28-04-11

Q&A WITH BRUCE KULICK

While in Italy for his Unplugged&United tour I met up with Bruce in Padova, had dinner together and chatted a bit. Unfortunately we had not a proper time to run the planned video interview, so this is a small Q&A done with the man, enjoy.

BK3 was released fall last year and you received a lot of press coverage and excellent reviews everywhere. Are you satisified with the response from your fans and with the sales numbers so far?
I am very proud of the reaction to BK3! Sales are great as well.
You played some gigs with the current KISS drummer Eric Singer while on tour with ESP and you have been the last lead guitarist in KISS to have played with the late Eric Carr. What are the main differences in music style between them and how their drum playing affected your guitar playing live with them?
They play different styles of rock drumming and both are powerful drummers. I enjoy working with Mr Singer and of course have great memories of Eric Carr.
Would you like to talk about your gear you are using now with Grand Funk and ESP and what are the main differences when you were used to play in KISS?
Marshall amps of course...I use pedals with GFR and ESP. It was hard to do that with KISS.
And what about your semi acoustic you played lately while on tour with John in Italy?
Is it true it was sold at an auction in Poland at your last gig in Europe?
Not really an auction, as I couldn't fly it home. The promoter found someone to buy it and they got a great deal!

During your latest acoustic gigs I have seen people getting crazy on those intimate settings. It’s not that common to have the chance to stay one foot away from two huge artists like John and you and enjoy such a show. Did you enjoy that small tour in Italy?
I love being close to the fans. I can't imagine how interesting it must of been for the fans. They could really see my fingers work!
Have you been in contact with Gene recently and do you think there will be a chance like on BK3 to have them to collaborate with you again?
Would love that...
What your thoughts about the music industry? Any chance to see a new gold period like in the seventies and eighties?
I would love more cool bands like we have seen.
You told me is too soon now to talk about a possible new solo work, so what will be your next activities?
Busy summer with GFR. Usual sessions and writing and every day something interesting comes up!
Thanks so much for you music and your dedication and commitment to fans all over the globe, hope to meet up again soon.
Thank you for all your support!

21-12-09

BRUCE KULICK TALKS BK3 WITH DEUCENEWS

Today is a great day, Deucenews readers!

I’m pleased to host an exclusive interview with Bruce Kulick.

Bruce left KISS back in 1996, since then he released three albums with Union, one of which live, and recorded two solo albums, Audiodog and Trasformer.

Now we are in the pipeline to witness the birth of his third and best album ever BK3!

Hi Bruce, it’s amazing this is the third time we do an interview since DeuceNews.com was born and today we will talk about your third studio album! I’m listening to BK3 since a week and I must say this is your best album ever, a fresh and explosive Hard rock album with catching melodies and killer riffs! Your guitar parts are memorable, but like I stated months ago what hits you since the first listening is the huge improvement in the singing department you had. Does it come from just practising or you trained a lot in these years?

I have to thank Jeremy my producer with pushing me and giving confidence and some tips. I did take vocal lessons for a short while years ago.  But it is not a natural thing for me to do.  His efforts helped make me sing better.

You moved from a “me, me, me” recording process (I’m talking about your previous solo efforts) to this amazing album where the guests list is almost longer then the track list. What or who made you change your approach to recording new tunes?

Jeremy and I committed to a NO COMPROMISE approach to the music.  So if it meant doing things more than once, we did.  We used great studios and engineers and of course the special guests that evolved to being on the CD did an amazing job.  I am grateful for their contributions.

I would lie to you if I would not admit that listening Gene’s voice over your guitar riffs gave me chills. That tune seems coming out of Revenge, when did you write it? And did you think at Gene’s voice while writing it?

Gene and I had a few ideas, but the best one we revisited and Jeremy came into the session at Gene’s house. That day we knew we had a great song.  Gene kept singing something about “not going to die” but we worked out the lyrics at the studio the day he sang.  I think it came out killer.

And what about Nick’s singing? It's so amazing, If I close my eyes listening to “Hand Of The King” he remind me to his father’s voice, was it your idea to involve Nick or what?

I was going to ask Gene but he offered me Nick!  How perfect.  Gene knew the experience would be great for his son.  Nick was “green” as not knowing that much in the studio but he is smart and talented so he adapted and did a stellar performance.

As we said you have a lot of guests on BK3, how did you manage all their contributions?

Did you always played with them in person or was it a matter of emailed files?

They sometimes got the music files, to learn and write lyrics ideas to, but Jeremy and I recorded in person all of the performances.   I was excited about that...old school!

Did you plan their contributions or they came out by chances?

It was organic in each situation.  Gene and Nick came at the same time, and of course Eric Singer and John Corabi would always help out a fellow friend etc.  Tobias came from Eric working with him.  Lukather was an accident in that I wanted to book a studio he knew about, next thing I know we are having lunch and Jeremy is begging me to ask Luke to be on the song!  Doug Fieger was a friend from the RnR Fantasy Camp, and he was a natural to ask for “Dirty Girl”. 

An important role in BK3 is covered by Jeremy Rubolino your long time assistant, right?

Assistant is not the right word!  He has been a good friend for some time, but he approached me during Transformer saying he would like to work with me.  The time was right when we started writing in 2004 and on for BK3.  He is very talented and has a keen knowledge of music that compliments my strengths quite well.

Are both of you Pro tools fans? Can you tell us about the way you recorded and engineered BK3?

Jeremy is excellent on Pro Tools and of course we had help with some impressive engineers.
He is also very capable of recording guitars and vocals quite well, but Brian Virtue was our “go to” guy for the drums and other important track performances and mixes. I love the sonics on BK3.

When I reviewed your EP teaser for BK3 I remember I was really impressed about the whole structure of No Friend Of Mine and how John Corabi's voice interacts with your backing guitars lines, have you ever though to tour again with John?

John and I have a wonderful chemistry.  We will see what happens in the future.

Talking about touring what are your plans to promote the album? Are you going to tour in 2010,  some good news for Italy?

I don’t really know yet, but I want to.  I hope so.  I love playing for my fans in Europe.

We met briefly in Anaheim last month at the KISS concert, what do you think about the current KISS stage show and the new tunes from Sonic Boom performed live?

Sadly because of my trip the next morning to Amsterdam, I did not see the entire show.  They sounded great though.

Coming back to BK3 I listen to all the tunes over and over again and I believe this album will meet for sure the KISS fans tastes but also will please every rock lover around. Highest moments for me are Ain't Gonna Die (featuring Gene Simmons), No Friend Of Mine (featuring John Corabi) and the opening track Fate, have you a favourite song among all?

I don’t really have a favourite song… for me the most personal is “I’ll Survive”.

You told me you would have loved to take part of a KISS revenge era reunion tour (and I would love to be there!!!), do you thing this thing may happen someday?

I have no idea, but it is not something I think about too often.

Thanks again Bruce for spending your time with us and hope to see you soon

Thanks again for your support!

www.kulick.net

www.facebook.com/officialbrucekulick

www.myspace.com/brucekulickmusic

Copyright www.deucenews.com  2009, to be reproduced only by author permission

BK3 TRACK BY TRACK REVIEW & SAMPLES

Bruce Kulick left KISS back in 1996, since then he released three albums with Union, one of which live, and recorded two solo albums, Audiodog and Trasformer.

He is a permanent member of another iconic American Band Grand Funk Railroad , with whom he is touring heavily trough out the States. BK3 is his third and long awaited solo album, in the works for nearly six years and produced by long time friend and assistant Jeremy Rubolino will be out on 29^Th January 2010 via Frontiers Records.

I must say BK3 is his best album ever, a fresh and explosive Hard Rock album with catching melodies and killer riffs. His guitar parts are memorable, but he has now proven also a huge improvement in the singing department. The album is a 11+1 tracks journey through many styles and episodes with one common element: the amazing poetry of Bruce’s guitars work.

Highest moments Ain't Gonna Die (featuring Gene Simmons), No Friend Of Mine (featuring John Corabi) and the opening track Fate.

Fate 8/10 What an opener! Fate (co-written by Kevin Churko, known for his work with Ozzy Osbourne), is a hard, up tempo, song that hits you between the eyes.

Bruce’s rap at the beginning of the song shows a “take no prisoner attitude” proper of a youngster.

Clean and melodic solo in between.

Ain’t Gonna Die (feat. Gene Simmons) 9/10 Gene’s voice over Bruce guitar licks….this is Bruce’s Revenge! Perfect mix of melodic lines and raw guitar parts, Ain’t gonna die is an anthemic tune that will stick on your mind. Personally I would have not added the background strings in the bridge, but without no doubt this is one of the highest moments of the album, the coda at the end of the song reminds at some Jimy Hendrix psychedelic trip.

No Friends of mine (feat. John Corabi) 9/10 An acoustic guitar arpeggio open up to a ferocious riff of Childhood's End memory... John Corabi's voice starts crafting a catchy melody that goes in and out through the backing guitars which display at a full range Bruce's amazing skills. This is the tune you keep on playing on your recorder and you never get bored about, each time you listen to it, you hear something new and different from the previous run; great song and wonderful lyrics!

Hand Of The King (feat Nick Simmons) 8/10 A mid tempo riff introduces the listener to a growing voice, if you close your eyes the demon’s face will appear on your mind, but this is his son Nick, by fact with a lower and probably warmer register then his father.  Thunderous solo on this one.

I’ll survive 7/8 Melodic and almost acoustic song that gives us an intimate Bruce, very convincing behind the microphone. Very cool ballad that at times reminds to certain Pink Floyd tunes.

Dirty Girl (feat. Doug Fieger) 8/10 Doug, the never forgotten frontman from The Knack, lands his voice on a “soon-to-be pop classic”, a very 70^th ish tune. I would not be surprise to find it on heavy rotation airplay on classic rock radio station.

Final Mile 7/10 Once again Bruce on vocals and another “classic” Bruce tune. A romantic ballad with a spicy guitar juice all over it, very classy and well produced.

I'm The Animal 8/10 (feat. Tobias Sammett  and Eric Singer) Avantasia meets Union. An epic Rock tune with so many faces: Tobias ferocious vocals , the thunderous Eric on drums and Bruce guitar soloing [with a bit of his Star Spangled Banner solo]…what a dream for our ears!!

And I Know  Bruce, Bruce, Bruce! The song itself is a classic '80s rock tune, an happy song with a strong melody and a cool guitars work on the bridge and in the chorus; Bruce has made a tremendous step forward, and this album shows Bruce's strongest vocals ever. You feel him while singing, with an intensity and a confidence that I never get from him in his previous works.

Between The Lines (feat. Steve Lukather) 8/10 A battle of guitars. Steve Lukather and Bruce fight on the powerful rhythm carpet built by Haslip and Aronoff. Cool and killer guitar playing throughout the tune, quite like a sort of time machine that brings us the consummate guitar master of nowadays from the young Bruce of KKB. Amazing duet that never ever leaves the listener lost on arid technicalities but let him walk along with melodies and heavy riffs.

Life 7/10 Life, almost an Irish ballad, is an introspective journey painted by Bruce’s soft touches both on vocals then on guitar. So catchy and romantic that pushes you to press the repeat button and keep on listening BK3 from track 1 again.

Fabio "Deuce" Mainardi

BK3 songs credits:

Fate - Kevin Churko, Bruce Kulick (BK), Jeremy Rubolino (JR)
Ain't Gonna Die - Gene Simmons, BK, JR
No Friend of Mine - John Corabi, BK, JR
Hand of the King - Nick Simmons, BK, JR
I'll Survive - BK, JR
Dirty Girl - BK, JR
Final Mile - Dan Lavery, BK, JR
I'm The Animal - Tobias Sammet, BK, JR
And I Know - BK, JR
Between The Lines - BK, JR
Life - BK, JR

Bonus track for Europe, Skydome from his first solo album, Audiodog.

Copyright www.deucenews.com  2009, to be reproduced only by author permission

17-12-09

BK3 UPDATES: HAND OF THE KING FIRST SINGLE

Hand Of Tthe King, featuring vocals by Nick Simmons will be released on January 12th as the first single from BK3.

Frontiers Records has recently announced January 29th 2010 as launch date set for the album which will contain 11 new songs plus a bonus track for Europe.

Ready to come a track by track review of the album, stay tuned!

28-09-09

NEW LOOK FOR BRUCE KOOL!!!

To celebrate the impending release of BK3, KULICK.net has got a new look! This redesign is an ongoing process, but hopefully you like what you see so far. So, enjoy the site's new look, listen to the songs from the BK3 EP on our home page music player, and get ready for the complete BK3 album coming soon! The album's complete track listing is as follows:
1. Fate
2. Ain't Gonna Die (featuring Gene Simmons)
3. No Friend Of Mine (featuring John Corabi)
4. Hand of the King (featuring Nick Simmons)
5. I'll Survive
6. Dirty Girl (featuring Doug Fieger)
7. Final Mile
8. I'm The Animal (featuring Tobias Sammet & Eric Singer)
9. And I Know
10. Between The Lines (featuring Steve Lukather)
11. Life

Welcome to the new KULICK.net!

Why do you tour only in Europe and not in the U.S.?
I have many friends there, which would be more then happy to see ESP live.
The American market is too vast for us, you know.
In the U.S. tours mean to travel long distances with obvious consequences on the costs side, without considering the very high number of bands around.
Only in Los Angeles, where we live, there are an incredible number of local groups, the competition is sky high.
Here in Europe is quite different, we can condense in a few days a large number of dates and optimize the logistics that is significantly different from what’s in our home land.
Then we organize some dates along with KISSKonvention, so we also do Q&A sessions and the fans are so happy about it, like we did in Germany and then in Norway and Sweden.
I turn my head for a while to take a note where I wrote the salient data of the next Bruce album (BK3) and Eric comes in, I say hallo and he looks puzzled, he turns to Bruce questioning with his eyes.
And Bruce goes: press!
Yes, press! I feel important!
He keeps on talking
I tour a lot with Grand Funk Railroad, which have a remarkable success in all the U.S., and I enjoy playing with them a lot and, by the way, this activity represents for me more than half of my earnings too.
We hope that there will be many people here tonight!
Indeed. We are so many here who believe that the best KISS line up ever from a technical point of view has been the one with you and Eric!
Thank you!

So how the work is going with your new album?
Really well!
I am very happy how the songs are coming out, and especially about all the musicians which played with me, it's an honour and a great satisfaction.
To work again with Gene was amazing, and Nick (Simmons) was so cool, a fantastic voice, similar to his father but more groovy, almost blues.
This is the list of guest stars to date:
Gene Simmons (KISS)
Eric Singer (KISS, Alice Cooper band)
Brent Fitz (Union, ESP)
John Corabi (Motley Crue, Union, ESP)
Jimmy Haslip (Jack Black & session player for KISS)
Jeremy Rubolino (Bruce and assistant engineer)
Nick Tweed Simmons (Hands of God)
Tobias Sammet (Avantasia)
Doug Fieger (The Knack)
Steve Lukather (Toto, Peter Criss 1978).
While talking, he handle me a cardboard like a business card with the promo photo of BK3 that recently appeared on his site, www.kulick.net,  and that you may find also here.
Hey nice!
Do you like it?, I did it on purpose to promote the album, what do you think?
Cool, it’s nice also the idea to put on the back the photo that shows the neck of a guitar with three fingers on to form a power chord
They should recall the “3” of the title BK3.
Actually the title is not 100% final, but I thought that the initials BK I use for years to sign and the number 3 that represent my third solo work was as effective as a title.
Also I didn’t want to come out with names or phrases too fancy or bizarre.
Reading your blog I have listed almost 17 titles, will they wind up as songs on BK3?
Let me see! (I show him my list)
No! Give me that paper (he takes the pen I was writing with and starts to tick and write notes on the list)
I started working on this project almost two years ago and then, because of my many commitments, I had to put on hold the work, so which were song ideas for new tunes remained only titles while other titles have been added, becoming tunes I actually recorded.
Currently these are the songs just released:
01. I will survive
02. And I know
03. No friend of mine (John Corabi on vocals)
04. Life
05. It's never enough (Doug Fieger on vocals)
06. Is not gonna die (co-written with Gene Simmons on vocals)
07. Hand of the King (Co-written with Nick Tweed Simmons on vocals)
08. Instrumental (with Steve Lukather)
09. I am the animal (Tobias Sammet on vocals, Eric Singer on drums)

The music is a mix of the Union sound, Stone temple pilot and KISS.
And for what concern KISS kind of production it reminds the one we had on the albums Revenge and COS.
WOW, cool, Revenge and C.O.S. are among the KISS albums I like the most!
Well also for me Revenge is one of the best KISS albums.
Oh yes and what about C.O.S.? You played so great on it.
Yes, but not everybody liked it! (He laughs)
And among the many there is a certain Paul (Stanley)! Don’t ever talk to him about that record!
Would you like to listen to some of the songs?”
I hide badly my enthusiasm and I go: Wow, yeah!
OK I go to my room and I bring you my iPod ....
2 minutes later he’s back and he handles me his MP3 player and his professional headphones… I listen to:

Is not gonna die (co-written with Gene Simmons, with Brent Fitz on drums)
Hand of the King (Co-written with Nick Tweed Simmons)
Instrumental (the title has not yet been defined, with Steve Lukather)
I am the animal (Tobias Sammet on vocals and Eric Singer on drums)
And I know (BK on vocals)

Is not gonna die
The song starts, powerful guitar riff and the hoarse voice of Gene fill my ears .... chills, amazing!
The production is great, the guitar parts are woven deeply and Gene pulls out all its wickedness and his romance  ... cool, cool, cool!
At the end there is an instrumental coda that recalls exotic rhythms with echoes in the background of Gene grazing.
Hand of the king
Stunning! Nick has the same stamp of his father voice, but lower, warmer, the song has amazing vibe, and the guitars.... Great Bruce!
Instrumental
A battle of guitars which run in and out
Before I start listen to it, Bruce explain me he is on the right channel and Steve (or Luke as his friends call him) predominantly on the left one.
Wonderful, I would name it Ocean ... this is the image that came to mind while listening to it with closed eyes.
I am the animal
Tobias's voice is unmistakable and the piece is a great piece of epic rock, with Eric drumming fiercely thundering.
Bruce tells me that it was Eric to introduce him Tobias, he did not know him and he did not know what to expect from him
When he started singing I was open mouth, very cool, what a power.
And you may feel it all on the song!
And I know
Bruce, Bruce, Bruce!
It could be called a classic BK tune, but with something more, the vocals!
Bruce has made a tremendous step forward.
I worked hard, I am glad you like it, honestly it is really a great improvement for my voice.

Bruce, I can't wait the release date, have you an idea when it will be ready and how you will distribute it?
I am glad you like it, I am very happy too.
I think that might be ready by April and then could be distributed by middle of the year, but do not want to rush things.
At the same time I do not want to tell you a date right now, when I’ll be sure I’ll let you know.
I do not want to create false expectations or keep on repeating that the album is almost done and then never releasing it...
I’m very proud of what I’ve done ‘till now and I want to do things right.
Also Gene told me that it is a very high level product and certainly many labels could be interested.
I have some contacts, but you know which is the record industry situation and especially record labels, today they exist tomorrow they are gone out of business.
I am very tempted to go out with an EP meanwhile, to let everybody know what I'm doing and that the product is there, not just words on a blog.
I’m now taken by the conversation, it seems to me to be with a friend chatting and I go, well, I would no to do the EP thing; perhaps it would be enough to put a few samples on the net.
The songs are stunning; they deserve to be all at once on an album!
“Let's see, I'm still thinking about the cover and the packaging.
I am glad what I did for the previous CD, but I want to do something different this time, at the same quality level of the music and at the same time I do not want to overdo it, for example with references to my past career in KISS.
It would be easy to use even the same font of Destroyer or create links to past KISS album covers, I want to do something classy, but it should be mine, it should be BK.
I’ll keep you informed on developments.
You all can leave your e-mails here , and when I’ll be back home I’ll begin to update you.
Thanks Bruce, congratulations again!
Thank you.
Let me know when you will edit the interview.
Now I must go to get ready for the show.
See you at sound check.
See you!