Gene Simmons is giving props to Taylor Swift. Taylor Swift’s huge and devoted fan base reminds the KISS bassist of Beatlemania.

During a guest appearance on a recent episode of legend n leader Simmons spoke on the podcast about how powerful it is as a musician to see fans connect with your music in real time. He says this is more proof of the artist’s superiority than anything else. “The only similarity I can point to is with today’s Swifties,” Rocker said.

“Yes, the song is cool too. [Taylor’s] “It’s great, we know her, but it’s so much more than that. It’s almost a tribal gathering…The Beatles had that. It was called Beatlemania. It’s almost cult-like. You’re a member of it, you have a connection.”

Simmons also called out the time a young Swift and her band pranked Keith Urban in 2009. Long before she filled stadiums with her historic Elas Trek, she was the opener on one of Keith Urban’s tours and pulled a prank by dressing up as KISS and crashing the stage during the Australian country star’s performance. Some of the OG Swifties may remember what the 14-time Grammy winner looked like. Post your experience on a video blog We filmed the process of dressing up and captured Urban’s reaction.

“Insert ‘Taylor Swift’s KISS band makeup'” [in the search bar]Then you’ll see Taylor and the whole band come out in KISS makeup and do things like that,” Simmons said proudly.

The rock icon isn’t the only living music legend to realize that Swift’s influence on this generation of music fans is second to none. ringo starr himself also said She said the hype surrounding her was the closest she had come to Beatlemania since experiencing it herself as a member of the Beatles.

Elsewhere in the podcast interview, Simmons reiterated his belief that hip-hop “doesn’t belong” in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. “For example, the fact that Iron Maiden, who fill stadiums, aren’t in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, but Grandmaster Flash is,” he said on the show. “This is not my music. I’m not from the ghetto.”

Watch the full interview with Simmons legend n leader Down below.