Since the late 1960s, Bruce Kulick has performed for audiences all over the world with bands like Meat Loaf, Union, and the famed KISS. While finding himself a part of several bands throughout the decades, in 2000, he joined the rock band Grand Funk Railroad. A part of the group for the past 23 years, the guitarist recently announced he was leaving after their final performance on December 14 in Marietta, Ohio. While stepping away from the band, the artist admitted he isn’t leaving music.
Speaking exclusively to UCR, Kulick pointed to his birthday as a defining moment in his career. Turning 70 on December 12, the guitarist noted how much he loved performing with Grand Funk Railroad but explained how traveling became too much. “I really wanted to look at what I wanted to do personally and creatively. I’ve always loved playing with Grand Funk for all of those years, but all of that travel for most weekends of every month, all year, the time involved became more and more difficult.”
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Detailing the commitment to being part of Grand Funk Railroad, Kulick shared how much he traveled to perform. “The band, 80% of the time, was performing on the East Coast or in the Midwest, which meant I had the longest trips of all of the guys in the band. Whenever they came out to Vegas to perform, they were aware of the trip, from the East Coast, where most of the other guys live — and then going back — how it just kicks your a**.”
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Bruce Kulick Hopes To Honor His Legacy
Although Kulick stepped away, he promised he wasn’t retiring. Instead, the guitarist wanted to focus on his legacy while not having a hectic schedule. “I’m not retiring. I just want it only to be about my legacy, my career and everything that means something to me. I mean, my Kiss fans have been amazing. They love my era.” He added later, “It’s just remarkable that I was involved with a band with that kind of fame and that kind of influence on the youth. Every generation going from there, that they haven’t forgotten me at all is wonderful.”
With a new year here, it appears that Kulick is looking to the future, hoping to throw himself into both personal projects and potentially a memoir. “For me, I want to celebrate my years, but tell the backstory. I’d like to get into the things that only if you were there you could describe. For example, what it was like to be at a video shoot for 12 hours with Eric Carr doing ‘God Gave Rock and Roll to You II.’”
(Photo by Ethan Miller/Getty Images)