Gene Simmons is letting fans know everything is fine after news broke that he crashed into a parked car in Malibu. The 76-year-old artist shared a statement, quipping that he is a "horrible driver."
According to TMZ, on Tuesday, the KISS star was driving his Lincoln Navigator down Pacific Coast Highway when he lost consciousness. He told the sheriffs he passed out or fainted behind the wheel.
Gene's wife, Shannon Tweed, told the outlet his SUV traveled across several lanes before crashing into a parked car.
As for what caused him to lose consciousness, Tweed told NBC4 his medications were recently changed, and he needs to do a better job staying hydrated.
Gene speaks out
After news broke, Simmons took to X, formerly known as Twitter, to share his own statement and let fans know he's doing just fine. "Thanks, everybody, for the kind wishes. I’m completely fine," he wrote.
Simmons went on to call the incident a "fender bender." "I had a slight fender bender. It happens. Especially to those of us who are horrible drivers. And that’s me. All is well," he quipped.
The incident comes ahead of the KISS Las Vegas reunion in November. The band is scheduled to celebrate its 50th anniversary, performing together for the first time since retiring from touring in 2023.
Gene's health
Thankfully, there is still over a month for Simmons to recover and get on his hydration game, which has been a problem in the past. Back in 2023, during their farewell tour, in Manaus, Brazil, the band had to stop the show because the bassist fell ill during the concert.
Simmons sat as crew members surrounded him, offering him water. "I was dehydrated and was forced to sit for a song. We got back on stage in five minutes and finished the show," Simmons explained after.
He's also been open about his heart condition - atrial fibrillation [AFib], a common heart rhythm disorder where the upper chambers of the heart (atria) beat irregularly and rapidly. He told The Doctors in 2016, "I had never heard of the term AFib, but about 10 years ago, we were on tour someplace, and onstage the temperature goes up about a hundred, with all the stage lights."
He got dizzy, sweaty, and short of breath and reached out to a doctor. "I haven't really had recurring problems, because I get lots of rest and drink lots of liquids," Simmons shared. "But am I prone to AFib? You bet."
The three-day KISS Army Storms Vegas event is scheduled for November 14-16.