Gene Simmons; Bassist for the iconic glam rock band KISS, demon and businessman has filed an official application with the United States Patent and Trademark Office to attempt to trademark his signature ‘Rock On' hand gesture, pictured below.
Second to his go-to facial expression in which he showcases his serpent like tongue, the hand gesture is one of Simmons iconic moves and can be dated back to as early as 1977 where he is pictured flashing it on the cover of the band's album, Love Gun.
Upon hearing the news of Simmons attempts to coin the gesture as his own, the internet has erupted with backlash, speculations as to who really did it first and a whole lot of sass towards the bassist.
Gene Simmons is trying to trademark the 🤘gesture because he invented it in the 70's. LOL When pseudo-celebs don't know how reality works. pic.twitter.com/nOExr2nTHT
— Cary Williams (@neuroparadox) June 15, 2017
Just heard that Gene Simmons is also attempting to trademark the act of breathing, and also trademark fire itself....
— Arthur Shimko Jr. (@artshimko) June 15, 2017
However, the gesture Simmons is trying to coin isn’t just causing a stir in the music community but also among those who are hearing impaired. The hand sign is a common gesture in American sign language as a way to say “I Love You”.
Whether being compared to the slightly adjusted hand symbol Ronnie James Dio seemed to have permanently raised or John Lennon on the cover of Yellow Submarine, one thing is for sure, Simmons has managed to build a pretty strong case for himself and the KISS empire.
Either way, this gesture and the slight alteration has become a symbol for different communities who use it as a way to connect and or communicate, so keep those horns raised rockers!
If you get value from KelownaNow and believe local independent media is important to our community we ask that you please consider subscribing to our daily newsletter.
If you appreciate what we do, we ask that you consider supporting our local independent news platform.
