Unmasked Gene Simmons Lifts Curtain on Rock

March 13, 2001 -- Masked rocker Gene Simmons is winding down his lengthy farewell tour with his band, KISS — but when he takes off the costume, he's got a new gig lined up.

Simmons is hosting The Secret History of Rock 'n' Roll, a one-hour special on Court TV, set to air June 11.

Being a music industry veteran, Simmons figures, is qualification enough for the show, which aims to explore the seamier side of the business.

"This thing we call the music industry is very bizarre," Simmons says. "About the only thing I can liken it to is the Wild West because this brand of new music that was created, was really created by a shady element of society. They were guys that were involved in jukeboxes and so on, so the talent that initially came off the streets started to rub shoulders with the wrong … shall we say, elements. And so, the music industry from early on was tainted. Along the way, you've got a lot of people strumming guitars who can barely spell their name right much less read or write music. And I'm one of them. Along the way, the wrong element usually winds up crawling in bed with us."

The show will put together newly conducted interviews, archival news footage, and photos to show how court battles, prison terms, and unlawful behavior have played a significant role in shaping the music of the past 50 years.

Producer Burt Kearns says the show's title is its best description. "We really are going to be showing … how court cases and illegalities — and the shady people behind the scenes — actually shape the direction of the music, determine what songs are on the charts, and who will perform those songs."

The show will touch on famous stories like Charles Manson and hisrelationship with Beach Boy Dennis Wilson and the lingering questions that still surround the death of Rolling Stone Brian Jones — but the focus, according to Simmons, is on the "unscrupulous types who affect how and where you hear music. … It's important to shed light on that."