Singer Gene Simmons has been teaching children at a £17,900 a year public school how to rock 'n' roll.

The Kiss frontman, 55, has sold 100 million albums, launched his own comic series, published books and claims to have wooed 4,600 women.

He shot to fame as a wild man of rock after being sacked as a teacher in New York's Harlem district for giving pupils Spider-Man comics to read instead of Shakespeare plays.

A multi-millionaire, he returned to the classroom to teach children at the 450-year-old Christ's Hospital boarding school in Horsham.

Former pupils, or Old Blues, include Sir Colin Davis, chief conductor of the London Symphony Orchestra and Charles Hazelwood, conductor and recent presenter of classical music on television and radio.

Pupils still wear blue coats, cotton shirts with rectangle neckband and yellow socks chosen by Edward VI when he founded the school in 1553.

Headmaster Peter Southern said: "The musical and performance talents which Gene shared with his pupils at Christ's Hospital has given them a remarkable opportunity to expand and develop their existing experience."

Gene, famous for his trademark demon black and white make-up, had some lessons which would have gone against the grain of the charitable school.

The Eighties legend was stunned when some children asked to stand aside to allow others who were more keen take part.

He said: "Children need to learn to become more selfish, to put themselves first and not care what other people think.

"Arrogance is how you get the only two things that matter: Sex and money."

He tutored pupils aged 13 and 14 in the history of rock, songwriting and performance during his six-week stay. The children formed a rock band and were coached in writing, performing and recording their own music for a rock extravaganza at the Hammersmith Apollo in London. But some took a while to warm to the their new music instructor.

One 13-year-old band member said: "When he drove into our school forecourt in his limousine and stepped out wearing his sunglasses and leather coat, we just thought he was really arrogant."

The whole experience was caught on camera for the reality television Rock School programme which will go out on Channel 4 next year.