Bob Kulick, the guitarist who performed with Kiss, Lou Reed, and Meatloaf, dies at 70; his brother, Bruce, announced on social media Friday, May 29. Bruce Kulick, who also played guitar with Kiss and with Grand Funk Railroad, broke the news on Twitter.
"I am heartbroken to have to share the passing of my brother Bob Kulick," the younger Kulick wrote. "His love of music, and his talent as a musician and producer should always be celebrated. Please respect the Kulick Family's privacy during this sad time. RIP."
I am heartbroken to have to share the news of the passing of my brother Bob Kulick. His love of music, and his talent as a musician and producer should always be celebrated. Please respect the Kulick Family's privacy during this sad time. RIP pic.twitter.com/LUWC6k69Ml — Bruce Kulick (@brucekulick) May 29, 2020
Kulick's stints
One of Bob's first major gigs was in Lou Reed's 1975 album "Coney Island Baby." It was followed by his longrunning tenure with the Neverland Express, Meat Loaf's touring band. He performed with the singer in 1977 at "My Father's Place" in New York and the 1984 album "Bad Attitude."
During his on-and-off stint with the Neverland Express, Kulick also founded the rock band Balance with Blues Magoos' Peppy Castro and Broadway conductor Doug Katsaros. Balance was best known for the 1981 charting single "Breaking Away." He later played both lead and rhythm guitar for Michael Bolton's 1983 eponymous album.
Bob Kulick auditioned in 1972 for the lead guitarist position in Kiss, and its members Gene Simmons, Peter Criss, and Paul Stanley were all impressed by his skills. However, it was the next auditionee after him, Ace Frehley, who filled the spot. The Kulick brothers would later perform on and off stage with the band, with Bob doing lead guitar for three tracks on the 1977 album "Alive II." He also performed for the next two albums, "Unmasked" (1980) and "Killers" (1982). Bob was also the lead guitarist on Paul Stanley's 1978 self-titled debut album as well as Stanley's 1989 tour.
He was also involved in the W.A.S.P. albums "The Crimson Idol" (1992) and "Still Not Black Enough" (1995). However, he was limited to only the studio recording work and never toured or performed live with the Los Angeles heavy metal band.
Aside from playing guitars for several bands and solo artists, Bob Kulick was also involved in tribute and original concept albums. He either produced or co-produced them with his partners Billy Sherwood, Bruce Bouillet, and Brett Chassen. Their works included "Spin The Bottle: An All-Star Tribute to KISS" (2004), "An All-Star Tribute to Cher" (2005)," and "Numbers from the Beast: An All-Star Tribute to Iron Maiden."
Another entry to the legendary guitarist's catalog was the song "Sweet Victory," used in the Golden Reel Award-winning episode "Band Geeks" of the Nickelodeon animated series "SpongeBob SquarePants."
Tributes and condolences from fans and music outlets have poured in, remembering the contributions Kulick made. Eddie Trunk, music historian, and radio personality, noted how "Bob played an important part in the history of kiss and many others." In another tweet, he described the late guitarist as "a talented writer, player and producer."
RIP @bobkulickmusic . Condolences to @brucekulick and the entire Kulick family. Bob was a talented writer, player and producer who worked with many. Best known for a lot of behind scenes work with kissonline . His... https://t.co/ET3EeaNu8x — Eddie Trunk (@EddieTrunk) May 29, 2020
Todd "Dammit" Kerns, Canadian musician who played with The Age of Electric and Guns and Roses' Slash, posted a picture of Kulick and extended his condolences.
