Favourite non original KISS lead guitarist?

Jemgirl · Post by **Jemgirl** » Thu Sep 23, 2021 2:00 am

I like Bruce Kulick and also Vinnie Vincent was good on Creatures and Lick It Up.

TheKISSProject7312 · Post by **TheKISSProject7312** » Thu Sep 23, 2021 2:09 am

Kulick.

The Man · Post by **The Man** » Thu Sep 23, 2021 2:21 am

Kulick .... is my favorite guitarist period.

Post by **Kissoff** » Thu Sep 23, 2021 2:23 am

Kulick

Pete2174 · Post by **Pete2174** » Thu Sep 23, 2021 2:26 am

Bruce.

John Shaft · Post by **John Shaft** » Thu Sep 23, 2021 2:35 am

Vinnie. My fave Kiss lead guitarist, period.

Ludwig Paiste 77 · Post by **Ludwig Paiste 77** » Thu Sep 23, 2021 2:42 am

As much as I like Bruce, if there's any guitarist besides Ace that had that "flash and balls" attitude it was Vinnie Vincent the guy can write and play, however strange he may be.

Kisscandinavia · Post by **Kisscandinavia** » Thu Sep 23, 2021 3:03 am

Easy: Vinnie!

Hotter Than Heck · Post by **Hotter Than Heck** » Thu Sep 23, 2021 4:11 am

When you measure up each of the hired gun guitar players Gene & Paul have employed over the decades for me it's gotta be Vin

Vin played the best & the songs he had a hand in writing are better

DaveinSpain · Post by **DaveinSpain** » Thu Sep 23, 2021 4:28 am

I think Bruce is my 5th favorite member period. I love Eric Carr as well but for me I'd say the originals are my favorite then Bruce then Eric Carr.

curryleaf · Post by **curryleaf** » Thu Sep 23, 2021 5:04 am

Vinnie, without a doubt.

Super Bee · Post by **Super Bee** » Thu Sep 23, 2021 5:08 am

Bruce sounds amazing on Asylum. He is my choice.

MikeyB · Post by **MikeyB** » Thu Sep 23, 2021 5:15 am

TheSpoiler · Post by **TheSpoiler** » Thu Sep 23, 2021 5:23 am

Vinnie. But I have a lot of respect for Bruce too.

Coventry1973 · Post by **Coventry1973** » Thu Sep 23, 2021 5:29 am

I went with Vinnie because he had the flair and his songwriting was top notch when they needed it the most.
Bruce a close second.

wjs296 · Post by **wjs296** » Thu Sep 23, 2021 5:36 am

Tough call.

It is close for me but I will give the nod to Vinnie.

Vinnie had the talent, swagger and could write amazing songs. His craziness limited his time with the band. Bruce was a steady and very talented guitar player but lacked the stage presence of Ace and Vinnie. Vinnie also played on stronger material during his short time, while much of Bruce's period included albums will a lot of filler. Bruce was certainly a better fit with G&P.

Mark is more of a footnote in Kisstory. For me, Tommy has been very steady for G&P but doesn't stand out as a guitar player.

This one made me think a little deeper!

Mr Slow · Post by **Mr Slow** » Thu Sep 23, 2021 5:55 am

It’s close between Bruce & Vinnie but I have to pick Bruce. A decade ago I would probably have ranked Vinnie second last above MSJ but I’ve really grown to love what he brought to KISS.

PsychoElder · Post by **PsychoElder** » Thu Sep 23, 2021 6:03 am

Bruce

Tito · Post by **Tito** » Thu Sep 23, 2021 6:10 am

Have to go with Vinnie. He was amazing on the two KISS albums, but over the top outside of that. Bruce a very close second though, mostly for 1992-'95.

His Majesty · Post by **His Majesty** » Thu Sep 23, 2021 6:49 am

Dick Wagner

Revenge 92 · Post by **Revenge 92** » Thu Sep 23, 2021 7:03 am

Bruce, Bruce, Bruce.

Kissologist · Post by **Kissologist** » Thu Sep 23, 2021 7:11 am

With five albums under his belt is hard not to find something to like from Bruce

richardsimmons · Post by **richardsimmons** » Thu Sep 23, 2021 7:14 am

A lot of people vote on who they’d rather have a beer with. I’m voting on who was best in his years in the band IMO.

Vinnie Vincent.

DoggFather · Post by **DoggFather** » Thu Sep 23, 2021 7:47 am

In terms of input and talent, Vinnie.

Supertrooper · Post by **Supertrooper** » Thu Sep 23, 2021 8:05 am

Ludwig Paiste 77 wrote: ↑Thu Sep 23, 2021 2:42 am As much as I like Bruce, if there's any guitarist besides Ace that had that "flash and balls" attitude it was Vinnie Vincent the guy can write and play, however strange he may be.

This. Vinnie was and is nuts, but he acted like a star. Bruce acted like the hired gun he was and you could tell he never felt he was on top of things. Tommy is doing a good job trying to be Ace, but....If only Vinnie was a little less crazy....

Supertrooper · Post by **Supertrooper** » Thu Sep 23, 2021 8:08 am

richardsimmons wrote: ↑Thu Sep 23, 2021 7:14 am A lot of people vote on who they’d rather have a beer with. I’m voting on who was best in his years in the band IMO.

Vinnie Vincent.

Well said. Bruce and Tommy are probably the only guitarist I can imagine are nice persons, however that is not necessarily what makes for great lead guitarists in KISS

richardsimmons · Post by **richardsimmons** » Thu Sep 23, 2021 8:13 am

Supertrooper wrote: ↑Thu Sep 23, 2021 8:08 am
richardsimmons wrote: ↑Thu Sep 23, 2021 7:14 am A lot of people vote on who they’d rather have a beer with. I’m voting on who was best in his years in the band IMO.

Vinnie Vincent.
Well said. Bruce and Tommy are probably the only guitarist I can imagine are nice persons, however that is not necessarily what makes for great lead guitarists in KISS

I hear ya. & believe me, I’d (probably) rather have a beer with Bruce !

But 100 years from now, people will remember 70s Kizz. & then secondarily:
Creatures of the Night
Lick It Up
Revenge

All of which have Vinnie’s mark all over em.

joma5477 · Post by **joma5477** » Thu Sep 23, 2021 8:28 am

richardsimmons wrote: ↑Thu Sep 23, 2021 7:14 am A lot of people vote on who they’d rather have a beer with. I’m voting on who was best in his years in the band IMO.

Vinnie Vincent.

Vinnie sounds like a nightmare to do business with, but as far as just hanging out, he seems to be a cool and friendly dude. As long as there was no business involved, I bet he'd be great to have a beer with...

Bruce · Post by **Bruce** » Thu Sep 23, 2021 8:29 am

Bruce Kulick ... of course.

B5Erik · Post by **B5Erik** » Thu Sep 23, 2021 8:49 am

Bruce.

richardsimmons · Post by **richardsimmons** » Thu Sep 23, 2021 9:01 am

joma5477 wrote: ↑Thu Sep 23, 2021 8:28 am
richardsimmons wrote: ↑Thu Sep 23, 2021 7:14 am A lot of people vote on who they’d rather have a beer with. I’m voting on who was best in his years in the band IMO.

Vinnie Vincent.
Vinnie sounds like a nightmare to do business with, but as far as just hanging out, he seems to be a cool and friendly dude. As long as there was no business involved, I bet he'd be great to have a beer with...

Excellent point. But I think my point still makes sense too.

joma5477 · Post by **joma5477** » Thu Sep 23, 2021 9:19 am

richardsimmons wrote: ↑Thu Sep 23, 2021 9:01 am
joma5477 wrote: ↑Thu Sep 23, 2021 8:28 am
richardsimmons wrote: ↑Thu Sep 23, 2021 7:14 am A lot of people vote on who they’d rather have a beer with. I’m voting on who was best in his years in the band IMO.

Vinnie Vincent.
Vinnie sounds like a nightmare to do business with, but as far as just hanging out, he seems to be a cool and friendly dude. As long as there was no business involved, I bet he'd be great to have a beer with...
Excellent point. But I think my point still makes sense too.

I'd agree with your point, too. Just sayin', though, you seem to hear a lot of stories about Vinnie being a total dickhead, but I think that standpoint always comes from people involved in business with him...or people speaking secondhand based on what they heard. I met Vinnie back in the 90s and was shocked by how nice and laid back he was. He seemed completely opposite of his reputation. So the opinion I've formed is Vinnie is a cool dude as long as you have zero business dealings with him.

UltraCynic · Post by **UltraCynic** » Thu Sep 23, 2021 9:28 am

Vinnie

richardsimmons · Post by **richardsimmons** » Thu Sep 23, 2021 9:55 am

joma5477 wrote: ↑Thu Sep 23, 2021 9:19 am I'd agree with your point, too. Just sayin', though, you seem to hear a lot of stories about Vinnie being a total dickhead, but I think that standpoint always comes from people involved in business with him...or people speaking secondhand based on what they heard. I met Vinnie back in the 90s and was shocked by how nice and laid back he was. He seemed completely opposite of his reputation. So the opinion I've formed is Vinnie is a cool dude as long as you have zero business dealings with him.

True dat. Everyone on the FAQ who met Vinnie at Atlanta Expo 2018 (?) has echoed your positive experiences too.

Strutterer · Post by **Strutterer** » Thu Sep 23, 2021 10:14 am

Hands down, it's Bruce Kulick. I love Vinnie's songs but do not care for his shredding style.

Bruce's playing on Unplugged is probably the best lead guitar performance on a Kiss live album, maybe just behind Ace on Alive.

Post by **Grand Classic** » Thu Sep 23, 2021 10:31 am

Vinnie. It is not even close, since Creatures and LIU are the best albums outside of the original band and he also did a lot of the writing. VVI sucked, but he was great with KISS.

Bruce is great, but he was boring as fuck until Revenge. He needed that push from Ezrin that he wasn't getting on past albums to really find his groove in the band. It was unfortunately too little too late with the reunion coming soon.

spacekace · Post by **spacekace** » Thu Sep 23, 2021 10:53 am

His Majesty · Post by **His Majesty** » Thu Sep 23, 2021 10:57 am

Bruce wrote: ↑Thu Sep 23, 2021 8:29 am Bruce Kulick ... of course.

No shit?

BC Witch · Post by **BC Witch** » Thu Sep 23, 2021 11:01 am

Got be VV for me. The only player other than Ace who really had an instantly recognizable sound and style.

Having said that, Bruce is the best non-original member overall.

Legsofsteel · Post by **Legsofsteel** » Thu Sep 23, 2021 12:47 pm

Vinnie Vincent easily.

I Am A FREAK · Post by **I Am A FREAK** » Thu Sep 23, 2021 12:52 pm

Vinnie Vincent

I Am A FREAK · Post by **I Am A FREAK** » Thu Sep 23, 2021 12:53 pm

Vinnie Vincent

Bruce · Post by **Bruce** » Thu Sep 23, 2021 2:18 pm

His Majesty wrote: ↑Thu Sep 23, 2021 10:57 am No shit?

Some may, as yet, be ... unaware ...

Kisstanbul · Post by **Kisstanbul** » Thu Sep 23, 2021 3:05 pm

Vinnie no question.

Put the sex in my ex · Thu Sep 23, 2021 3:11 pm

Maybe Vinnie is a better songwriter, but the lineup with Eric Singer and Bruce Kulick sounded a lot better live than the Carr/Vincent lineup did... I vote Bruce.. And Bruce is also the most versatile of the them.. Tommy Cant play the 80s stuff and Vinnie Cant play the 70s stuff.

battra · Post by **battra** » Thu Sep 23, 2021 3:12 pm

I voted Bruce...and here's why.

Bruce is on the best Kiss album post breakup in my opinion, Carnival of Souls.

Bruce is the only one who's solo work I own.

I dig the half of Creatures Vinnie was on along with Lick It Up, but...well... a song about anal sex is basically Vinnie's nadir.

Because everything that followed was bullshit like That Time of Year, Heavy Metal Poontang, etc....

Animalize is hardly my favorite Kiss record...but I have a copy of it...lol.

Tommy Thayer... well he's good at impersonating Ace Frehley....but that's not what I'm looking for in an listening experience.

Ratmir · Post by **Ratmir** » Fri Sep 24, 2021 4:08 am

As a guitarist Bruce, no question.
As a co-writer Vinnie would be up there, but as a guitarist I never enjoyed his playing with KISS.

Phyllis Simmons · Post by **Phyllis Simmons** » Fri Sep 24, 2021 5:06 am

I really like Bruce; versatile player, tasteful, plays pretty well for the song, something he doesn't always get credit for.

But I'll go for Vinnie. That 3rd combustable element, Gene and Paul wrote better songs with him.. That frantic element to his playing I sometimes revisit and do like..
Ive always said if I could change 1 thing in Kisstory, other than Eric Carr not passing, it would be that Vinnie stays in the band for the duration of the 80's... I think we would have got some very interesting stuff.

jannep17 · Post by **jannep17** » Fri Sep 24, 2021 5:14 am

Bruce seems like a nice guy.
Vinnie was better as a songwriter.
As a guitarist, I actually think Mark was most exciting.
Tommy does a decent Ace.

Kiss-Army-Sergeant · Post by **Kiss-Army-Sergeant** » Fri Sep 24, 2021 10:39 am

jannep17 wrote: ↑Fri Sep 24, 2021 5:14 am Bruce seems like a nice guy.
Vinnie was better as a songwriter.
As a guitarist, I actually think Mark was most exciting.
Tommy does a decent Ace.

I respectfully disagree on the last point.