Cher On Her Relationship With Gene Simmons: “He’d Want To Go Out With Me As Regular Gene”

In her new memoir, Cher: The Memoir, Part One, the legendary singer and actress reflects on her relationship with KISS rocker Gene Simmons, offering fans an intimate look at their time together from 1977 to 1979.

Known for his over-the-top stage persona and iconic black-and-white makeup, Gene had a unique way of maintaining privacy when offstage. According to Cher, 78, the makeup that made KISS instantly recognizable also served as a disguise. “The makeup and clothes that make KISS so recognizable also allowed them to have separation between when they were ‘on’ as celebrities and when they were leading private lives,” she writes.

But dating one of the most famous women in the world made staying low-key a little tricky. “He’d want to go out with me as regular Gene. He didn’t want to put on his persona when we went on dates, but he didn’t want to appear to the public as his private self,” Cher recalls.

Cher also describes how fascinating it was to watch Gene transform into his ‘Demon’ stage persona. “When I’m in my costume I might get crazy and not treat you the same,” she remembers him saying. However, one moment sticks out when Gene, fully in character, loomed over her and let out an intimidating growl. 

According to Cher, she would not “put up with it” so she told him to stop.

Their relationship, though brief, was intense and filled with admiration. In a 1979 interview with PEOPLE, Gene opened up about his feelings, saying, “I’m crazy about Cher, nuts about her. She’s my first love.”

He went further, saying, “Cher’s an untainted soul who has never done anything bad to anybody.”

Cher’s memoir isn’t just about her love life — it’s packed with incredible anecdotes, including a surprising revelation about her legal name due to a birth certificate mix-up, an unforgettable visit to Salvador Dalí’s apartment, and even an encounter with Jackie Kennedy. The first part of the memoir is available now, with the second part expected to be released later this year.