Bruce Kulick Explains Tommy Thayer Spaceman Choice
Former KISS guitarist Bruce Kulick has weighed in on one of the band’s most debated lineup decisions: Tommy Thayer stepping into Ace Frehley’s Spaceman role. Speaking in a new interview, Kulick described the personal conflict he thinks he would have faced if KISS had ever asked him to don the iconic makeup and take over the character, while also praising Thayer’s execution of the part.
In the conversation, Kulick said the situation would have been complicated once Frehley was no longer “happy” and didn’t want to return, and he explained that he was content in his own career lane at the time. Rock Celebrities reported that Kulick pointed to his long run with Grand Funk Railroad as a factor, while acknowledging he understood the unique lifestyle and scale that comes with being in KISS.
Kulick ultimately argued that, in hindsight, it might have undercut his own legacy with the group if he had returned by directly becoming “Ace Frehley” onstage. He said Thayer “does a beautiful job” presenting the Spaceman character, even as the move has been “loved and hated” by different parts of the fanbase.
Kulick’s view mirrors the long-running debate about how KISS handled its post-reunion era, with the band opting to keep the original characters intact rather than introduce new personas. That tension has continued to surface in the group’s later years, including moments when a KISS guitarist addressed the difficulty of emulating Ace Frehley in a way that satisfies longtime fans.
While opinions remain split, Kulick’s comments frame the Spaceman handoff as a pragmatic decision that protected both his own non-makeup-era identity and the band’s commitment to maintaining its most recognisable imagery.
