All images courtesy of Bruce Kulick/Header image credit: William Hames


By Andrew Daly
andrew@vinylwriter.com

Through the lens of dissolution, Bruce Kulick and John Corabi came together, bonded through mutual pain, and a love for music.

Heedlessly cast aside in the wake of two reunions, for the first time in years, Kulick and Corabi found themselves mutually snake bitten, and without a net in a harsh, and unforgiving business.

Unsure of how to move forward, Kulick resolved to form his own group, and through happenstance, the ESP-slinging guitarist was introduced to underexposed vocalist, John Corabi, and his heartfelt, soul-baring form of songwriting.

The kinship between the two relegated stars was immediate, and after an impromptu jam session at Kulick’s home, the duo’s answer to the world was Union, a band set to ride the rough road ahead through grassroots fortitude, and unrelenting songsmith.

“Going into it, we certainly weren’t looking at Union to be something where I was lighting my hair on fire or blowing up the stage,” said Kulick. “It was going to be about the music. Despite the surface differences, the chemistry with John was immediate.”

With no directive other than to do what came naturally, and go for it, Union enlisted veteran drummer Brent Fitz, and then rounded out the lineup with melodic, thundering bassist, Jamie Hunting, and hit Curt Cuomo’s home studio to begin recording what would become Union (1998), an eventual cult classic that shocked the system of a decade steeped in grunge through a heartfelt, yet hard-edged style seldom seen in the era.

After years of playing the world’s biggest stages with KISS and Mötley Crüe, the brutal reality of a back-to-basics club tour was stark, but with the assistance of a small, but loyal fanbase dubbed the “Union Work Force,” Kulick and his cohorts undertook one of the grittiest tours of their careers and remained a relentless force night in, and night out, no matter the stage size, or venue conditions.

The critical response to Union was nothing short of watershed, but without the support of a major label, and the ignorance of the pop-consuming world, Union found itself buried in a scene bristling with Nirvana wannabees, and teeny bopper tunes.

Defiant in the stony face of defeat, Kulick, Corabi, Fitz, and Hunting reconvened in the studio for one last shot at glory, and once again, recorded a triumphant affair in The Blue Room (2000), a record steeped in duality bred through jinxed luck.

If Union is to be remembered for its hard-edged, pop sensibilities, then The Blue Room is to be remembered as a soul-stripping lament, reflecting the raw emotion of a band on the ropes, belligerently refusing to lay down.

Still, by the dawn of the new millennium, Union was no more. Kulick and his bandmates ultimately laid the group to rest after continued commercial indifference forced their hand.

While it would be easy for Kulick to feel vexed, instead, the veteran guitarist avoids looking back in anger, keeping his gaze fixed on the meaning and legacy of the group.

“I have to admit that Union, it had certain trials and tribulations,” said Kulick. “You know, life was hard there for a while, but I was always, and still am very proud of the music. And I still think a lot of that music holds up now.”

Kulick recently connected with me via phone to recollect the history, trials, and enduring legacy of Union, one of the late 90s most underexposed bands.

Andrew:
In the wake of being jettisoned from KISS, what was your state of mind like leading up to the formation of Union?

Bruce:
Well, I certainly didn’t know what to do, but I knew that I was gonna have to start from the ground up. You know, you get pretty comfortable in a band like KISS, and even though you’re not the one making the decisions, you’re still contributing creatively when they ask. But the job, it’s just there, if you know what I mean. With KISS, it’s a huge band, so you don’t have to think about the fans, really, because they’re going to be there. I mean, in the sense of building a fan base, you’re going to do the best you can, and then it’s going to just evolve naturally from there. But at the end of the day, it’s still KISS, and you’re going to be able to tour, you’re going to be able to perform, and really, in my case at least, you don’t have to make any big decisions. So, when that ended, all of a sudden, for me it was kind of like getting kicked out of your house or your family. I was on my own, and I wasn’t sure what I should do.

Andrew:
From there, how did John Corabi enter the picture?

Bruce:
Well, I talked to some business people that I respected, and I remember that it was actually Larry Mazer. Many will remember that Larry had managed KISS for quite a few of my years with the band, from Hot in the Shade through Revenge and Alive III. So, I talked with Larry, and he said, “Why don’t you work with John Corabi?” Larry was a big fan of John’s, and I knew of John, but I didn’t know him personally. So, I thought about it, and I felt that it was a worthy meeting. After that, John came over to my home in West Hollywood, and we had chemistry right away. We started to play some guitars, talked about music, and talked about our personal experiences. And even though I think we’re two very different people in some ways, with John being the guy with the tattoos, the piercings, and the wild hairdos, still, we had a common ground of musical tastes.

Andrew:
In my conversation with John, he recalls that the two of you wrote “Around Again” during that initial meeting. Is that your recollection as well?

Bruce:
Yes, that’s true. You know, lyrically, John was really great at putting together a storyline, whereas I might tweak a line or a word here and there. But I know that John has a very deep way of expressing himself, which is part of his songwriting talent. And he can come up with riffs, and he knows that I can come up with riffs, melodies, and chordal things along with him too. So, with “Around Again,” I really think that there was a bit of karma within the lyrics of that song, and I think that John used Union as a big way of sharing all his inner turmoil between Mötley Crüe dumping him, and he was going through a bad relationship ending as well. And I was separated from my soon-to-be ex-wife at the time, and I was suddenly without KISS, so we both had a lot to share, and bond over.

All images courtesy of Bruce Kulick/Image credit: William Hames

Andrew:
You mentioned Larry Mazer, who ultimately managed Union. I know that Larry was a big supporter of what you contributed to KISS on Revenge, so it makes sense that he would have gravitated toward what you were doing with Union. What was his initial vision?

Bruce:
Well, this was unlike him walking into KISS where he might have said, “Gene, don’t stick out your tongue out so much,” or “Paul, stop with the girl’s panties onstage. [Laughs]. With Union, Larry just wanted us to be ourselves, write the best songs that we could, and get out there and perform. I mean, there wasn’t any gimmick, you know? Like, with KISS, they came from the makeup years, and then would always have the most elaborate shows that they could afford to perform, but with Union, we had to start from the ground up. So, Larry was happy with the material, he thought everything was great, and he was as supportive as he could be. So, I think the direction was basically just, “Do the best you can.”

Andrew:
How did Brent Fitz and Jamie Hunting then enter the fold?

Bruce:
Well, I can tell you that initially, I was very happy to meet John Corabi because I thought the chemistry was great. So then, like any band, you’ve got to figure out, “Okay, are we four-piece? Are we a horn group? What are we gonna do?” [Laughs]. After thinking about it, we eventually gravitated towards the four-piece configuration where John could sing and play some guitar, with me on lead guitar, of course. So, we needed a great bass player and a great drummer to round that out. And then I met Brent Fitz, who I still currently work with when I do the KISS Kruises, and when I do my solo shows too. So, I met Brent, I liked him a lot, and I thought he’d be a great addition to Union. The bass player was the last person we added, which as history shows was Jamie Hunting. So, we looked at a few people, and then one night we saw Jamie performing at an industry party. I watched him, and I was very impressed with his talent, and it was just natural to invite him to join Union. After that, it was the four of us, and we were rolling.

Andrew:
Can you reveal who the other notables that you looked at to play bass were?

Bruce:
Well, for example, there’s a guy who is still in touch with Brent a bit that I recently had some contact with, and he reminded me how he did a session for John and me on a tribute record. His name is Chaz Butcher. So, we got to talking, and he happened to say to me, “You know, both you and John were interested in me being in Union.” And it’s funny, I know that we talked to a few people, but I didn’t remember that until Chaz reminded me of it. There was another bassist that I think went on to join a fairly popular band, and I’m not remembering his name or the band. [Laughs]. But yes, there was one other guy that we talked to, I just can’t remember who. But like I said, with Jamie, it was clear to us as soon as we saw him play at this event that he should be our bass player. It was just the way he played, and the way he looked; he was perfect.

Andrew:
With Eric Singer being jettisoned from KISS along with you, was he ever considered for Union’s drumming vacancy?

Bruce:
You know, for some reason, my recollection was that Eric wasn’t looking to join a band. And I didn’t necessarily want Union to be a band half comprised of former members of KISS either. But I really never believed that Eric wanted to be in a band anyway. And it never really came up where I got the chance to say, “Eric, you’ve got to be in Union,” because in my mind, Union was not something Eric would have wanted to do. And yet, years later – and it’s not like Eric came to me and said this – but I would hear things from others like, “Eric doesn’t know why he wasn’t asked to be in Union.” I have to be honest with you, I found that kind of funny because the recollection I had was that he wasn’t looking to join another band at that time.

Now, who knows what that would have looked like had Eric joined? I don’t think Union would have been necessarily more successful though. But I just find such a disconnect in someone making the comment that Eric wanted to be in Union. If he did, it was news to me because I didn’t think he wanted to be in a band. And to this day, I think to myself, “Maybe I should ask Eric, ‘Did you really want to be in Union?’” [Laughs]. Thinking on it, if I had asked, I don’t think Eric would have said, “No.” I mean, even if he didn’t wanna do it, knowing Eric, he probably would have done it anyway. [Laughs].

All images courtesy of Bruce Kulick/Image credit: William Hames

Andrew:
Union ultimately signed with Mayhem Records. Given the band’s pedigree, was there any major label interest?

Bruce:
No, all we could get was an indie record contract. Eddie Trunk has done whole shows around this topic, so it’s been well documented, but when Nirvana came out, they basically dismantled everything around them. The whole Seattle thing really affected rock music, and a lot of labels just completely turned their backs on anything and everyone that came before. So, suddenly, it was hard for guys like us to get a deal, you know? It didn’t matter where you came from either, because I came from KISS, and even though KISS kind of crosses over some of the boundaries, my version of KISS was certainly more along the metal spectrum.

So, no matter what the pedigree of the band was, it just didn’t matter at that point. Using KISS as an example, Revenge wasn’t a platinum album, but it should have been. The Revenge Tour should have continued on, but it couldn’t. And all of that was because of this new vibe, this new sound, this new type of music, and this new movement that was started by Nirvana. Now, don’t get me wrong, I can’t criticize that. They were fresh and new, they were powerful, and everybody loves a new thing. To this day, it seems like every 10 years there’s a bit of a change in what people get passionate about when it comes to music. So, the result of that was that no label would take us seriously. There was no major label interest in Union. Absolutely none.

Andrew:
What went into choosing Curt Cuomo as producer for Union’s debut?

Bruce:
Well, Paul Stanley introduced me to Curt, and he had become a good friend of mine, and I was writing songs with him. And Curt really loved John, they were both Italian, and they just hit it off. After that, we started writing the songs, Curt, John, and I, and then we started recording in Curt’s home studio. From there, we wound up going and taking a lot of those demos, moving into a bigger studio, and finishing the songs.

Andrew:
What sort of an effect did Curt have on you from a playing standpoint?

Bruce:
Oh, Kurt was very supportive of me following my instincts. I think his best contributions were more based on helping shape the songs, and helping John with lyrical things. I didn’t take many directions from Curt lead guitar-wise, but Curt did serve as a very good sounding board for John, myself, and the rest of the band. I do know that Curt was very upset when we used another producer for the second record. I didn’t mean to freak him out, it was kind of a band decision to try someone new. It wasn’t because Curt didn’t do a good job, you know, it was nothing like that. It wasn’t that Curt didn’t do a great job because he really did.

All images courtesy of Bruce Kulick/Image originally appeared in Metal Edge Magazine

Andrew:
Your approach to your leads on Union was distinct to be sure. How would you say it differed from the approach you might have taken with a KISS record, for example?

Bruce:
Well, look, Gene and Paul, depending on whose song it was, certainly, they would have a point of view or like a flavor in their mind for how they think the solo could be, so if I wasn’t instinctually there, they would then jump in. Now, with Union, when we were recording the album, it’s not that I wouldn’t have wanted John or somebody else to say something if things aren’t developing, or add in something good for the song but I was more in control. I didn’t have to worry about Gene and Paul critiquing it, and in essence, with Union, most of the songs were co-written by me anyway, so I didn’t really need a lot of direction.

But with the second record, Bob Marlette, being another really talented producer, and engineer, like Curt, but having a pedigree with Frank Zappa, and people like that, he would at times jump in with an opinion here and there. It might be about where to start on the solo, what octave, or whatever, but fortunately, I really didn’t struggle a lot with what to play. To be honest, it was always pretty fluid, and that’s why when I listen back to some of the solos, I’m always pleased. I don’t feel like I was forced to try something I wasn’t comfortable with.

Andrew:
“Love (I Don’t Need it Anymore)” is one of my favorite songs. What are its origins?

Bruce:
We were just messing around, and John started with that really interesting intro riff, and Curt jumped right in and said, “You’ve got something there.” I remember I just contributed certain sections, I mean, it’s kind of funny, now we’re going back enough years that I struggle with some of the minutiae of who did what, but I liked that it was hard rock, a little edgy, but also pop. And I remember that at one point, Brent challenged us and said, “Are you sure this chorus is right?” I was surprised because, to me, it was one of the most right choruses on the whole album. [Laughs]. So, I looked at him and I said, “Yeah, I do. I think it’s really good.” And it turned out to be a popular song – not that we ever had a hit single or anything – but it’s certainly one of the key tracks that we were known for.

Andrew:
“Tangerine” is another standout. Can you recollect its inception, Bruce?

Bruce:
That was another crazy riff from John. You know, I love when John dials in something that’s distinctly him. John, you know, he always goes to a Zeppelin or Aerosmith type of vibe but done his way, and I could jump right into that genre very well, so we worked well together in that way. So again, with “Tangerine,” it was edgy but there were pop elements to it. With that, Curt was important as well, because he was able to help with the background vocals that Brent and Jamie added. Even though those guys never sang lead, they really had great voices to add to songs like that. It’s a pretty cool track, but I mean, there isn’t a song of ours where I’m like, “Oh, I never liked that one.” On both of the Union records, I really loved every song.

Andrew:
While he’s revered for his voice, John is oftentimes overlooked as a guitarist, and it seems he was instrumental to Union in that capacity. How would you describe your interplay with John as opposed to Paul Stanley?

Bruce:
Well, in some ways, John is more similar to Paul, in the sense that, as you probably are aware, Paul can play some leads, but it’s just he’s not super fluid on lead guitar. And Paul knows that but there are songs from the KISS catalog that he chose to play the lead guitar on, not so much in my era, but certainly in the makeup days. Now, John could probably pull off a solo, and he’s been doing some soloing on his more recent solo material, but he isn’t as fluid as me. So, I always respected John, especially as a strong rhythm player, who could come up with parts and write great riffs, but as a lead player, he just wasn’t as fluid. That doesn’t make him a bad player by any means, but he’s not going to be featured as a lead guitar player in the band. I mean, take The Beatles for instance; John Lennon played very uniquely, and he sometimes was the lead guitarist, so that’s sort of how I’d view it. With that being said, it didn’t come up for us in Union for me to be like, “Okay, John. Now you take the lead, go ahead.”

All images courtesy of Bruce Kulick/Image credit: Williams Hames

Andrew:
Your contributions and influence on KISS’ Carnival of Souls are well documented, but I assume not everything you brought to the table made it onto the record. Was there anything that you demoed for Carnival of Souls that ended up on the first Union record?

Bruce:
Yes, there was. The one that really sticks out that I can be positive about was “Old Man Wise.” The whole intro of it and everything, that whole vibe was something I worked on with Gene and that I had presented to Gene and he liked it. And during the sessions for Carnival of Souls we were fooling around with it, but we never turned it into a song. I knew that it was a really good, edgy riff; a little grungy, but it was just very catchy. So, I brought it to the studio, John and I jumped all over it, and it became the very first song on the first album, which was great.

Andrew:
In the wake of the album’s release, you experienced a critical windfall but struggled commercially. It seems that Union was in a unique position of having veteran players but also being an entirely new band. So, I would assert that Union fell into a gray area commercially. Would you agree?

Bruce:
Yeah, I think that’s fair. I think we had some great things going for us meaning; okay, you’ve got two guys that are known for being in some other big bands, but both of those bands moved on in a very big way. Mötley Crüe finally refound themselves with Vince Neil and they started to rebuild that, and KISS certainly went on to do something incredibly huge by being back in makeup. And when that happened, it just left my era in complete disarray, and in some ways, it made my whole era inconsequential. Of course, time has been very kind to my era of KISS and now my years are much more revered and respected, but at the time, when Union was coming out, it didn’t mean it a whole lot. And again, we were just lumped into that category of the old guard in an era when the new guard was in, and so we just didn’t get a break. If we had gotten a tour with one of those bulletproof bands who no matter what the flavor of music is, you know, let’s say an Alice Cooper tour or something, we would have maybe had some exposure. But we couldn’t gain traction, and we didn’t get offered any significant tours like that. And that made for a very hard road to travel, and eventually, of course, made it impossible to continue.

Andrew:
Tell me a little bit about the Union Work Force and the grassroots club tour Union embarked on in support of the first record. After so many years with KISS, it must have been a shock to the system.

Andrew:
Well, I knew I had to go back to a very low-budget version of touring, and as hard as that was, I really did believe in the music and the band. I do remember that the fans were incredible. I mean, those people got it, and as much as they might have been excited about KISS being back in makeup, they didn’t forget me. They loved our music, they’d show up, they’d help sell the merchandise, they’d be our runners, and they would just be so supportive. I’m still friends with quite a few of them from back then, and that’s not such a common thing when you think about it. Sure, every band has true fans, but do The Rolling Stones stay in touch with a couple of regular fans? I’m not so sure. I mean, even Gene and Paul have some über fans that they know and stay in touch with.

It’s always interesting when bands do get close with some fans, and without them, I don’t think Union could have survived those primitive tours. So, I want to thank them, and like I said, I’m still friends with some of them. They really made a tough situation just a little less painful by being supportive and helping us out. And the people who did the newsletters, sent emails, or whatever they did, I mean, let’s face it: they were huge for us. But with every band, the fans are what make it, because really, they make you known, make you successful, and give you the opportunity. So, I’m very grateful for that.

All images courtesy of Bruce Kulick/Image credits: Daniella Clarke

Andrew:
Live at the Galaxy was recorded on that initial tour, right?

Bruce:
Yeah, it was on the first tour. Basically, since Cinderella was going to record that night, we were going to record too. I know there’s guitar feedback on it and mix issues, but people did enjoy it, and I am happy to say that Live at the Galaxy has been licensed for a release on vinyl. But to be honest, I kind of wish we had a little more preparation for that particular show. Like, it would have been nice if we had a photographer of our own grabbing shots of that performance, but we didn’t. I would have loved to have not been opening for another band so that we would have had a little more control over soundcheck. So, quite honestly, I’m happy we did it, but we really didn’t do it the way it should be done, and not the way I’d do it now. But for back then, it was what it was, and it represents archival audio, and it’s cool to hear us live.

Sound and circumstances aside, it was released the way it was, and now it’s going to come out on vinyl. I think it’s important to get it out there so that people can hear what we sounded like live, and that we really could execute those songs each night the way we did. You know, no matter how amazing the venue was, or what a toilet it was, we always played well. We had a guy like John out front, we had an amazing rhythm section, and I’ve been there and back playing both huge stages, and shit holes around the world. [Laughs]. I know how to handle a concert stage, I’ve been everywhere, and John’s the same, so I think we really were very effective, and always solid no matter where we played.

Andrew:
What led to the move to Spitfire Records, as well as the shift to Bob Marlette as producer for The Blue Room?

Bruce:
Well, Spitfire just wound up buying Mayhem, so that’s how we ended up there. And more or less, with Bob Marlette, it was just trying somebody new. I don’t remember who recommended him, but I knew he was talented, and that he could do similar things to Curt but with a little bit better credits under his belt. Now that wasn’t the reason per see, but I was pleased with the result. I mean, he wasn’t like my personal friend like Curt was at the time, but I think Bob put together a solid record for us in The Blue Room. I really never did like the artwork for the cover though, but as we know, the rerelease has different artwork anyway.

Andrew:
In the wake of the first record, and the club tour, what was Union’s collective mindset going into The Blue Room sessions?

Bruce:
Well, you know, I think it was basically, “Let’s do it again, and maybe people will notice.” I mean, we knew that we were always going to be trying to climb a mountain. That said, we did love the music that we were creating, and we got along. Of course, at times, because things really were hard, we would argue and things would become a little more complicated. But that’s because, well, let’s look at it like this: if a flight gets canceled, how nice are all the passengers on the plane after they all have to change their plans, and make different arrangements? Everybody’s grumpy and in a shitty mood, right? I think that maybe that’s a good analogy for the struggling tour, and what we had gone through. But we pulled it together to do a great record, and I’m very proud of The Blue Room too.

Andrew:
One of my favorite tracks on The Blue Room is “Shine.” I’ve always felt that you’re an exemplary acoustic player and that prowess features heavily on that track. How did that one come together?

Bruce:
Again, a great title idea from John. As I recall, John worked on that with Bob Marlette and decided to add a lot of different instruments. We knew Bob had experience with trying and experimenting with a million things. You know, “Shine” really was incredible to me audio-wise, and it’s very interesting, and I gotta admit that it came out great. Looking back, I am very proud of that song, and while I can’t remember all the elements that went into it, I do remember we added some strings to it, which was cool. Now, they weren’t actually real strings, but Bob had a great sample for them, and it just sounds crazy. I love what Jamie was playing on that one too, he really laid down a great bassline. It’s also a very uplifting song, which is not typical for like a heavy rock band, but really, it’s just another example of the fact that there are some great moments on that record, and really, on both albums. I thought we had such a good variance of material, and we certainly made music that we were proud of, and hopefully, people will keep enjoying it, and discovering it. I’m gonna have to crank up that song later. [Laughs].

All images courtesy of Bruce Kulick/Image credits: Daniella Clarke

Andrew:
The Blue Room was leaked through Napster just weeks before its official release. How big of an ill effect did that have on its fortunes?

Bruce:
I’m not sure if that had such a big effect because back then it was still about record sales, and the sales were low and getting lower. With so many different new bands and everything, we just didn’t have those touring opportunities I mentioned earlier that made sense, and that would have helped us. It just wasn’t sustainable. I’m telling you, and I’m not trying to be pessimistic, and I didn’t feel like we lost, but I just felt like there wasn’t a market for us. There weren’t enough KISS fans to support it. I mean, look at how poorly Carnival of Souls did. So, I knew I’d just have to move on, and that’s what I did.

Andrew:
Walk me through the decision to put Union to rest in the wake of those hardships.

Bruce:
Well, it just got to a point where we almost only could survive by selling some merchandise, and at a paltry profit to boot. I just felt like the market was not there for us. I knew we did good work, and we backed that up on tour, and we’d have offers from Europe to go play, but it would be barely enough to get over there and do it, let alone make any actual money. I just couldn’t justify continuing and killing myself, and I realized that it was time to just take a step back, and put Union on pause. And once I did that, sure enough, other opportunities started to come for everybody.

Andrew:
In the ensuing years, Union’s cult following has only grown stronger. With that in mind, what sparked the initial conversations to reissue the back catalog on vinyl?

Bruce:
Well, as you know, we have supporters and some of them are in the industry, and finally, one of them actually said, “Wait a minute, vinyl is popular again, these Union records have got to come out. I know who to call. I think I can put this together.” And so a friend of the band, who’s in the industry, is this guy named Pete Merluzzi, he went for it, and he had our full support. Because none of us were going to go lay out the money it would take to secure it, ship it, and make it a reality. So, Pete, he wound up partnering with Deko Entertainment who licensed the records, and who certainly could help to create this opportunity to get the music to the people. Well, they made it happen, and it sold out very quickly, and I think they saw that it was successful enough, and all of a sudden, they contacted the people that own rights to Live at the Galaxy, and now that will be coming out early next year.

So, again, it took a supportive business and some friends of ours who knew how to get that going. And I do want everyone to know, technically, it’s not the band that put it out per see. I do a lot of things on my own, like, if you want to buy my solo records, you’re buying it from my webstore, but the Union records were not available through my personal webstore, or John’s. But that’s only because it was properly licensed from the label that owns it, they have our support, and we even did some signed albums and things like that. I thought it was a good deal all around for everybody to experience the music, and I know that on a business level, nobody got hurt. So, everybody wins, and I’m very happy about it.

Andrew:
Given the struggles Union faced in its heyday, how gratifying and also surprising was it that after all these years, the cult following appears more muscular than ever?

Bruce:
I have to be honest, over the years, so many people used to ask me about reissues, so I wasn’t surprised when they sold out the way they did. It’s important to remember though that with these reissues, they weren’t talking about huge numbers, even though I’m hearing that they may try to make more because they sold out so quickly. I’m not gonna lie though, it does feel good. And of course, the question lingers: will we ever do anything again? And I’m never going to say never, but I don’t know what that looks like, or when that would be yet.

Andrew:
When you look back on Union, Bruce, how do you quantify its meaning and legacy to you personally?

Bruce:
I always like to think of the positives, which is we made music that I’m still very proud of. I try not to think about the disappointment of not connecting to enough people, or more people checking it out. It was just the timing of it, you know? I really do believe that we could have been much more successful, but I have to accept the fact that at least we’re leaving a legacy of some solid music behind, and people can always discover that music. I learned a lot about what it is to build a group from the ground up, and it’s not easy. You’ve got some guys who start one band, and then they’d go off and start another, but before Union, I had joined bands, but I never created bands. So, Union, that was my first, official situation, where I was like, “I’m starting a band.” So, for me, it was a good experience to learn from, but most importantly, the music’s great, and that’s something that will never go away.

All images courtesy of Bruce Kulick/Image credit: Daniella Clarke

Andrew Daly (@vwmusicrocks) is the Editor-in-Chief for www.vwmusicrocks.com and may be reached at andrew@vinylwriter.com

13 responses to “An Interview with Bruce Kulick Discussing His Years with Union”

  1. Awesome article, I have both the vinyl issued this year and the cd’s. Really enjoyed seeing Union live at the House of Blues Chicago in April 2000

    Like

  2. […] laborious as that was, I actually did imagine within the music and the band,” Kulick instructed Vinyl Writer Music in a latest interview. “I do do not forget that the followers have been unimaginable. I imply, […]

    Like

  3. […] of touring, and as hard as that was, I really did believe in the music and the band,” Kulick told Vinyl Writer Music in a recent interview. “I do remember that the fans were incredible. I mean, those people got it, […]

    Like

  4. […] touring, and as hard as it was, I really believed in the music and the band,” Kulick shared. Vinyl author music in a recent interview. “I remember the fans were incredible. I mean, those people got it, and […]

    Like

  5. […] of touring, and as hard as that was, I really did believe in the music and the band,” Kulick told Vinyl Writer Music in a recent interview. “I do remember that the fans were incredible. I mean, those people got it, […]

    Like

  6. […] of touring, and as hard as that was, I really did believe in the music and the band,” Kulick told Vinyl Writer Music in a recent interview. “I do remember that the fans were incredible. I mean, those people got it, […]

    Like

  7. […] of touring, and as hard as that was, I really did believe in the music and the band,” Kulick told Vinyl Writer Music in a recent interview. “I do remember that the fans were incredible. I mean, those people got it, […]

    Like

  8. […] y, por más difícil que fuera, positivamente creía en la música y la facción”, dijo Kulick. Vinilo Escritor Música en una entrevista fresco. “Retentiva que los fanáticos fueron increíbles. Quiero proponer, esas […]

    Like

  9. […] and as laborious as that was, I actually did imagine within the music and the band,” Kulick tells Vinyl Writer Music. “I do do not forget that the followers have been unimaginable. I imply, these folks received it, […]

    Like

  10. […] August 22, 2022, 11 hours ago news bruce kulick john corabi union kiss hard rock Former KISS guitarist Bruce Kulick is featured in a new interview with Vinyl Writer Music discussing his years with Union, which also featured ex-Mötley Crüe vocalist John Corabi. An excerpt from the chat is available below.Union formed in Los Angeles in 1997 featuring Kulick, Corabi, bassist James Hunting (David Lee Roth, Eddie Money) and drummer Brent Fitz (Slash). They released rtwo albums before calling it quits: the self-titled debut in 1998, and The Blue Room in 2000.VWM: In the wake of the (debut) album’s release, you experienced a critical windfall but struggled commercially. It seems that Union was in a unique position of having veteran players but also being an entirely new band. So, I would assert that Union fell into a gray area commercially. Would you agree?Bruce: “Yeah, I think that’s fair. I think we had some great things going for us meaning; okay, you’ve got two guys that are known for being in some other big bands, but both of those bands moved on in a very big way. Mötley Crüe finally refound themselves with Vince Neil and they started to rebuild that, and KISS certainly went on to do something incredibly huge by being back in makeup. And when that happened, it just left my era in complete disarray, and in some ways, it made my whole era inconsequential. Of course, time has been very kind to my era of KISS and now my years are much more revered and respected, but at the time, when Union was coming out, it didn’t mean it a whole lot. And again, we were just lumped into that category of the old guard in an era when the new guard was in, and so we just didn’t get a break. If we had gotten a tour with one of those bulletproof bands who no matter what the flavor of music is, you know, let’s say an Alice Cooper tour or something, we would have maybe had some exposure. But we couldn’t gain traction, and we didn’t get offered any significant tours like that. And that made for a very hard road to travel, and eventually, of course, made it impossible to continue.”VWM: Tell me a little bit about the Union Work Force and the grassroots club tour Union embarked on in support of the first record. After so many years with KISS, it must have been a shock to the system.Bruce: “Well, I knew I had to go back to a very low-budget version of touring, and as hard as that was, I really did believe in the music and the band. I do remember that the fans were incredible. I mean, those people got it, and as much as they might have been excited about KISS being back in makeup, they didn’t forget me. They loved our music, they’d show up, they’d help sell the merchandise, they’d be our runners, and they would just be so supportive. I’m still friends with quite a few of them from back then, and that’s not such a common thing when you think about it. Sure, every band has true fans, but do The Rolling Stones stay in touch with a couple of regular fans? I’m not so sure. I mean, even Gene and Paul have some über fans that they know and stay in touch with.It’s always interesting when bands do get close with some fans, and without them, I don’t think Union could have survived those primitive tours. So, I want to thank them, and like I said, I’m still friends with some of them. They really made a tough situation just a little less painful by being supportive and helping us out. And the people who did the newsletters, sent emails, or whatever they did, I mean, let’s face it: they were huge for us. But with every band, the fans are what make it, because really, they make you known, make you successful, and give you the opportunity. So, I’m very grateful for that.”Read the complete interview here. […]

    Like

  11. […] and as hard as that was, I really did believe in the music and the band,” Kulick tells Vinyl Writer Music. “I do remember that the fans were incredible. I mean, those people got it, and as much as […]

    Like

Leave a Reply

Trending