Bruce Kulick recently shared his thoughts on why rejoining KISS to replace Ace Frehley would not have been the right decision for him. He made these remarks during an interview on Trunk Nation With Eddie Trunk.
Kulick explained that he understood the band’s decision to go with Tommy Thayer instead of approaching him. He also reflected on how his own era with KISS has been embraced over time. When asked if he was hurt by not being approached to rejoin the band, Kulick responded:
“No. I really did understand them going to Tommy. I knew Tommy very well. He used to work a lot with the band creatively. He would write songs, tour manage, and he worked on ‘Kisstory,’ the big nine-pound book or whatever. Knowing that he was in a tribute band [called] Cold Gin, for KISS, and could play the Ace riffs, it made sense.”
Kulick also recalled the moment he joined KISS in 1984 and how his role differed from Thayer’s. “Here’s a perfect example: when Paul Stanley told me, ‘You’re the new guitarist of KISS,’ back in ’84, days before ‘Animalize Live [Uncensored]’ [concert video]. He said, ‘We want you to play competitive. You know what’s going on in the guitar world. You know what we need. You have one foot in the kind of vintage material, and then I need you to play like the modern guitar players.'”
He continued, “Clearly, Tommy got a little different kind of job application checkbox: ‘Play Ace’s riffs.’ So, in conclusion, knowing that mine was to be me with my face, with no confusion or character, and the other side of it being… I would’ve pooped on my era if I suddenly did take that job, if it was offered to me. And I couldn’t tell you, I swear to you, if they said, ‘No, we really want you. And here’s the pay and here’s your commitment.’ I might’ve said yes.”
Kulick reflected on how his era with KISS has gained recognition over the years. “I mean, how could I deny that I would love to be in the band? But at that cost… And you gotta remember, looking back in — what year would that have been? 2000-ish; 2001 or something around there — I don’t know where my headspace would be. But looking back all these years and seeing how my era has been more embraced and more celebrated, and I also think Pophouse [the Swedish company which bought the KISS catalog, brand name, and intellectual property in early 2024] really wants to support all 50 years of the band. This means my era will get more of a spotlight than during those makeup years where Gene [Simmons], Paul, and Doc [McGhee, KISS’s longtime manager] were controlling basically the narrative of the band. Understandably.”
He concluded by expressing his lack of bitterness toward the band. “I was never bitter at them. Why should they do ‘Revenge’ songs if they don’t want to or if it doesn’t feel right? I get it. But boy, it makes it special when I play that stuff [with other musicians now].”
Kulick’s comments provide insight into his perspective on his time with KISS and the decisions made by the band over the years.
Bruce Kulick served as KISS’s lead guitarist for twelve years and is heavily featured on the band’s Kissology DVD releases. This underscores that his contributions spanned multiple albums and tours. Kulick has also publicly stated that he wasn’t surprised by KISS choosing Tommy Thayer to fill the Spaceman role. Thayer already worked closely with the band and could match Ace Frehley’s image and parts. Kulick has said he has made peace with not being part of the makeup-era reunions.
