Gene Simmons, the fire-breathing, blood-spitting, bass-playing co-founder of KISS, will turn 75 on Sunday.
Born Chaim Witz in Israel on August 25th, 1949, he immigrated to the U.S. with his mother when he was eight.
A onetime New York City schoolteacher, he changed his name to Gene Klein and formed KISS with Paul Stanley after they both left a band called Wicked Lester. Beyond music, Simmons is businessman, reality TV star, author and actor. He lives in Beverly Hills, California with his wife, former Playboy model Shannon Tweed. They have two grown children -- Nicholas and Sophie.