Gene Simmons clarifies Muslim remarks

updated 2:45 p.m. ET May 28, 2004

TOKYO - Kiss bassist Gene Simmons, who sparked outrage in Australia after making comments seen as anti-Muslim, said he was speaking only of “extremists” and that his remarks were taken out of context.

“I was asked about extremists,” he said Friday in an interview with The Associated Press. “And that’s what I was talking about — only extremists.”

Kiss began a five-concert tour of Japan this week.

Simmons sparked outrage when Kiss toured Australia earlier this month with comments seen as attacking Islam.

“This is a vile culture and if you think for a second that it’s willing to just live in the sands of God’s armpit you’ve got another thing coming,” Simmons said during an interview on Melbourne’s 3AW radio. “They want to come and live right where you live and they think that you’re evil.”

Angry Muslims flooded the radio station with calls.

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