Bob Kulick, a studio guitarist for KISS, passed away on May 28 at the age of 70. His contributions to the music world were countless, but many wrestling fans knew Kulick for his connection to WWE. He produced a theme song for longtime star Triple H.
While Triple H has used several monikers throughout his career, it was “The Game” title that created his ties to Kulick. He needed a song to show that he was truly becoming a heel, WWE’s version of a villain. To achieve this, Triple H needed a “gritty” song with raw aggression. Motรถrhead wrote the tune while Kulick played lead guitar and served as the producer.
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“Years ago, I was making a transition to becoming this bad guy, and they wanted me to change my music,” Triple H said to MTV Newsroom in 2011. “We had our music guy Jim Johnston working on it, and it wasn’t the sound I wanted. I kept saying, ‘I want it more raw, more gritty,’ and I kept saying, ‘Think Motรถrhead, think Motรถrhead.’ So finally Jim was like, ‘Why don’t we just get Motรถrhead to do it?’ They were into it, and they did the song for me, and they came to one of the shows, and Lem [Lemmy Kilmister] and I just hit it off. They’ve played me to the ring a few times.”
“The Game,” which was one of three Motรถrhead songs created for Triple H, became a fan favorite during his career. The song was instantly recognizable, and many expressed appreciation for the distorted guitars and fast pace. Bleacher Report even ranked “The Game” as the best entrance song from Triple H’s career.
Bruce Kulick, Bob’s brother, confirmed the “The Game” producer’s death on Facebook, writing, “I am heartbroken to have to share the news of the passing of my brother Bob Kulick. His 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. Please respect the Kulick Family’s privacy during this very sad time.”
Bruce did not reveal his brother’s cause of death when confirming the news. He also revealed that there would not be a traditional funeral service to celebrate Kulick’s life. The COVID-19 pandemic and social distancing rules made this impossible.
“Many of you have asked about funeral arrangements, and sadly due to Covid-19, there will not be a traditional service at this time,” Bruce said. “A proper memorial will be planned in the future where we can all pay tribute to my brother. Please feel free to continue celebrating the great contributions Bob accomplished during his career. His legacy will never be forgotten.”
