Mother of all box sets: Gene Simmons to deliver 'vault'

Curious about Kiss songs that never made the band's 20 albums -- and have $50,000 to spare? Gene Simmons wants to share his unreleased tracks, and will come to you.

The bassist and songwriter of the fire-breathing, makeup-wearing hard rockers has announced a box set that is among the most expensive ever created.

Dubbed "The Vault," the collection comes with 10 CDs featuring 150 unreleased songs by Simmons, which he described primarily as solo work but at times feature Kiss bandmates.

The music will come in a literal 38- pound (17-kilogram) vault complete with a leather-bound book of photographs, a "non-makeup action figure" of Simmons and a medallion that, adapting a US national motto, reads "In Gene We Trust."

The 68-year-old rocker, sporting dark shades, said he spent three years designing "The Vault." He announced it through an online video reminiscent of late-night infomercials, showing him presenting the package to a delighted family.

"The Vault" starts at $2,000, with Simmons delivering it to fans at meet-and-greets in cities across North America and select overseas spots including London, Mexico City and Tokyo.

But for $50,000, Simmons will deliver "The Vault" to homes in the continental United States, with fans getting two hours to enjoy his company.

"Gene will be bringing the Vault. You as the host will be bringing the party. You are in charge of supplying food and drinks," explained a sales website.

With his snake-like tongue and his boasts of sleeping with thousands of women, the Israeli-born bassist shaped the image of Kiss whose concerts starting in the 1970s took on a carnival atmosphere with pyrotechnics and ample testosterone.

source: AFP