Well, it's probably better than saying they're bigger than Jesus.

Rocker Gene Simmons says his band KISS is the most recognized cultural icon today and beats out even Disney's Mickey Mouse.

"You don't know how big the image is. By some experts, it is believed to be the most recognized pop culture image on Earth - even above Mickey Mouse,"

he said, contactmusic.com reports. "You know, there's no U2 comic book, there's no Mick Jagger action figure. We have our own Visa card. You can go into Wal-Mart and get sweets with our faces on. We have a Dr Pepper soft drink campaign now. It's unbelievable."

While some might argue with Simmons, his comment is not nearly as controversial as when John Lennon told a reporter in 1966 that the Beatles were "more popular than Jesus." That statement sparked an outcry from religious groups and some radio stations refused to play the band's songs.

But earlier this month the official Vatican newspaper, L'Osservatore Romano, said the comment was "meaningless."