GENE SIMMONS On His Decision To Leave California: 'It's Time For A Change'

Earlier today (Monday, March 29),KISS bassist/vocalist Gene Simmons was a guest on KTLA 5 Morning News where he discussed his and his wife's recent decision to sell their Beverly Hills home and relocate to the state of Nevada full time.

Simmons has been very vocal about his desire to leave California for some time due to wanting a quieter lifestyle and to get away from being listed on celebrity maps or having to deal with Beverly Hills tour buses.

"Our beautiful home in Beverly Hills on two acres, about 14,000 square feet, swimming pool, back rubs whenever you want — all the accoutrement, which is my French word of the day — we've loved this house and we've loved L.A. for so long," he said (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET). "We've raised our two kids, who've now moved on and bought their own homes in the Hollywood Hills. It's time for Shannon and I to move out of L.A. and California. So we're moving to Lake Tahoe, Nevada. In the meantime, it's a very sad but also a happy time. It's sad because we raised our kids in this gorgeous home, but it's also a happy time because it's the next phase. So no more celebrity tour buses at the front door, no more Hollywood star maps."

He continued: "A home, a house, it's more than property and all that — it's our home; it's where our kids are raised. And so I really hope the folks who buy this home are gonna get as much joy as we have in this. It's like graduating high school or maybe leaving home; you love your mom and dad, and at some point, you've gotta move on. This is the next phase."

Last fall, Simmons put his Beverly Hills house on the market for $22 million. He later relisted it for $25 million after it never sold and he reportedly invested a lot of money in making improvements.

"The taxes [in California] are just insurmountable," Gene said. "But for us, it's a tug of the heart. We bought a four-acre property over [in Lake Tahoe]. There's lots of land. There's 96 acres next door that I wanna buy. Just sort of a change of page. Less of the hubbub. And no more traffic jams, no more earthquakes and no more fires. But, again, we love L.A. and love the home, but it's time for a change."

Simmons told The Wall Street Journal last October that part of the reason he and his wife listed the two-acre property in Benedict Canyon because the home had become too big for the both of them since their children had grown up.

Gene and Shannon were married in 2011 after dating since 1975. They have two children, Nick, 32, and Sophie, 28.

Gene, Shannon and their kids all appeared on the reality TV series "Gene Simmons Family Jewels" from 2006 until 2012.

For the past few months, Gene has been vocal about people taking the COVID-19 outbreak seriously. He has also blasted Americans who are defiantly skeptical of mask wearing, saying that their refusal to follow the rules is putting all of our health at risk.

In its 48-year career, KISS has accumulated 23 gold and platinum albums — more than any other U.S. band.