KISSGene Simmons has apologized for his comments on the death of Prince. In a new statement, Simmons cites his experience of seeing fellow rockers’ lives destroyed by drug use as the motive behind his words.

Yesterday (May 10), Simmons got the attention of many by praising Prince's talents but calling his death “pathetic.” “How pathetic that he killed himself,” Simmons said. “Don't kid yourself, that's what he did. Slowly, I'll grant you — but that's what drugs and alcohol is: a slow death."

The cause of Prince’s death has still not been determined, though the painkiller Percocet was reportedly found in the musician’s system. Simmons was apparently given a talking to by his family, which led to an apology via Twitter:

Fellow KISS member Paul Stanley was also shaken by Gene’s comments, leading the vocalist / guitarist to offer his own apology to those who may have been offended:

Top 70 Hard Rock + Metal Albums of the 1970s

10 Unforgettable Prince Moments

10 Unforgettable Gene Simmons Moments

More From Q 105.7