What occupation did Gene Simmons briefly hold before becoming a member of the rock band KISS?

Gene Simmons was born Chaim Witz in Israel in 1949. His mother was born in Hungary and was a survivor of the Holocaust. When Simmons and his mother immigrated to the United States, he changed his name to Gene Klein, and later adopted his stage name, Gene Simmons.

After he graduated from college, Simmons briefly taught 6th grade and later met future bandmate, Paul Stanley. They formed a band named Wicked Lester. The band cut a demo which was not released. After the band broke up, Simmons and Stanley met drummer Peter Criss and guitarist Ace Frehley. The four members formed KISS and donned their iconic makeup and costumes.

In 1973, KISS released their self titled first album. It was a mediocre success and sold only 75,000 units. Their second album, Hotter than Hell, fared little better. In March 1975, KISS released Dressed to Kill. It was certified gold, but their first career single, Rock and Roll All Night failed to reach the Billboard Top 100.

Five months later, KISS released the album, KISS Alive. It propelled them to stardom and was certified platinum. The live version of Rock and Roll All Night was released as a single and reached number 12 on the Billboard Hot 100 list.

KISS is arguably one of the most influential bands in rock history. They have sold 75 million albums and played over 2200 concerts since their inception. Despite his inauspicious beginning, Gene Simmons is now worth an estimated 350 million dollars.