In a recently published interview with Ultimate Guitar, former KISS guitarist Bruce Kulick shared his experience at 2022’s Creatures Fest, where he performed alongside Vinnie Vincent and Ace Frehley.
While the event was meant to be a special moment for fans, Kulick revealed that it was filled with unexpected challenges. “I had a lot of high hopes. First of all, the concept of the Holy Trinity, put on by that promoter, was really fascinating, because you got Ace, Vinnie, myself. Now, Vinnie being the Howard Hughes, actually coming out and being visible again… he did it at one event, like a year or two earlier or something, but not to the exposure that this event would offer him.”
The promoter made every effort to support him, but the performance was still chaotic. “And the promoter was very tight with him and gave him every opportunity to really have, like a showcase ‘Vinnie Vincent day.’ The tank [a replica of part of the ‘Creatures of the Night’ and ‘Lick It Up’ tours] is built, which, believe me, the promoter had other reasons for that. So I had no clue that the tank would be rolled out. Vinnie would be on the top, and then I’m over here, and then Ace would follow me. … I worked with the guy who worked on the music as part of the backing tracks that we’d have a drummer, and there’d be a bass player, and somebody that would sing. And suddenly, there is no drummer. And it’s just tracks.”
The situation forced him and Frehley into an awkward position. They had to decide whether to walk away in frustration or continue for the sake of the fans. “[Ace and I] were in a weird situation, get all ‘rock star stomping feet and attitude’ about it, or give the fans what they want, and let it be what it’s going to be. … So, we made a pact. Ace was like, ‘If you’re going to do it, I’m going to do it, but I’m only going to do it because you’re going to do it.’ It was like, this funny kumbaya with Ace, that I that I did bond with him. And I said, ‘But we’re just doing it for the fans. I mean, no one’s going to control the narrative here.'”
One major issue was the lack of a drummer. “And it was hard because there is no drummer to look at going like, ‘I’m ready count it off, 123.’ So there was those ‘snafus,’ shall I say. And it’s questionable how much Vinnie really played or didn’t. I ran into him on the way to the stage, and I asked him. I said, ‘Are you taking the high part here, or the low?’ Because I knew that what the tracks are supposed to be like, and he was being extra, extra like, ‘Whatever you want to do, this is your moment.’ I’m like, ‘That’s a funny way to try to defuse me, if I had any anger.’ And I don’t like to carry any anger.”
“So I was just like, ‘Alright, well, I like doing [this]. This is all about you guys.’ But they’re all out there, it’s the Vinnie Vincent day! I get it that the three of us will be there. He knew how to be politically correct at a moment when he was actually pulling some strings with how that was going to go. But ultimately we pulled it off,” Kulick continued.
Adding to the chaos, Frehley’s amp cut out, leaving Kulick as the only guitarist playing. “The weirdest thing was where Ace’s amp went down. I’m sure that the speaker cable came out. And then suddenly, I’m the only one really playing at the end of ‘Cold Gin.’ And they didn’t want video. … The lighting was intentional, I called it ‘Star Trek Voyager Blue Borg Look’ or something. It was very weird. And the next thing I know, it sounded like I was the only one playing with the drums and the bass. So, it was a surreal experience. It was.”
Even with the difficulties, Kulick made it clear that he holds no personal grudge against Vincent. However, he has no intention of ever working with him again. “And that being said, I don’t wish anything against Vinnie, but I don’t have any interest in really trying to work with him in any capacity.”
Vincent played with KISS for only two years but appeared in several KISS-related events in 2018. He agreed to appear at the 2018 Atlanta Kiss Expo in January, with Simmons on stage in April, and gave his first interview in two decades in the same year.
