Bob Kulick’s Cause of Death Revealed
Details surrounding the death of guitarist Bob Kulick have been made public.
"Many of you have asked how my brother died," begins a Facebook post from Bruce Kulick, the former guitarist for Kiss and Bob's younger brother. "I didn’t have the information until a few days ago from the Las Vegas County Coroner. He passed away in his home, from natural causes due to heart disease."
Bruce went on to reveal that he was "unaware" that his brother had complained of chest pains, and that the coronavirus pandemic "might have prevented" Bob from timely treatment. "For me this was a shock, as it was so sudden," he noted. "I hope if you experience any pain or discomfort, please see your doctor. As much as this knowledge about his passing is closure for me and my family, he was too young to die."
See Bruce Kulick's full statement below.
Bob died on May 28 at age 70. A traditional funeral was eschewed due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.
In the immediate aftermath, Bruce stated that his brother’s “love of music and his talent as a musician and producer should always be celebrated. I know he is at peace now, with my parents, playing his guitar as loud as possible.”
Bob had been active on social media as recently as May 3, when he tweeted a memory of working alongside Meat Loaf and Roger Daltrey on the 1984 LP Bad Attitude.
News of the guitarist’s death sent shockwaves through the music world, with many former collaborators honoring their fallen friend. Ace Frehley remembered Bob as “an excellent guitarist and studio musician” who would be “greatly missed in the music community,” while Kiss shared their “deepest condolences” with the entire Kulick family.
Bob initially auditioned for the pre-fame Kiss in 1972, but was passed over for Frehley. Still, he stayed connected with the group, contributing to its Alive II, Unmasked and Killers albums, as well as to Paul Stanley’s 1978 solo LP.
Kulick’s resume was filled with work alongside many other famous artists, including Lou Reed, Michael Bolton, W.A.S.P. and Diana Ross. He also co-wrote the song “Sweet Victory” which received worldwide exposure when it was featured on the animated TV show SpongeBob SquarePants.
In 2017, Bob joined Bruce to perform a full set of live music on the Kiss Kruise. Afterward, Bruce told UCR that the positive response had provided “a huge shot in the arm for my brother both professionally and emotionally." The duo was scheduled for a return engagement on the following year's Kruise, but a contractual dispute led Bob to withdraw from the event.
Things got more contentious in November 2019, when Bob publicly accused his brother of "back stabbing" and “disgraceful” actions in a dispute over merchandise sales. Bob also lashed out at Stanley and Gene Simmons at the time, calling them “dishonorable and dishonest.”
Still, just days after making those remarks, Kulick expressed optimism that he and Kiss could resolve their issues, suggesting that he could produce one of the band’s songs and join them onstage as part of the End of the Road farewell tour.