BRUCE KULICK Says He Wasn't Hurt When He Wasn't Approached To Rejoin KISS After ACE FREHLEY's Final Exit From The Band

During a December 16 appearance on SiriusXM's "Trunk Nation With Eddie Trunk", former KISS guitarist Bruce Kulick was once again asked if he was ever approached to rejoin the band after Ace Frehley left for good back in 2001. He responded (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "Clearly, when I heard that Ace was probably not showing up [for the gigs in 2001], and all of a sudden the understudy, Tommy [Thayer], who could throw the outfit and the makeup on to pop in on a few things before Ace just left, I was, like, 'Are they gonna ask me?' I remember talking to a couple of my friends that had the inside scoop on the band, and I don't know what they were gonna do, but I thought about it and I was, like, 'Could I do that? Could I become the Spaceman? That seems not really right.' I remember [feeling] conflicted. On the other hand, I was, like, 'I'd really enjoy being back in KISS, playing huge arenas and private jets and all the perks and what fame comes with that. And then, of course, I was not considered, which was a blessing in disguise."

Asked if he was "hurt" by the fact that he wasn't approached to rejoin KISS, Bruce said: "No. I really did understand them going to Tommy. I knew Tommy very well. He used to work a lot with the band creatively — write songs and tour manage, and he worked on 'Kisstory', the big nine-pound book or whatever. And knowing that he was in a tribute band [called] COLD GIN, for KISS, and could play the Ace riffs…"

Bruce continued: "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]. '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.' And clearly Tommy got a little different kind of job application kind of checkbox: 'Play Ace's riffs.' So, in conclusion, knowing that that mine was be me with my face with no confusion, no 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. 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 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, meaning my era will get more of a spotlight than during those makeup years where Gene [Simmons] and Paul and Doc [McGhee, KISS's longtime manager] were controlling basically the narrative of the band. Understandably. 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]."

In 1984, Bruce joined KISS, where he remained as their lead guitarist for twelve years, accompanying the band on the "Animalize" tour and continuing with the band until the 1996 reunion tour. Bruce is heavily featured on "Kissology – Vol. 2" and "Vol. 3", the band's DVDs spanning their historic 45-year career.

Back in November 2024, Bruce was asked by Loaded Radio why he wasn't ever approached to rejoin the band after Ace left for good back in 2001. He responded: "That's a great question. And not everyone's aware of some of the backstory. I would hear things about them having problems with Ace and Ace was getting erratic or difficult. And Tommy Thayer was actually tour managing with them; he was on the road with them. Because even during my era, he was involved with the band, helping with 'Kisstory' and doing things for the group. He wrote some songs with Gene and was always part of the inner circle, shall I say. So from what I understood, there was one or two things that KISS did — not a concert, even though once Ace was almost not gonna make it and they made Tommy get the outfit on. [He had a] similar build — tall and thin — and Ace made it to the show. But there were a couple of other things they needed to do. I believe 'That '70s Show', when they were taping, Ace didn't show up. 'Tommy, get the outfit on.' And then I think there was a private gig, too, that no one would really know about — one of those things where you go to an island and play for some rich people. And Ace wouldn't go. And KISS wasn't gonna say, 'All right, we're not gonna take the gig.' So if they ever had a thought of me, I think they would have known that that probably would have been a lot harder. Tommy was younger, there already, if you know what I mean, working with them. And Tommy, not everybody knows that he was in a tribute band for fun at times called COLD GIN as Ace Frehley."

Bruce continued: "So if they would have went to me, I can't say I absolutely would have said 'no.' I miss being in KISS. I do realize it would have kind of pooped on my era because then I'd have to kind of play the role of the 'Spaceman' and shoot rockets and play more like Ace. I was never given that direction from Gene and Paul, where Tommy knew that it actually was more comfortable with his natural style of guitar playing. He wasn't a Floyd Rose, play-some-flashy-riffs king of the mountain. So I never felt like they made the wrong choice — ever. I always felt that was the right way to go 'cause then Tommy could assume the role of the Spaceman in the group. Eric [Singer, KISS drummer] sometimes gets some criticism, like Tommy has, but Eric being behind the drums and having five years in the band without the makeup, maybe he gets a little less. Neither of them really deserve criticism because they're talented players doing a great job. And it was Gene and Paul's choice to say, 'And now you're the Catman,' 'And now you're the Spaceman.' It wasn't [Tommy and Eric] saying, 'Please, I wanna be the Spaceman.' And to new generations, Tommyis the Spaceman. Even though Eric has a lot of credibility from 'Revenge' and 'MTV Unplugged' and 'Carnival Of Souls' and all the work that we did together for those five years. So, I actually kind of lost the big gig on many levels for the right reasons though. And I was never fired the first time. It was simply, 'Well, we're making all this money. Now we're selling out from arenas to stadiums in makeup.' So my era ran its course."

In an April 2020 interview with Sleaze Roxx, Kulick said that he was "relieved" he wasn't approached to rejoin the band after Frehley left for good back in 2001.

"When I had to leave in '96 after the success of the KISS 'Unplugged' performance, people were aware of the musicianship that existed in the band between Eric Singer [drums] and I, but after 20 years of people hearing about KISS in makeup, it was kind of like 'Star Wars' when it was rebooted people went to see what it was all about," he said. "I understood that it was the original guys, they put the makeup on and people were excited to either see it again or see it for the first time. That carried on, then it carried on and it carried on. [Laughs] It then reached a point where Gene [Simmons] and Paul [Stanley] couldn't continue with Peter [Criss] so they called on Eric Singer to step into the role and the makeup.

"Eric is such a tremendous drummer," he continued. "I was genuinely happy for him. I still am. Then when Ace started dropping the ball, it was seamless for them to go with Tommy Thayer who does such a fantastic job as the 'Spaceman.'

"If I had been asked to step into the 'Spaceman' role, it would have been really awkward for me. I get asked by the fans a lot, 'Well, why aren't you there?' I think Tommy stepping into the role was a lot more natural than Bruce Kulick becoming the 'Spaceman' and shooting rockets off of my guitar. I would have had to play the songs note for note like Ace. I don't think I could do that and remain happy in the band. Tommy does that to perfection. I was never required to learn the classic stuff note for note, but if you're going to be the 'Spaceman,' it would have to stay true to the way Ace plays it. That's not to say that I don't play the classic songs with respect. I play the GRAND FUNK RAILROAD songs with respect, while injecting my own style into them, like I did in my time in KISS. I would lose my 'liberties' if I stepped into the 'Spaceman' role.

"I'm friends with Tommy, Bruce added. "We've gotten closer over the years on the 'Kiss Kruise'. We've spoken a lot on the 'Kruise'. He once said to me, 'Hey, I never got into the Floyd Rose whammy bar thing. How do you play 'Crazy Nights'?' I said, 'Don't worry about it. Play it how you play it. It's what works for you. I don't take any offense and you don't need to copy how I do it.'

"Tommy's style is so much closer to Ace's than mine. I have a unique style to my approach you can hear it on 'Tears Are Falling', 'Who Wants To Be Lonely', 'Unholy' and even the acoustic solo on 'Forever'. I am proud of my body of work for that era of KISS. I'm embracing it. The fans are embracing it. It's all good."

Kulick went on to say that he is at peace with the fact that he will never be part of the makeup era of KISS.

"I was relieved [when they didn't ask me to step in after Ace left]," he said. "I think if I had been asked and done it, I think it would hurt. I know that Tommy and Eric avoid… I'm close to both but I'm closer with Eric. They avoid reading things online. Their best medicine is to just do a great job every night and not read that stuff. I'm shocked that sometimes someone will leave a snarky comment toward me. I'm, like, 'Really?' I don't get into that stuff and I don't like anything negative on social media and I never do or post anything negative. I won't allow anything negative. There's times I read something and I choose to ignore it. Everyone has a voice these days. They have a laptop, a tablet or a smartphone.

"I was relieved, but how could I not have 'entertained' the idea if I was asked? At the time when they swooped Tommy right in, I was already in GRAND FUNK RAILROAD and I was pretty happy with my role in the band. Sure, it wasn't KISS, but it's a great gig. Now think of it from this angle. Let's say they made the right proposition and I took it, then Ace wanted back into the band. Where would that have left me? No KISS gig and no gig in GRAND FUNK."

In some of his interviews, Bruce confirmed that he wasn't asked to perform at KISS's final show and wasn't invited to attend the event, which was held in December 2023 at New York City's Madison Square Garden.