Gene Simmons on Coronavirus: ‘Assume Everybody Is a Zombie’
Kiss member Gene Simmons advised fans to “assume everybody out there is a zombie” as a way of warning them to practice social distancing amid the coronavirus pandemic.
“I would like to wish everyone good health and remind them that ‘the only way is the lonely way,’” Simmons told Rolling Stone. “Just like your favorite TV show, you can assume everybody out there is a zombie, and one contact will turn you into a zombie. Stop hanging out with everybody. Stay at home, if you can. This too shall pass, but it will take a long time. It could last months and months. So get used to FaceTime, binge-watch your favorite shows, workout at home. And stay away from everybody else.”
Bandmate Paul Stanley added, “Be as safe as you can for your sake and the sake of everyone around you. This isn’t a time to be casual or make unqualified judgments. There’s far more to this than simply looking at recovery or mortality percentages. We’ll get through this.”
There are currently more than 225,000 COVID-19 cases confirmed worldwide, with 9,278 deaths and 86,000 recoveries. In the U.S., nearly 10,000 cases have been confirmed, 9,000 were mild, with 155 deaths reported.
Meanwhile, Motley Crue marked the anniversary of the release of The Dirt biopic by revealing a new lyric video for their song “Home Sweet Home,” which they re-titled “Stay Home Sweet Home” as a message to fans during the pandemic. “We're all in this together,” the band said.
“Please follow the guidelines in your area. A short time of social distancing will mean we sort this out as soon as possible. Stay safe out there and make sure to wash your hands and most importantly, stay Home Sweet Home. Love to you all.”
You can watch the video below.
Michael Stipe re-purposed R.E.M. classic “It’s the End of the World as We Know It (And I Feel Fine)” into a coronavirus message on his website. The song recently enjoyed a resurgence as a result of the global emergency.
After singing part of the track, Stipe said, “I do feel fine. I feel okay. The important part of that lyric, that song title, is ‘As We Know It.’ … We are going through something that none of us have ever encountered before and that is, of course, the coronavirus. And it’s real and it’s serious and it’s here.”
Explaining that he’d been self-quarantined for several days, Stipe noted that he doesn't "want to be responsible for getting someone else sick if I’m already sick. I don’t think I am, but none of us know if we are.”