Bob Kulick

If there was a "fifth member of <a href="spotify:artist:07XSN3sPlIlB2L2XNcTwJw">Kiss</a>" award to be handed out, guitarist Bob Kulick would probably be the front-running recipient. Not only was he in the running to become the original lead guitarist for <a href="spotify:artist:07XSN3sPlIlB2L2XNcTwJw">Kiss</a>, but he has played (uncredited) on several <a href="spotify:artist:07XSN3sPlIlB2L2XNcTwJw">Kiss</a> releases over the years, and even eventually helped recruit his younger brother, <a href="spotify:artist:30TJoJIn79ZTDn7J93ymi8">Bruce Kulick</a>, into the <a href="spotify:artist:07XSN3sPlIlB2L2XNcTwJw">Kiss</a> fold. Kulick was born in Queens, New York, and by the early '70s was playing guitar in local bands, as well as a few releases by the obscure outfit <a href="spotify:artist:4JynhJTiYekQO6MhleSVxF">Hookfoot</a>, and touring with <a href="spotify:artist:0ty0xha1dbprYIUAQufkFn">Patti LaBelle</a>'s band, <a href="spotify:artist:3DznKagEU8yMQZR9z33Da5">LaBelle</a>. But it was his answering of an ad in the Village Voice that led to his <a href="spotify:artist:07XSN3sPlIlB2L2XNcTwJw">Kiss</a> tryout on January 17, 1973. Despite the guitar spot going to <a href="spotify:artist:62olK5zZHSgFUXGDykgBL8">Ace Frehley</a>, Kulick struck up a friendship with <a href="spotify:artist:5W0GCoUUwU3SF6qpJanlug">Paul Stanley</a> and kept in contact with the group. In the meantime, Kulick played on <a href="spotify:artist:42TFhl7WlMRXiNqzSrnzPL">Lou Reed</a>'s classic Coney Island Baby in 1976, before his first of several uncredited appearances on <a href="spotify:artist:07XSN3sPlIlB2L2XNcTwJw">Kiss</a> records occurred, when he supplied lead guitar for many of the studio tracks on side four of Alive II in 1977. His next <a href="spotify:artist:07XSN3sPlIlB2L2XNcTwJw">Kiss</a>-related session occurred a year later (and the only one where he received proper credit), when he appeared on <a href="spotify:artist:5W0GCoUUwU3SF6qpJanlug">Paul Stanley</a>'s self-titled solo album. Fast forward four years, and Kulick was invited to supply lead for another <a href="spotify:artist:07XSN3sPlIlB2L2XNcTwJw">Kiss</a> recording -- the four new studio tracks on the otherwise best-of comp Killers. Kulick's next <a href="spotify:artist:07XSN3sPlIlB2L2XNcTwJw">Kiss</a>-related happening occurred in 1984, when he recommended the group hire his younger brother as their lead guitarist, which they did. In 1989, Kulick again joined <a href="spotify:artist:5W0GCoUUwU3SF6qpJanlug">Stanley</a>, this time on the concert stage, for a short solo tour <a href="spotify:artist:5W0GCoUUwU3SF6qpJanlug">Stanley</a> launched of clubs. Additionally, Kulick has appeared on several releases by <a href="spotify:artist:7dnB1wSxbYa8CejeVg98hz">Meat Loaf</a> (including touring duties) in the '80s, as well as session work for <a href="spotify:artist:6EIXFRkQvNMjdmgoBz2Gb7">Mark Farner</a>, <a href="spotify:artist:3MdG05syQeRYPPcClLaUGl">Diana Ross</a>, <a href="spotify:artist:5c9uFWpZY2MTlk7Rft0tgp">Janis Ian</a>, and <a href="spotify:artist:3BVkDHWRvLJEyKdvhLbjsq">W.A.S.P.</a> over the years, and has produced/played on countless heavy metal tribute albums. ~ Greg Prato, Rovi