Gene Simmons Makes Rare Public Appearance to Support New Music Documentary

Gene Simmons, the 75-year-old frontman of the iconic rock band KISS, recently made a rare public appearance at the Grammy Museum in Los Angeles on June 18 to promote a new music documentary. The event, titled Reel to Reel, honored the upcoming documentary Ron Delsener Presents, in which Simmons makes an appearance. Dressed in his signature style of sunglasses, a black button-up shirt, black jacket, and blue jeans, Simmons posed alongside the film’s director Jake Sumner and Ron Delsener himself. This was the first public sighting of Simmons since September 2024, when he attended an Operation Smile event, so his appearance at the Reel to Reel event was a welcome sight for fans. According to the film’s official website, Ron Delsener Presents is an equal parts all-access pass to New York's greatest gigs, featuring some of the iconic artists who performed in them, and a portrait of the singular figure who brought these shows together – rock concert promoter and impresario Ron Delsener. The documentary also features other music icons like Billy Joel, Patti Smith, Bruce Springsteen, Steven Van Zandt, Jon Bon Jovi, Art Garfunkel, Paul Simon, Lenny Kaye, Paul Stanley, Verdine White, Lorne Michaels, Bette Midler, Jimmy Buffett, and Cher. KISS was formed in New York City in 1973 by Simmons, Paul Stanley, Ace Frehley, and Peter Criss. The band is known for their outlandish stage makeup and costumes and reached their cultural heights in the late 1970s and into the 1980s. Despite the band’s lineup changing many times over the years, Simmons and Stanley were the most consistent members of the group throughout its lifespan. In 2014, Simmons was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame for his work with KISS.