Bruce Kulick
Bruce Howard Kulick (born 12 December 1953) is an American guitarist, musician and since 2000 a member of the band Grand Funk Railroad. Previously, Kulick was a long-time member of the band Kiss (1984–1996). He was also a member of Union with John Corabi from 1997–2002 and Blackjack from 1979–1980.
Bruce Kulick | |
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Kulick performing with Grand Funk Railroad at Gulfstream Park in Hallandale, Florida in January 2002 | |
Background information | |
Birth name | Bruce Howard Kulick |
Born | Brooklyn, New York, United States | 12 December 1953
Genres | |
Occupation(s) |
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Instruments | Guitar |
Years active | 1968–present |
Associated acts |
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Website | brucekulick |
Kulick has also released several solo albums, in addition to session work with various artists. He is the younger brother of the late guitarist Bob Kulick.
Early life and family
Kulick is Jewish and also went to Hebrew school.[1][2][3]
Kulick's brother was session guitarist/producer Bob Kulick, whose performance credits include W.A.S.P., Meat Loaf's touring band, and Kiss.
Career
Early projects
In a 2004 feature interview with Paul Stanley, Kulick discussed his very first recorded project from 1974, a band called KKB. It featured performances by his childhood friends Mike Katz and Guy Bois (the other K and B of KKB, respectively) and he likened its sound to that of Cream. Kulick found the master tape from those sessions in 2008 and issued it via limited edition CD, available during his appearances at Kiss expos and via his website.[4] In a follow-up interview with Paul Stanley, Kulick also discussed his lifelong love of Star Wars and its historical similarities to Kiss.[5]
In the late 1970s, following the release of Meat Loaf's first album Bat Out of Hell, Kulick played rhythm guitar/lead guitar on tour with Meat Loaf's band alongside his brother Bob on lead guitar/rhythm guitar.
Blackjack
Kulick was a member of the band Blackjack, with Michael Bolton, during the band's short existence from 1979 to 1980. He also played on several Bolton solo albums. (Bolton later co-wrote the Kiss song "Forever", from Hot in the Shade).
"Stay", a Blackjack song co-written by Kulick and Bolton, was sampled by rapper Jay-Z for the song "A Dream" off his 2002 album The Blueprint 2: The Gift & the Curse which reached #1 on the Billboard charts.
The Good Rats
Kulick joined the Long Island-based band the Good Rats in 1981.
Kiss (1984–1996)
Kulick joined the rock band Kiss in September 1984 as the lead guitarist, replacing Mark St. John, who left the band after being diagnosed with reactive arthritis. Kulick never wore onstage makeup, since the band had stopped wearing it in 1983. Kulick and St. John are the only two members of Kiss never to have worn makeup in the band. He stayed with Kiss until 1996.
Kulick played on five Kiss studio albums: Asylum (1985), Crazy Nights (1987), Hot in the Shade (1989), Revenge (1992) and Carnival of Souls: The Final Sessions (1997); he also appeared on Alive III and KISS Unplugged.[6] The song "I Walk Alone", from Carnival of Souls: The Final Sessions, is the only Kiss track to feature Kulick as lead vocalist. To this day, Kulick is featured on more than twenty Kiss releases.
When the original members of the band regrouped, starting in 1995 with the MTV Unplugged special that carried over into re-adopting their make-up and costuming for the Alive/Worldwide Tour in 1996, Kulick and Eric Singer were paid weekly during the tour; while "sidelined" from Kiss, both were allowed to do other projects so long as Simmons and Stanley okayed them.[7] Kulick officially left Kiss in December 1996.[8] Kulick was with the band longer than any member aside from the original foursome and drummer Eric Singer (Singer has done three discontinuous stints with the band).[9] When Ace Frehley again left Kiss (in 2002, after the Kiss Farewell Tour), Kulick was not asked to rejoin, as Simmons and Stanley thought that Tommy Thayer (former Black 'n Blue guitarist and Kiss tour manager) could capture/copy Frehley's persona better than Kulick; however, Kulick continued to work with Kiss after his departure, contributing work to the Psycho Circus album.
Union
Soon after leaving Kiss, Kulick formed the band Union with John Corabi, Brent Fitz, and Jamie Hunting in 1996. Corabi and Kulick wrote what would become the first album, the self-titled Union, which was released in 1998. They proceeded with a nationwide acoustic tour to promote the album, featuring just Corabi and Kulick (both on guitar). Soon the full band went on a world tour headlining small venues in support of the album. Their second album 1999's Live in the Galaxy, was a live recording with two acoustic tracks recorded in a mobile studio. The third Union album was The Blue Room (2000).
Grand Funk Railroad
Kulick is the lead guitarist for Grand Funk Railroad, with whom he has been playing since 2000.[10]
Solo work
Kulick has released three solo albums: Audiodog in 2001, Transformer in 2003, and most recently BK3, which was released on February 2, 2010.[11]
Other work
Kulick contributed to the 1998 album Pissed to the Gills, released by the Canadian rock band Syre.[12]
Kulick earned a writing credit on the song "Never Let Me Down" on the 2004 Kanye West album, The College Dropout.
Kulick has also appeared on all album releases by Eric Singer's solo project ESP (Eric Singer Project): Lost and Spaced (1998), ESP (1999), and Eric Singer Project: Live in Tokyo (2006). Kulick also appeared on the DVD Eric Singer Project: Live at the Marquee (2006), which was filmed live in Australia.
Kulick appears on the Lordi March 2006 album The Arockalypse, playing lead guitar on the song "It Snows in Hell".
Kulick appears on Paul Stanley's 2006 album Live to Win, playing bass.
Kulick cut a guest guitar solo for the track "The Edge of the Razor" (featured on the album Emotional Coma) by Swedish metal group Lion's Share.
Other appearances
Kulick is one of 23 rock musicians quoted in the book Sex Tips from Rock Stars by Paul Miles, published by Omnibus Press in July 2010.[13]
Discography
with Mike Katz, Guy Bois
- KKB 1974 (2008)
- Got to Get Back (2015)
Rosetta
- Where's My Hero (1980)
with Billy Squier
- The Tale of the Tape (1980)
with Blackjack
- Blackjack (1979)
- Worlds Apart (1980)
with The Good Rats
- Great American Music (1981)
- Tasty Seconds (1996)
with Michael Bolton
- Michael Bolton (1983)
- Everybody's Crazy (1985)
- The Hunger (1987)
with Kiss
- Animalize (lead guitar on "Lonely Is the Hunter" & "Murder in High Heels") (1984)
- Asylum (1985)
- Crazy Nights (1987)
- Smashes, Thrashes & Hits (1988)
- Hot in the Shade (1989)
- Revenge (1992)
- Alive III (1993)
- You Wanted the Best, You Got the Best!! (1996) lead guitar on tracks “Room Service", "Two Timer", "Let Me Know" and "Take Me" (released and advertised as “previously unreleased” outtakes from Alive! And Alive II)
- KISS Unplugged (1996)
- Carnival of Souls: The Final Sessions (1997)
- Psycho Circus Bass on ("Psycho Circus" title track) backwards guitar intro and solo (on "Within"), rhythm and bass guitar (on "Dreamin'") (1998)
- Music From the Motion Picture "Detroit Rock City" (bass on "Nothing Can Keep Me From You") (1999)
- The Box Set (2001)
Kiss Video albums
- Animalize Live Uncensored (1985)
- Exposed (1987)
- Crazy Nights (1988)
- X-treme Close-Up (1992)
- Kiss Konfidential (1993)
- Kiss My Ass: The Video (1994)
- Kiss Unplugged (1996)
- Kissology Volume Two: 1978-1991 (2007)
- Kissology Volume Three: 1992–2000 (2007)
with Union
- Union (1998)
- Live in the Galaxy (1999)
- The Blue Room (2000)
with ESP
- Lost & Spaced (1998)
- ESP (1999)
- Live in Japan (2006)
- Live at the Marquee DVD (2006)
Solo
- Audiodog (2001)
- Transformer (2003)
- BK3 (2010)[14]
Other work
- Michael Wendroff – Kiss the World Goodbye (1978)
- Stevie – Gypsy! (1984)
- Ronnie Spector – Unfinished Business (1987)
- Don Johnson – Let It Roll (1989)
- Skull - No Bones About It (1991)
- Guitar's Practicing Musicians - Vol. II (1991)
- Blackthorne - Afterlife (1993)
- Tribute to Queen – Dragon Attack (1997) Lead guitar on "Save Me"
- Mark Mangold - Mystic Healer (1998)
- Graham Bonnet – The Day I Went Mad (1999)
- Shameless - "Backstreet Anthems (1999)
- Boot Camp - As You Were (1999)
- Shameless - Queen 4 a Day (2000)
- Tribute to Van Halen – Little Guitars (2000) Produced by Bob Kulick.
- Ozzy Osbourne Tribute - A Tribute to Ozzy: Bat Head Soup (2000)
- Bret Michaels - A Salute to Poison (American band): Show Me Your Hits" (2000)
- Eric Carr – Rockology (2000) Produced by Bruce Kulick.
- A Tribute to Metallica - Metallic Assault (2001)
- Meat Loaf - Bat Out of Hell (re-issue; 2001) guitar on bonus live tracks.
- Pink Floyd Tribute - An All-Star Lineup Performing the Songs of Pink Floyd (2002)
- Todd Rundgren - Re-Mixes (2003)
- Kiss Tribute – Spin The Bottle (2004)
- Chris Catena – Freak Out (2004)
- Gene Simmons – Asshole (2004)
- Bruce and Bob Kulick – KISS Forever (2005) KISS Instructional DVD
- Tribute to Iron Maiden – Numbers from the Beast (2005) Guitar on Can I Play With Madness.
- Lordi – The Arockalypse (2006)
- Paul Stanley – Live to Win (2006)
- Michael Schenker – Doctor Doctor: The Kulick Sessions (2008)
- Led Box – The Ultimate Led Zeppelin Tribute: Dazed & Confused (2008)
- We Wish You a Metal Xmas and a Headbanging New Year (2008)
- Balance - Equilibrium (2009)
- Chris Catena – 'Discovery (2009)
- Lordi – Babez for Breakfast (2010)
- Avantasia – The Wicked Symphony (2010)
- Avantasia – Angel of Babylon (2010)
- Eric Carr - Unfinished Business (2011)
- Avantasia – The Mystery of Time (2013)
- Michael Jackson Tribute - Thriller: A Metal Tribute to Michael Jackson (2013)
- Tomas Bergsten's Fantasy – Caught in the Dark (2013)
- H. P. Lovecraft Historical Society - Dreams in the Witch House - A Lovecraftian Rock Opera (2013)
- Mocassin Creek – Friends of All Kinds (2013)
- DJ Peace - Do You Love Me? (Tribute to KISS) (2014)
- Randy Rhoads Tribute - Immortal Randy Rhoads: The Ultimate Tribute (2015)
- Paco Ventura Black Moon - En tu piel (2015)
- Lita Ford- "Time Capsule"- "Rotten to the Core" (2016)
- Avantasia – Ghostlights (2016)
- ColdTears- "Silence Them All (2018) Lead guitar on "Miracle"
References
- Bruce Kulick – Journey of a Frontman https://journeyofafrontman.com/2015/01/07/on-the-line-with-bruce-kulick/ Jan 7, 2015 - Bruce Kulick is the only musician in the world who can say that he has rocked ... Bruce Kulick: With the Jewish religion, there's something called ...
- Get Ready to ROCK! Interview with Bruce Kulick, guitarist with Kiss ... http://www.getreadytorock.com/10questions/bruce_kulick2.htm Interview with Bruce Kulick, guitarist with Kiss, Union and Grand Funk ... I was young, having to go to Hebrew School, so I couldn't play in the high school band.
- Rock Eyez - Interview with Bruce Kulick- Guitar - BK, (form. KISS ... http://www.rockeyez.com/interviews/int-2010-01-bmr-bruce-kulick-bk.html KISS/Grand Funk Railroad), 2009 Interview, Featuring artist and band interviews, ... Bruce Kulick: Well you have to understand that the band at the time was trying to fit in, .... Bruce Kulick: I do have a pendant of a Jewish star that is very much ...
- "3-Wind with Bruce Kulick". Metal Sludge. Archived from the original on October 7, 2008. Retrieved September 23, 2008.
- "KISS Thinks Star Wars Rocks". StarWars.com. Archived from the original on October 8, 2008. Retrieved September 23, 2008.
- Saulnier, Jason (March 14, 2011). "Bruce Kulick Interview". Music Legends. Retrieved May 8, 2013.
- Sherman, Black Diamond, p. 244.
- Sherman, Black Diamond, p. 248.
- Cowie, Sean (December 12, 1953). "Bruce Kulick". Members.shaw.ca. Retrieved July 18, 2014.
- "We're An American Band – LIVE". YouTube. Retrieved July 18, 2014.
- "Bruce Kulick BK3 Album Page | KULICK.net – The Official Bruce Kulick Website". KULICK.net. February 2, 2010. Retrieved July 18, 2014.
- "SYRE Pissed To The Gills" Archived November 26, 2018, at the Wayback Machine. RoxxZone, by Stefano Gottardi, 07/09/2017
- Miles, Paul. "Sex Tips From Rock Stars by Paul Miles". www.SexTipsFromRockStars.com. Retrieved July 18, 2014.
- "BRUCE KULICK To Release 'BK3' In February". BlabberMouth.
Bibliography
- Sherman, Dale (2009). Black Diamond: The Unauthorized Biography of KISS (10th Anniversary Edition). Ontario, CANADA: CG Publishing Ltd. ISBN 978-1-894959-92-6.
External links
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Bruce Kulick. |
Interviews
- Bruce Kulick Interview with Guitarhoo! 2008.
- Bruce Kulick Interview at Confessions of a Pop Culture Addict
- Bruce Kulick Interview with Australian Rock Show Podcast 2017
Preceded by Mark St. John |
Lead guitarist of Kiss 1984–1996 |
Succeeded by Ace Frehley |