Todd Kerns thinks Bruce Kulick should dictate how new material from Bruce Kulick Band sounds
Todd Kerns thinks Bruce Kulick should dictate how new material from Bruce Kulick Band sounds
Slash feat. Myles Kennedy & The Conspirators bassist, and Toque and Bruce Kulick Band frontman, Todd Kearns, was recently interviewed by Metal Mike for the 80’s Glam Metalcast podcast.
Back on November 5, 2017, guitarists Bob and Bruce Kulick shared the stage with a number of artists including bassist / lead vocalist Todd Kerns and drummer Brent Fitz at the KISS Kruise VII performing a setlist of rarely played KISS classics. In the fall of 2018, Bruce Kulick returned with Kerns, Fitz and guitarist Zach Throne to play two sets at the KISS Kruise IX of mainly rarely played material from the KISS albums Crazy Nights (1988), Hot In The Shade (1989), Revenge (1992) and Carnival of Souls: The Final Sessions (1997). Back in January 2020, Bruce Kulick revealed on the Pod of Thunder podcast that he was planning on recording some songs with his “KISS Kruise” band.
With respect to the direction of the new material, Kearns indicated (as transcribed by 80’s Glam Metalcast with slight edits): “It would be really weird if we made a reggae album wouldn’t it! It sorta comes from the top down. Bruce has to lead the fight. The riffs have to come from him and we can build around them. His signature is so big on all the KISS records he’s on, especially on Carnival and Revenge when they were playing really hard and let go of the radio rock chains. That’s kinda the realm we try to live in as far as coming up with original ideas. We’re all big fans of the whole catalog though. Since Bruce was the guitar player in KISS, he should dictate how it should sound and where it should go. It should be a big rock record as far as I’m concerned.”
In terms of how his gig with the Bruce Kulick Band first came about, Kearns stated: “I’ve known Brent Fitz for a long time, who also played in Union with Bruce. Brent has always been a big champion of mine, recommending me for different gigs. Bruce was getting ready to put out his third solo album and all we got together. There was an episode of Gene Simmons Family Jewels actually, where we all played for the CD release party. Nick Simmons got up and sang the song from the album he’s on with us and all the KISS guys were there. It was a big night. Then a week or two later, Brent and I are playing in Slash‘s band. Then the years went by and we were initially approached by the Kulick Brothers for KISS Kruise VII. Then we did some more were we added Zach Throne from Corey Taylor‘s solo band. The KISS Kruise has been instrumental in bringing us all back together. KISS was always a massive deal to me. I actually saw the Animalize Tour when Bruce was in the band. So all these years later from seeing him play in a hockey arena, to be playing on stage with him isn’t lost on me. I’m a big rock n’ roll enthusiast.”
You can listen to the interview with Todd Kearns with the 80’s Glam Metalcast podcast below: