Stanley Simmons, the new collaboration between Evan Stanley and Nick Simmons, has released its debut single Body Down. The project brings together the sons of KISS co-founders Paul Stanley and Gene Simmons, yet the music heads in a direction far removed from the band that defined their childhood.
The single introduces an acoustic driven sound coloured with light psychedelic tones. The composition highlights the duo’s shared love of harmony, which has formed a key part of their creative partnership over the past year.
Body Down first appeared online in February when Evan and Nick posted a stripped back performance recorded at home. The clip revealed the early shape of the song, which they wrote with American musician Jacob Bunton.
The completed version maintains its acoustic core while introducing a brief electric guitar break near the end. The fuller arrangement shows the pair’s intent to shape a sound linked to 60s folk rock, rather than the hard rock history attached to their surnames.
According to the duo, the project began almost by accident. They had intended to write only a single song together. The collaboration developed quickly, which led to the idea of completing a full album.
The pair later reflected on the process on social media, stating that one year earlier Stanley Simmons did not exist as an idea. They explained that the new band soon became the centre of their creative focus.
Nick and Evan have grown up around major rock music history. Their fathers formed KISS in 1970 after an early period together in the group Wicked Lester. Paul Stanley and Gene Simmons would remain the only constant members in KISS across five decades, through global tours, multi-platinum releases and numerous lineup shifts.
Despite that background, Evan says their own inspiration comes from folk, Americana and roots music. He noted that the sound of Stanley Simmons reflects those influences rather than the theatrical hard rock associated with their family names.
Both musicians have spoken about the support received from their parents. During recent interviews, Evan described Paul Stanley and Gene Simmons as encouraging and entirely honest about the material.
Nick added that Gene Simmons responded with a characteristic mixture of humour and approval. The pair say that honesty helps sharpen their work, since the praise given holds greater meaning when delivered sparingly.
Both members bring prior experience into the new project. Evan fronts the band Amber Wild, who performed as the opening act for KISS on the End Of The Road farewell tour in 2023. He has also been active as a songwriter and performer since his teens.
Nick has worked across television, publishing and voice-over. He appeared with his family on the long running series Gene Simmons Family Jewels. He created the comic series Incarnate and contributed to animated productions, including Robot Chicken. He also made guest vocal appearances on projects by Gene Simmons in 2004 and Bruce Kulick in 2010.
The duo have spent the past year posting harmony based performances of classic songs, including The Sound Of Silence and Take It Easy. These online sessions reveal the foundations of the Stanley Simmons sound. Their focus remains on clean melodic lines, acoustic textures and a restrained production style.
Paul Stanley mentioned the duo’s upcoming album during the recent Kiss Kruise: Land-Locked event in Las Vegas. He praised the material and expressed admiration for the new direction taken by the younger generation.
Stay updated with your free Noise11.com daily music news email alert. Subscribe to Noise11 Music News here
Be the first to see NOISE11.com’s newest interviews and special features on YouTube. See things first—Subscribe to Noise11 on YouTube
Follow Noise11.com on social media:
Bluesky
Facebook – Comment on the news of the day
