Former Kiss guitarist Bruce Kulick recovering from heart valve surgery

Former Kiss guitarist Bruce Kulick has revealed he’s recovering from a “heart valve surgery.”

Sharing the news on social media on April 22, Kulick wrote, “Heart valve surgery is a success! On the road to recovery. Taking it one step at a time. Grateful for [his wife] Lisa and all your love and support.”

Kulick went on to thank the “heart surgeon and their fantastic staff for looking after me like a rockstar.”

After a media outlet erroneously reported that Kulick had undergone an emergency surgery, the guitarist clarified that “this was NOT emergency surgery” but rather, “an aortic birth defect caused a valve to become a danger.”

Among the many fans and friends offering words of encouragement was Kiss’ very own Gene Simmons, who wrote, “Go Bruce, Go. With Lisa by your side, you can lick anything. You know we're all rooting for you. And can't wait for you and Lisa to cook up a new batch of pancakes for all of us.”

In an exclusive interview with Guitar World last year, Kulick looked back on his impressive career, and specifically, the moment he joined the Kiss circus.

“I really wanted to prove myself worthy of being Kiss’s new guitarist,” he asserted. “I’d toured for Animalize and was appreciated by Gene [Simmons], Paul [Stanley], and the fans, but could I co-write songs and contribute solos that were memorable?”

Elsewhere in the interview, Kulick revealed why Simmons and Stanley didn’t expect – or want – Ace Frehley throwback, and how his gear differed from the Spaceman’s.