Gene Simmons is sorry for his offensive comments made this week about depression.
NME reports that Simmons drew up the following statement: "To the extent my comments reported by the media speak of depression, I was wrong and in the spur of the moment made remarks that in hindsight were made without regard for those who truly suffer the struggles of depression," he wrote.
"I sincerely apologize to those who were offended by my comments," he continued. "I recognize that depression is very serious and very sad when it happens to anyone, especially loved ones. I deeply support and am empathetic to anyone suffering from any disease, especially depression."
As reported earlier, the trouble began earlier this week when Simmons was asked about his relationship with former KISS bandmates.
"No, I don't get along with anybody who's a drug addict and has a dark cloud over their head and sees themselves as a victim," he said. "Drug addicts and alcoholics are always, 'The world is a harsh place.' My mother was in a concentration camp in Nazi Germany. I don't want to hear f--- all about the world as a harsh place."
The "Detroit Rock City" singer continued: "She gets up every day, smells the roses and loves life. And for a putz 20-year-old kid to say, 'I'm depressed, I live in Seattle.' F--- you, then kill yourself."
To keep the momentum going, he added: "I never understand, because I always call them on their bluff. I'm the guy who says 'Jump!' when there's a guy on top of a building who says, 'That's it, I can't take it anymore, I'm going to jump.'"
Many people were obviously upset with Simmons' comments, but Nikki Sixx was especially perturbed.
"Gene is basically saying he has no sympathy for drug addicts or people who are depressed," Sixx said on his radio program. "I'm a recovering drug addict. If I had done what Gene Simmons said, and that is to jump, so many wonderful things would not have happened in my life."
The rocker equated these comments to the recent loss of famed comedian Robin Williams. "We've just lost Robin Williams," he said. "He dealt with drug addiction and mainly depression. When I was young, I was depressed, drugs helped me suppress that. I came from a messed up situation not unlike a lot of people. There's almost 15 million Americans that are depressed. Gene Simmons says I should have just killed myself ...15 million people should just kill themselves?
"To be honest with you, I like Gene, but in this situation, I don't like Gene. I don't like Gene's words, because ... there is a 20-year-old kid out there who is a Kiss fan and reads this and goes, 'You know what? He's right. I should just kill myself.'"
Whether or not Simmons took Sixx's comments to heart is unclear, but the KISS frontman is at least reneging on his offensive statements.
