This review I felt I should do, it’s definitely not festive but it includes Nick Simmons and Evan Stanley, the sons of Gene Simmons and Paul Stanley of Kiss fame. I have seen Evan Stanley live when he was in a band called The Dives when they opened for Kiss in Glasgow and covered a Beatles track I seem to remember. A decent band The Dives, but Evan left them and has turned up again now with Nic Simmons. Nic I know from days dipping into “Family Jewels,” Gene’s reality show, along with his sister Sophie. Now Sophie has done some interesting tracks, “Black Mirror” is definitely worth checking out and she has released some sophisticated pop that is streaming in the millions.
I was unaware Nic Simmons was wanting a music career, however I became aware of him and Evan appearing on the magazine Instagram feeds doing harmony style tracks A Capella. It was clear they could deliver, and the promise floated of original music to come. And here it is in the form of a debut single. We largely exist for the independent artists and are proud to have reviewed the debut singles for many artists without the instant name recognition these guys have – but talent is talent my dears! And every artist we review is here on merit, if you read our review policy we review acts that we are happy to recommend.
On to the review- the single was released on December 5 and is on all major platforms.
My review – Okay…this is solid! It’s funny because aesthetically the publicity material presents this Beatles era of the Maharishi, “Sexy Sadie”/”Dear Prudence” and all that, and the general early comments are on how it harks to the late 60s. However, although there are definite vibes of Mamas and Papas and you have those cool harmonies and guitar vibes – there was one Kiss track it reminded me of (and it will surprise you) – in places it took me toward “Jungle” in the Kiss grunge experiment. But that is interesting. It is a song that is not at all seasonal, it (genre wise) turns toward a type of country rock feel, it is the type of music that Fangslinger are currently creating in the UK (what an on stage combo these two acts would be). The instrumental break and a tabla feel to the drum sound was great, the guitar work effective and I liked it a lot. But I’d need to hear more to make any wider prediction of success.
“Shadows fall
Voices call
Echoing into the night
Hear the whisper in the pines
Follow through the eye of every storm”
Ultimately, “Body Down” isn’t just a curiosity project from the sons of two rock legends — it’s a reminder that talent can stand proudly on its own. It’s a beautiful harmony-led slice of Americana-leaning indie rock that feels honest, beautifully produced and full of emotional atmosphere. If Stanley Simmons continue at this level, they’re going to be more than a footnote to a famous pedigree: they’re going to be artists we actively look forward to. We’re calling this a very promising debut, and one you should absolutely check out.
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You can stream music by Stanley Simmons here
Mark C. Chambers