Simmons goes into restaurant biz

US rock icon Gene Simmons says he has become a partner in a new chain of music-themed Rock & Brews eateries. The collaboration with restaurant impresario Michael Zislis and concert promoter Dave Furano is intended to "capture the excitement of live concerts in an authentically themed backstage environment," a news release announcing the venture said. The first Rock & Brews is scheduled to open south of Los Angeles International Airport in the beach community of El Segundo, Calif., April 3. Locations also are planned in Los Angeles International Airport, Maui, Denver and Atlanta, as well as Tokyo, Japan and Los Cabos, Mexico. The chain's menu will boast "quality comfort foods that feed the soul as much as the appetite" and "hundreds of craft beers to choose from," its proprietors said. Rock & Brews will feature large-screen televisions that continuously screen concert videos and live recordings of rock concerts with state-of-the-art sound, the release said.