Bruce Kulick: Beyond Kiss

Biography of Kiss’s unsung guitarist, chronicling Bruce Kulick’s journey from Brooklyn roots through Blackjack, Meat Loaf, and Kiss, to solo artistry

De: Quentin S. Bexley

Narrado por: Virtual Voice

Bruce Kulick has spent a lifetime shaping rock history from the shadows of its brightest lights. Bruce Kulick is the first definitive, documentary-grade biography of the guitarist whose steady professionalism anchored Kiss during its most turbulent era and whose career spans more than five decades of American music.

Born in Brooklyn in 1953, Kulick grew up in a household alive with melody, watching his older brother Bob navigate the realities of professional guitar work. From the makeshift rehearsal rooms of Brooklyn basements to his first bands covering Cream and Hendrix, Bruce learned resilience as much as riffs. His early breakthrough came with Blackjack, alongside a young Michael Bolton, before he earned his road stripes in Meat Loaf’s theatrical touring machine.

In 1984, fate placed him inside Kiss, just as the band was reinventing itself without makeup. Across a decade—from Animalize through Revenge and Carnival of Souls—Kulick’s versatile guitar work defined an era often overlooked by fans and critics alike. He balanced shred with melody, adapted to MTV gloss and stripped-down arrangements, and provided continuity through shifting cultural tides. His solos on tracks like “Tears Are Falling,” “Forever,” and “Unholy” remain high points in the band’s catalogue, proof that musicianship could stabilize even the most spectacle-driven brand in rock.

The biography continues through his post-Kiss career: studio sessions across genres, co-founding Union with John Corabi, releasing acclaimed solo albums, and since 2000, touring with Grand Funk Railroad. It chronicles his teaching clinics, YouTube outreach, and appearances at Kiss conventions, as well as his deeply personal resilience following the loss of his brother Bob in 2020.

Written with the archival precision of Dan Charnas, the journalistic clarity of Robert Hilburn, and the unflinching honesty of Charles R. Cross, this book situates Bruce Kulick not only as Kiss’s unsung era-defining guitarist but as a case study in professionalism, adaptability, and artistry. It captures the cultural layers of rock history while offering readers a vivid, year-by-year account of one man’s navigation through the unpredictable currents of the music industry.

Rich in context, deeply researched, and emotionally resonant without sentimentality, Beyond Kiss reframes Bruce Kulick’s legacy. For fans of Kiss, classic rock, and the hidden architects behind iconic sounds, this biography provides the definitive portrait of a guitarist whose quiet consistency left an indelible mark on generations of music.