Gene Simmons Is Saying Goodbye To California

Ever since the Covid-19 pandemic got into full-swing, so began the trend of celebrities abandoning Los Angeles. Joe Rogan packed up and moved to Austin, and a bunch of his comedy friends followed. Zac Efron just sold his $5.3 million LA home to permanently relocate to Australia, where he has been living since 2020. Now, legendary Kiss co-frontman Gene Simmons is officially leaving the City of Angels for Sin City, according to the New York Post.

Simmons first announced his intention to leave California back in March 2021, speaking exclusively to the New York Post. And he gave the outlet plenty of reasons for his impending departure. "There are earthquakes, fires, and pandemics every year," he said. "Even though there is nice sunshine, I'm done." He also cited celebrity tour buses as an annoyance he could no longer handle. "After a certain point, we have had enough of that, even though we appreciate the attention."

And so began Simmons' quest to leave California.

In October 2020, Gene Simmons put his home of almost 40 years on the market for a whopping $22 million. Per The Wall Street Journal, the 16,000-square-foot mansion boasts a number of high-class features, including "a foyer with a domed ceiling, a living room with roughly 30-foot-high windows, a formal dining room and a wine cellar," in addition to three entire rooms dedicated to Kiss memorabilia and a pool with a 60-foot water slide. The mansion has seven bedrooms, a tennis court, and parking for 35 cars. TMZ reports he made improvements on the house and upped the price to $25 million.

Simmons cited California's high taxes as a primary motivator for moving. "California and Beverly Hills have been treating folks that create jobs badly and the tax rates are unacceptable," he said. "I work hard and pay my taxes and I don't want to cry the Beverly Hills blues, but enough is enough."

At the time, Simmons told The Wall Street Journal that he was intending to move to Washington state, near Mount Rainier. But when he spoke to the New York Post in March 2021, he was living in a 12,000-square-foot mansion on four acres near Lake Tahoe, and announced he was officially leaving California for Nevada. "The quality of life is better there, so we can go hiking without bumping into people," he said, adding that "taxes there are much more appealing," noting that high taxes made California "uninhabitable."

Back in March, Gene Simmons' wife Shannon Tweed purchased a home in Malibu for $5.8 million, according to the New York Post. The 3,707-square-foot home is situated on 2.45 acres and includes a pool and a spa. However, Simmons confirmed to the Post that the property was purchased as an investment, not as a home, and that he had nothing to do with the purchase. "She purchased the home with her own money as a personal investment," he said. "I will not be living in Malibu; neither is Shannon."

And Simmons was telling the truth. In May 2021, the TMZ confirmed that he did, in fact, leave California for Nevada, reporting that he and Tweed bought an $8.2 million, 11,000-square-foot mansion in Henderson, Nev., just outside of Las Vegas. Simmons' new pad has six bedrooms and eight bathrooms, as well as glass walls that go from the floor to the ceiling. Several amenities surround the outside of the mansion: a pool, a hot tub, a barbecue, and a courtyard. 

"We considered various properties in various states but ultimately decided that Nevada is a better choice for us," Simmons said in a press release via the New York Post. "We are at a place in our lives where a big city lifestyle is just not our thing anymore."

Gene Simmons left Los Angeles for a quieter life in Henderson, Nevada, and is settling into his new surroundings quite nicely. He is teaching a Bass MasterClass in Las Vegas — and it's clear he's putting all of those years in KISS to good use. Once fans sign up, they'll get the opportunity to write a song with Simmons — and perform the song onstage with him, making this a true rockstar experience. Not to mention that they will also receive a custom bass guitar (which start at $5,750) signed by Simmons himself. Sign us up!

"When I was a kid, I couldn't sit with Paul McCartney and he couldn't teach me all the secrets, but that's what I'm gonna do with you," he said on his website. "We're gonna be serious here. A unique, one-of-a kind event that you're gonna remember for the rest of your life."