Former KISS guitarist Bruce Kulick has shared insights about his early days with the band and the specific instructions he received from Paul Stanley. The details were published in a recent reflection on KISS Online.
Kulick recalled the pivotal moment when he officially became KISS’s lead guitarist. He also shared the guidance he received from Paul Stanley about his role in the band.
“With Mark St. John unable to play due to his physical issues, I was enlisted as the lead guitarist on the Animalize tour,” Kulick said. “I got a speech from Paul about a week before we filmed Animalize Live (originally shot as an MTV TV special). Paul called me in my hotel room and said, ‘All right, we’re sending Mark (St. John) home. You’re now the lead guitar player in KISS, and we need you to be competitive and be the best you can be.'”
Stanley emphasized the importance of matching the guitar skills that were popular at the time.
“Paul told me I needed to really dial that in, meaning, I had to be competitive with what I heard on the radio from guitar players like Eddie Van Halen or whoever was hot at the time,” Kulick continued. “I think I did a nice job of incorporating those styles into my playing, but I was doing it my way. I was never a clone of anybody.”
Kulick settled into his role with the band. He felt increasingly confident about his position.
“Following the success of the Animalize tour, it was time to prepare for a new record and tour,” he said. “I was feeling much more comfortable in the band. I felt like, this is home now. I’m the new lead guitar player in KISS! This is going to work.”
Kulick also discussed the band’s approach during the MTV era and the specific image requirements.
“In the Asylum period, we were competing with all the other hair metal bands during the MTV rock and roll era,” he explained. “I’d have to be flashy, look like a rock star and hopefully attract the women, too, a key element, which drew the interest of a lot of fans in that era. Looking back, in the ’80s, I think KISS still stood out on the music scene as something different and their own entity, even though we weren’t wearing the trademark makeup.”
Kulick’s tenure with KISS marked a significant chapter in the band’s evolution during the 1980s and 1990s.
KISS Fandom documented that Kulick was the only KISS member during his tenure who never wore the band’s iconic face paint on stage. This distinguished his presence visually within the band while maintaining its signature sound. This unique position made him stand out as the band transitioned away from their theatrical makeup era.
Kulick earned multiple Platinum and Gold records during his 12-year run with KISS from 1984 to 1996. Bruce Kulick’s official biography confirmed this solidified his status as a key contributor to the band’s commercial success during that era. His guitar work helped define KISS’s sound through albums like “Asylum,” “Crazy Nights,” and “Hot in the Shade.”
The guitarist’s influence extended beyond his time as an active member. Grand Funk Railroad reported that after leaving KISS, he continued his musical career by forming bands such as UNION and the Eric Singer Project. He also contributed to various KISS projects including the “Psycho Circus” album and solo works by Gene Simmons and Paul Stanley.
KISS Fact Man noted that Kulick’s guitar style during the non-makeup era helped bridge the gap between KISS’s theatrical past and their more straightforward rock approach of the late 1980s and early 1990s. His technical proficiency and stage presence became essential elements of the band’s live performances during this period.
These reflections offer a behind-the-scenes look at KISS during a transformative period in the band’s history.
