According to Gene Simmons, one of rock history’s most unlikely what-ifs nearly became reality in the early 1980s. In a recent interview with MusicRadar, the KISS bassist revealed that Eddie Van Halen once seriously considered joining KISS during a turbulent moment in his own band.
The moment came in 1982, during the Diver Down era, when tensions between Eddie Van Halen and frontman David Lee Roth were running high. Simmons recalled that Eddie was clearly frustrated and questioning his future. In fact, the legendary guitarist didn’t just float the idea casually — he drove to the studio specifically to talk it through.
According to Simmons, Eddie laid it out plainly. “Roth is driving me nuts,” Eddie told him. “I know you’re looking for a lead guitar player. Do you want me in the band?” For Simmons, the gravity of the moment was unmistakable. One of the most revolutionary guitarists of all time was genuinely weighing a move to KISS.
Despite the temptation, Simmons says he shut the idea down almost immediately — not out of ego, but respect. He explained to Eddie that Van Halen wasn’t just another band; it was built entirely around his playing, his sound, and his musical identity. Joining KISS, Simmons argued, would never make sense for a guitarist of Eddie’s stature.
Simmons emphasized that Eddie Van Halen was irreplaceable where he was, and that no band — including KISS — could offer him something greater than what he had already created. In hindsight, the decision seems obvious, but the revelation underscores just how strained Van Halen’s internal dynamics had become at the time.
Eddie would ultimately remain with Van Halen until Roth’s departure in 1985, followed by several major lineup changes that shaped the band’s next chapters. Still, the idea that Eddie Van Halen nearly joined KISS remains one of rock’s most fascinating alternate-history moments — a reminder that even the biggest legends once stood at unexpected crossroads.
In the end, Simmons says, it was never about recruiting talent. It was about protecting greatness — and knowing when not to interfere with it.
