn’t be heard because my vocal cords must have shrunk along with my head. I screamed at full volume, “May I have a glass of milk, please?” It scared the pants off the waitress. Everyone at the place, now startled, looked up. I was embarrassed. I thought they were all looking at how small my head had gotten. I left the diner, dove back into the car, and thanked God my female companion knew where the hotel was. She got us there, and as I was walking down the hallway, propped up by her, every step felt as though I were walking through a funhouse mirror.
When we got to the door to my room, I couldn’t fit my key in the lock. My key was now the size of an anvil, and the keyhole no bigger than the eye of a needle. The only saving grace that night, when we finally got into bed, was that I was finally proud of my manhood and couldn’t imagine anything getting bigger.”
– “Kiss and Make-Up” by Gene Simmons.
Rick Munroe:
“After the first show in Detroit, we held a party for Peter’s birthday up in the balcony of the Michigan Palace. Somebody came around with some brownies, and as soon as I bit into one I knew what was going on. I ate a bunch of them. Of course, we all got the munchies and had to get something to eat. Gene was there and asked if he could go with us. On our way out, I said, ‘So what did you do at the party, Gene?’ ‘Oh, nothing. I ate some food that was there. It was pretty good.’ ‘Gene… you didn’t have the brownies, did you?’ ‘Yeah! Very chocolatey, very fudgey. They were really good.’ Remember that Gene is as straight as can be. He doesn’t drink; he doesn’t smoke; he doesn’t do anything. ‘Gene, didn’t you know those brownies were spiked?” “What do you mean by spiked?” “There was marijuana in those brownies, Gene.’ ‘No! Is that why I’m so hungry?”
“By this time, the only place still open is this White Castle with the bright, white fluorescent lights; it was hard to walk into that; it was so bright for us. We were all just hammered. I remember Gene stood out with his platform shoes and a tarantula for a belt-buckle, and skulls on his rings and there is no one in there but a bunch of rednecks. They all turn around and look at us. We’re just standing there, and he says to me: ‘Um, why is everybody staring at me?” ‘Gene, take a look at yourself.’ ‘And why do I feel so stupid?’ ‘Because, Gene, you’re high as a kite, and you don’t know it.””
– “Kiss Alive Forever” by Jeff Suhs and Curt Gooch.
Peter Criss:
“I got a call at about three in the morning. It was Gene. He’s giving me all these scenarios about his brain shrinking, his hands looked tiny, and his face didn’t fit in the mirror. I told him, ‘Gene, it’s no big deal. Order up some brownies, without hash, and some milk and go make passionate love to some babe and you’ll come down in a few hours. You’ll thank me.” And he did. That was the only time he ever got high.”
– “Kiss Alive Forever” by Jeff Suhs and Curt Gooch.
Photo taken 9. October 1975