Rocker Gene Simmons claims he still has “fire in the belly” — more than 40 years after co-founding Kiss.

The 65-year-old, who started the band in 1973 with Paul Stanley, said: “If God only gave you and I 24 hours left in life today would you just watch Coronation Street? Or would you get up and do something even if you don’t need the money? It’s love of labour.”

Modern Farmhouse in Georgia Pairs Rustic Style and Modern AmenitiesMansion Global

Simmons, who lives in Los Angeles, yesterday won the Legend Award at Orange Amplification Presents The Metal Hammer Golden Gods at the IndigO2.

He said new bands today suffer because they cannot devote all their time to their music due to technology: “It’s already too late [for music]. With the advent of the internet came pirates, which is why we have no record companies left, which is why we don’t have a new Beatles, Elvis, Led Zeppelin and so on. We have people who can make hit records but a new Elvis? Sadly not … it’s difficult for artists to do this full-time.”

Simmons, who headlined Download festival with Kiss on Sunday, claimed the English are “much happier” than Americans. He said: “Whether it rains cats and dogs, the English spirit doesn’t dwindle. If it’s rainy and miserable an English person will come and say ‘hello, how’re you?’ I think Americans would have open revolution on the streets.”