From the mid to late 1980s, Kiss appeared to be chasing trends rather than setting them. The iconic rock band, known for their heavier sound in the 1970s, had seemingly aligned themselves with the glam-driven, commercially friendly styles of that decade’s hair metal giants—bands like Mötley Crüe, Bon Jovi, and Def Leppard. This stylistic shift marked a noticeable departure from the raw rock edge that initially defined their success.
However, with the release of Hot in the Shade in 1989, Kiss began to reorient themselves musically. Although the album received mixed reviews—criticized for being overly long, padded with filler, and featuring tracks like “Read My Body,” which bore a striking resemblance to Def Leppard’s “Pour Some Sugar on Me”—it represented a band trying to regain focus and direction.
Former Kiss guitarist Bruce Kulick shared his insights on this pivotal album in a recent interview with Chaoszine, shedding light on how Hot in the Shade helped transition Kiss back toward their roots and ultimately laid the groundwork for future success.
“I think we wanted to approach that one a little more, back to basic rock and roll,” Kulick explained, as transcribed by Ultimate Guitar. “And then we started looking a little more natural, a little tougher. Revenge got really tough-looking, of course. I stopped playing a lot of the whammy guitars. There wasn’t so much of the Floyd Rose. I did a little bit on some things, but not really.”
Kulick went on to highlight some of the album’s key tracks. One in particular, the ballad “Forever,” stood out not only for its chart success but also for its personal significance. The track marked Kiss’ first top-10 hit in the U.S. in a decade.
“There was a lot of songs. It was like, I think, 15 songs on Hot in the Shade,” he noted. “Of course, ‘Hide Your Heart’ was a great hit, and I liked my guitar work on that. And then obviously, ‘Forever’—the ballad—was really important. That was with my previous connection to Michael Bolton. And then Michael, of course, worked pretty successfully with Paul [Stanley].”
While Kulick acknowledged that Bolton and Stanley’s partnership didn’t evolve into a long-term friendship, he credited the collaboration with producing a standout moment in Kiss’ discography.
“They didn’t stay friends from it, but they wrote a great song together, depending on who you talk to, I guess. That song—and me having that featured acoustic guitar solo—was really nice. I’m so happy I could still play it. I’ve seen many people share it, ‘Here’s the solo.’ Some of them don’t get it right, but it’s still flattering for me.”
Kulick also reflected on the tour supporting Hot in the Shade, which included notable acts from the era and further cemented the album’s place in Kiss history.
“The tour was probably even more interesting, because it was a very successful, great bill with some other great bands from that era: Winger, Slaughter, and other groups.”
He emphasized the album’s role as a stepping stone toward the band’s harder-hitting 1992 effort, Revenge.
“I don’t know if we would have gotten to Revenge if we didn’t do Hot in the Shade from Crazy Nights. So there was an evolution going on, because Smashes, Thrashes and Hits was a greatest hits [collection] with two new songs. It wasn’t exactly where we were heading. So it has its place. I like the image of the Sphinx with the sunglasses. I think it’s funny.”
In retrospect, Hot in the Shade may not be regarded as Kiss’ finest album, but according to Bruce Kulick, it was essential in redirecting the band’s path—ushering them back to their rock and roll core and paving the way for the next chapter of their legendary career.
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