When I first heard that Gene Simmons was trying to copyright the Rock and Metal devil horn symbol I nearly lost it. This time he’s gone too far. Sure, in the beginning of KISS he had some great ideas. While some of his colleagues didn’t have any drive for copywriting their original ideas. Ace Frehley after all didn’t copyright his lightning bolt guitar strap. Even when Simmons suggested he do so because it’s such a strong idea. And of course now every guitar player and their dog uses that guitar strap and claims responsibility for its incarnation. While that strap is a true KISS original, the devil horns are not. And Simmons claims to have invented the international, multi-cultural symbol.
First off, the symbol goes all the way back to India. They used the symbol to either protect people from evil spirits or to scare them off directly. In Italy the symbol was usually turned downward at others to ward off bad luck. It also takes on another offensive meaning, used to call out cuckoldry and public drunkeness. Ronnie James Dio (obviously majorly Italian and majorly from New York) is who really made the sign prominent in the 20 and 21st century. His mother used to use the symbol while raising him in New York. She would hiss and push the symbol at anyone whom she felt threatened her son. He then carried the symbol on in his art to honor his mother. If anyone can claim the rights to the rock symbol it’s Dio’s mother!
But that would be ridiculous because it’s a symbol for everyone. That’s why it’s so offensive that Simmon’s tried to claim the rights to it. What’s he going to do? Police the world and fine anyone using it? That’s ridiculous. It just seems so selfish. Where’s the line anymore? I think I’m going to try and copyright grass. I’ve grown it and walked on it, therefore I own the rights. That’s kind of the vibe I get from Simmons. No matter what happens, whether he’s polite, mean, driven or even at times artistic. There always seems to be dollar bill signs in his eyes. Oh, and I don’t want to hear any ‘Ace is too fat to fit in his costume’ crap from this guy. Look at the featured image. Major hypocrisy.
