During an appearance on The Eddie Trunk Podcast, classic KISS guitarist Ace Frehley talked about Bruce Kulick, the former KISS guitarist who was a member of the fold during the no-makeup era.
Bruce also made a guest appearance on Ace’s latest solo album “Origins Vol. 2,” on the cover version of Jimi Hendrix’s “Manic Depression.” You can check it out here via Amazon.
Asked about his relationship with Kulick, Frehley replied (transcribed by UG):
“I’ve been friends with Bruce for years. I ended up doing the guitar solo on that band that Bruce sat with Karl Cochran and Eric Singer, and when I was living in LA, I did guitar solos on ESP [The Eric Singer Project] records.
“And me and Bruce have been friends since then. We’ve done some Rock N’ Roll Fantasy Camps together, and we also did the Kiss Kruise together several years ago.
“And when Bruce found out that I was doing ‘Origins Vol. 2,’ he expressed interest in performing guitar tracks with me. And since we’re both Hendrix fans, I said, ‘Pick a song,’ and he goes, ‘How about ‘Manic Depression’?’
“And he just killed the solo, and then me and him riff off together in the end, and you can hear between his style and mine, of course.
“Out of all the guitar players that have replaced me in KISS, I think Bruce is by far the best guitar player.”
When Bruce was in KISS [1984-1996], which was much of the ’80s and into the early ’90s, and the whole of the non-makeup era, did you pay much attention to that stuff? Did you see those videos? Did you hear those songs?
“I’ve heard some stuff, but I’ve never watched KISS without me. But I saw some stuff on YouTube and I’ve heard some tracks, and I loved Bruce – he didn’t play my solos note for
note, he kind of made it his own.
“He adds this swagger to make my solos like they’re supposed to. But Bruce is a more competent musician, I think, he changed my solos and I respect him for that.”
What is your relationship these days with Gene [Simmons] and Paul [Stanley] now?
“I speak with those guys from time to time. Gene buzzed me a couple of weeks ago, actually, and I still haven’t gotten back to him. I’ve been so preoccupied with moving and unpacking and designing – I’ve been an architect for this new studio, so I’ve been jammed up.
“And I speak to Paul from time to time – we’re all friends. It’s a shame that the press makes out that we all hate each other.
“But what we created and accomplished over the past 40 years, me and Peter [Criss, drums] and Paul and Gene being the founding members of the band, there’s no reason why we shouldn’t be friends and let bygones be bygones.”
Is there any side of you that still hopes to play with them again one day in any capacity?
“I think it’s a possibility, but they have to reach deep into their pockets. I mean, I’m doing it because I love it, but I also love money, my Jaguar, and my new Escalade, and my new house, and I have all that because of the music business.”
There’s a KISS documentary apparently in the works. Did you take part in it or not?
“They offered me a small fee to be involved in it, and I turned them down. I thought the fee was embarrassing because I know how much money they’re gonna make out of it. Either share the wealth or c’est la vie. So I decided not to be involved.
“But they have plenty of old footage of me and they’re probably gonna use it and get by. It won’t be the same, but I felt the money they offered was nowhere near to what I deserve, so I turned it down.”
Would you like to see the biopics of KISS? There’s been one of the Queen and Elton John. You would think KISS would be the prime target for a biopic and Gene and Paul are already pitching it. Would you like to see one done, and if so, who do you think should play you?
“I’m not even thinking about a KISS movie, I’m really thinking about the Ace Frehley movie because I think I’m the most interesting member of the four founding members and I have the best stories that are the most interesting.
“It would be a hugely successful story. My record label, who also has a division for films, and I was talking to the president and planted the seed for the Ace Frehley movie.”
You’ve got ‘Jumpin’ Jack Flash’ here [on ‘Origins Vol. 2’], The Stones tune. You did The Stones on the first ‘Origins.’ Why’d you decided to do this one this time around?
“Well, I love The Stones, and obviously, I can sing [Mick] Jagger songs because Jagger I wouldn’t consider a virtuoso vocalist. So that’s why I’ve always been able to sing Rolling Stones so much.
“I thought it would be great to get Lita Ford to put a nice spin on the ‘Jumpin’ Jack Flash’ and I called up Lita, she spent the weekend at my house, and I’ve known Lita since The Runaways used to play with KISS.
“She was the logical choice, she did wild things with me on ‘Origins Vol. 1,’ and she was more than happy to accommodate me with the ‘Jumpin’ Jack Flash,’ and we had a blast.”
You’ve covered The Stones before. The first time people heard you cover the Stones was in 1979 on the KISS’ ‘Dynasty’ album when you did the ‘2,000 Man.’ Whose idea was that at the time? Because KISS at that point had not done many covers – I imagine you brought that idea into the band and said you wanted to do it?
“I brought the idea, and I actually got the idea from my buddy Chris Cassone. He was the engineer at my friend’s recording studio.
“And I just came up with that hard-driving rhythm that the original version doesn’t have and it just seemed to work and it’s become a classic.”
Check out “Dynasty” by KISS here via Amazon.
Were the other guys – were Gene and Paul on board with the idea? Did you have to sell them to do that song on a KISS album?
“I didn’t have to sell them. When I played the rough demo that I did of it, they said. ‘This is bitchin’! It’s a great song, you sing it well.’
“It had a driving rhythm to it, and the producer at the time, Vini [Poncia], he loved it, he was on board immediately. I played it to him first. If there were any reservations from the band I think Vini talked them out.
“It turned out to be a big success for me and I performed it live numerous times.”