“Heed advice”—a phrase we all know, meaning to pay close attention to guidance or warnings. For Bruce Kulick, taking such advice in the summer of 1984 set him on a path to a 12-year career as the guitarist for the iconic rock band KISS.
At the time, KISS was in the midst of recording their twelfth studio album at Right Track Recording Studio in New York City. Paul Stanley, the band’s singer and guitarist, was also serving as the album’s producer. Kulick, who was already familiar with the band, received a call to contribute “ghost guitar” work on two tracks—“Lonely Is the Hunter” and “Murder in High-Heels.” This was due to health issues faced by then-guitarist Mark St. John.
In an interview with Chaoszine, Kulick reflected on the moment and suggested that joining KISS felt like destiny. He described how thrilled he was to prove himself when given the opportunity.
“I was destined to be in the band when Animalize was being recorded,” Kulick said (as transcribed by Ultimate Guitar). “It was a combination of things—Mark St. John had a condition, arthritis, where his hand became swollen. And Paul might have already been getting sick around that time.”
With the album needing to be completed, Stanley turned to someone he trusted. “Paul knew the record had to be finished. He always believed, like my brother Bob [Kulick, who had also done ghost guitar work for KISS], that I could get the job done. So I was really excited when he asked me.”
Then came the moment that changed everything. Kulick, then 30 years old, recalled Stanley’s seemingly offhand comment at the end of the session.
“I went to the studio, and by the end of the session, which went well, Paul told me, ‘Don’t cut your hair.’ I didn’t know why he said that. Looking back, I think he suspected Mark might not recover. Soon after, I got the call to go with them to Europe—not as a permanent member, but just to fill in.”
That temporary opportunity turned into something much more. “And then, of course, it turned into 12 years, which is amazing,” Kulick added. “I think they realized Mark wasn’t the right fit, and I was. That experience and that opportunity worked out really well.”
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