Following the COVID-19 death of a crew member, Gene Simmons, the legendary frontman of KISS, ripped into the unvaccinated, calling them an “enemy” akin to “Flat Earth Society people.”

“I don’t care about your political beliefs,” Simmons said on the TalkShopLive podcast. “You are not allowed to infect anybody just because you think you’ve got rights that are delusional.”

“I don’t want to catch your disease,” Simmons added.

Today's required viewing: @genesimmons unloading on vaccine refusers. About 3 minutes, starting around 4:30 into this video. https://t.co/m1KRmFwBYn

— Will Saletan (wsaletan on Threads) (@saletan) November 12, 2021

“You don’t have the right to go through a red light — actually, the government has the right to tell you to stop. You have to put on a seatbelt. If they tell you you can’t smoke in a building, you can’t smoke in a building. And that’s not because they want to take away your rights, it’s because the rest of us hate it! We don’t want to smell your smoke. I don’t want to catch your disease. I don’t want to risk my life just because you want to go through a red light,” he said, adding “This whole idea – this delusional, evil idea – that you get to do whatever you want and the rest of the world be damned is really terrible.”

The 72-year old rocker continued , “For God’s sakes, if I’m going to yawn in your presence, I’m going to put my hand up in front of my mouth,” he said. “Yawning is not a life threatening event. You having Covid might be a life threatening event, and I don’t want to catch it.”

A guitar tech for KISS, Francis Stueber, died of COVID-19 last month. The 53-year old worked for the band for 20 years.

My dear friend, buddy and guitar tech for 20 years, Fran Stueber died yesterday suddenly of Covid. Both on and offstage I depended on him for so much. My family loved him as did I. He was so proud of his wife and 3 boys as they were of him. I’m numb. pic.twitter.com/RvwUGpFt0X

— Paul Stanley (@PaulStanleyLive) October 17, 2021

Crew members told Rolling Stone that the band didn’t strictly enforce COVID-19 safety protocols. But the band said its policies “met, but most often exceeded, federal, state, and local guidelines”.

The band also claimed, “We are now aware there were crew members who attempted to conceal signs of illness, and when it was discovered, refused medical attention… Furthermore, it has recently been brought to our attention that certain crew members may have provided fake vaccination cards which, if true, we find morally reprehensible (as well as illegal), putting the entire tour in harm’s way.”

Simmons and fellow band member Paul Stanley tested positive for COVID-19 in August.