Bruce Kulick decries KISS farewell "injustice"

FORMER KISS guitarist Bruce Kulick has stepped up his criticism of what he described as the “injustice” of the band’s farewell concert, saying in reference to his late former bandmate: “how do you do a show like that and not mention Eric Carr, not say his name?”

While 70-year-old Kulick said in a new radio interview “I’m not saying something negative” and “I’m not bitter”, he said he was hurt by not even being invited to the band’s final show at Madison Square Garden on December 2 and questioned whether his time in KISS was seen as a “stain”.

“Eric Carr was a big part of both eras, make-up and non-makeup,” Kulick said on Sirius XM Faction Talk in reference to the drummer who died in 1991. “To just not acknowledge it in a different way to all the other nights of the final tour, I just think was just an injustice to the KISS fans.

“The only time I was hurt was when I saw Madison Square Garden and New York City being Mecca for the KISS fans. They were all going … and I wasn’t invited.

“How do you not acknowledge Ace (Frehley) or Peter (Criss) or me and Vinnie (Vincent) as well as Mark St John. I mean, do a video montage. Say something. Acknowledge these people. You can go further. Thank (manager) Doc McGhee on stage. Thank (former manager) Bill Aucoin.

“Huge missed opportunity! I don’t understand why they can’t connect the dots there.

“I didn’t watch it on pay-per-view. I didn’t. I wasn’t expecting anything. The reaction from the fans and a lot of people I know … they loved being there, of course. They loved being in New York, it was so exciting. But I just don’t understand the disconnect with KISStory.”

Kulick told host Eddie Trunk he probably could have asked for tickets but felt it would have been inappropriate, given that other KISS alumni such as former Skid Row singer Sebastian Bach and songwriter Jean Beauvoir appear to have been invited.

“When I first heard about the last show, I thought I was hearing things like ‘there’ll be no guests, we’re not having anyone, just family’, there’s no meet-and-greets, no guests and then I’m hearing about all their friends getting tickets,” Kulick said.

“Each member of the band had some friends with them that were backstage with them. There were big KISS supporters that got in there, people like Sebastian Bach and so-on.

“And I never got an invitation.

“It didn’t make sense. Now, I’m sure if I had asked … you know how tight I am with Eric Singer of course. I have a good relationship with Paul (Stanley) and Gene (Simmons) but I wasn’t going to call them and ask them to come. The fans, I think, always thought that I’d be invited and it was very awkward for me.

“All the people who were heading there that night were like ‘I’ll see you later, at the Garden’ and I was ‘have a good time. I’m not in New York.’ I didn’t get into it. I wanted everybody to have a good time.

“Anybody who had a good time who thinks I’m trying to poo poo on their parade – I’m not.

“And I couldn’t go there as a … how could I go if you don’t get invited? I’m not gonna crash their party.”

Kulick said it was good enough for the band to invite him to their Rock’n’Roll Hall Of Fame induction in 2014 when they wanted current members Singer (drums) and Tommy Thayer (guitars) recognised even though they weren’t inductees.

“I was asked to be there to show the force of history because the Hall Of Fame could have maybe inducted other people,” Kulick said. “That was the debate. I get that they only wanted to do the original band. I was flown first class by the band to be at their table with Eric and Tommy and the family to support them.

“I’m not trying to stir up anything weird from 2014 but KISStory was important that night, right? You had Tom Morello introducing everyone, saying everyone’s name on the podium, Gene giving me a shoutout during the acceptance speech live.

“What happened on the last night? How did they lose sight and they could only focus on the avatars and just make it another show? Sorry, huge opportunity lost.”

Kulick when McGhee said in a podcast interview “KISS doesn’t jam”, he knew he wouldn’t be invited to New York. He added KISS had sacrificed their past for their present and future, as digitally generated avatars set to be rolled out over the coming years.

“For those 12 years I was in the band or the previous two when they had to rebuild themselves, get Vinnie, go through all the changes with Mark St John, were they that much of a stain on the current KISS? C’mon.

“How does the record company put together Alive III deluxe, Revenge 30th anniversary, all this marketing for the products that come out. Even an Animalize soundboard featuring Mark St John. Are you ashamed of that era? He meant something if you’re selling product of him performing, right?”

The guitarist, who recently quit Grand Funk Railroad after two decades, was full of admiration for KISS’ stage show, the way they marketed their farewell and the surprise surrounding the launch of the avatars.

“Granted it’s probably the same show as you saw a week ago, probably in other cities. And I think that’s a fair criticism from the fans. Why wouldn’t the last show be a little different? What’s new here?

“But clearly they did everything to set up the future and they forgot about the past.”

Kulick is generally regarded as the former KISS member who enjoys the best relationship with Simmons and Stanley – making his comments particularly resonant.

“It’s always head-scratching to know quite how decisions are made but it’s done, it’s over,” he concluded “I support them. I don’t have an opinion about the avatars except it’s a bold new way to be immortal, as it was stated that night.

“I’m always going to celebrate (the band). I’m not bitter. I’m actually not that upset. I was just a little hurt when I saw all my friends from the cruises who love me sharing all the news about being in New York to experience that.”

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