KISS legend Gene Simmons issues statement on car crash after medical emergency while driving
Gene Simmons joked he is a 'horrible driver' after getting into a 'fender bender' on Tuesday (October 7).
The KISS frontman crashed his car into a parked vehicle in Malibu, California and was rushed to hospital for medical care.
He had fainted behind the wheel, Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department said.
Lost Hills deputies confirmed attending the scene of a traffic collision involving a black Lincoln Navigator SUV at the 25600 block of Pacific Coast Highway.
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But the 76-year-old saw the lighter side of the incident, later taking to social media to update fans.
Posting to X, formerly Twitter, Simmons said: "Thanks, everybody, for the kind wishes. I'm completely fine.
"I had a slight fender bender. It happens. Especially to those of us were horrible drivers. And that's me. All is well."
His wife, Shannon Tweed, confirmed the rock legend is now recovering at home.
She told NBC Los Angeles that doctors recently changed his medications and he needs to drink more water - something he's 'not a fan' of.
His SUV had careered across multiple lanes of traffic during the crash.
It's not the first time Simmons has suffered from dehydration.
Back in 2023, he was taken ill while performing with KISS in Brazil.
The show was paused, but after a five-minute break the rocker returned to stage and continued the performance.
He had to sit down - but only for one song.
Simmons later explained that 'humidity and temperature' were 'sky high'.
Taking to X to reassure fans he was 'fine', he wrote: "Hey everybody, thanks for the good wishes. I’m fine. Yesterday at Manaus Stadium in Brazil, experienced weakness because of dehydration.
"We stopped for about five minutes, I drank some water, and then all was well. Nothing serious. Tomorrow, Bogota Stadium. See you there!"
Simmons has previously spoken about living with heart rhythm disorder atrial fibrillation in an appearance on The Doctors.
He first discovered he had the condition after experiencing a funny turn on stage.
He now manages the condition with plenty of rest and hydration - though perhaps he could do with some extra bottles of water on standby.
It's not his only health challenge, either; in November 2022, his wife tweeted that he underwent kidney stone removal.
Simmons co-founded KISS in 1973 with Paul Stanley, Peter Criss, and Ace Frehley.
Known for his iconic make-up and baritone voice, Simmons served as bass guitarist and lead vocalist on tracks including 'God of Thunder', 'Deuce' and 'I Love It Loud'.
Outside of KISS, Simmons has released solo work including 1978's self-titled album Gene Simmons and 2004's Asshole.
KISS officially retired from touring in 2023, though they're continuing their legacy with reunion shows and special events.
One major project is their own avatar show, developed by Pophouse Entertainment, the same company behind the ABBA Voyage show.
George Lucas' Industrial Light & Magic immortalized KISS in digital hologram form for the show, which Simmons described as 'Cirque du Soleil meets Star Wars.'
The show will launch in 2027.
Topics: California, Music, US News, Celebrity, Los Angeles
Ellie Kemp