Union (band)

UNION is a rock group formed in 1997 featuring lead vocalist and guitarist John Corabi (ex-Mötley Crüe), guitarist Bruce Kulick (ex-KISS), bassist James Hunting, and drummer Brent Fitz.

UNION released two studio CDs and a live CD. "Union", recorded in 1997 and released in 1998, which featured two singles: "Old Man Wise" and "October Morning Wind". There are three versions of this CD. The first printing omitted "Old Man Wise" from the back cover art. The second version, a Japanese import, included the bonus track "For You" with Kulick on lead vocals. The third was reissued with the bonus cover track of The Beatles "Oh Darling" sung by Corabi. The CD was co-produced by Corabi, Kulick and Curt Cuomo.

In 1998 a grass root effort, "The Union Work Force", spread out across the U.S. as the band toured small clubs from coast to coast. Kulick and Corabi took this a step further by performing at many of the KISS Expo's doing acoustic versions of their songs. On a few occasions, Fitz and Hunting were able to join them.

In 1999, "UNION Live in the Galaxy", mixed by Bruce Bouillet and Kulick, was released. Recorded at The Galaxy Club, the CD features songs from the band's first CD, two KISS songs "Jungle" and "I Walk Alone" from "Carnival of Souls", "Power to the Music" from Corabi's Crue days and "Man in the Moon" from The Scream. "Surrender", a Cheap Trick cover, and the added acoustic tracks "October Morning Wind" and The Beatles "You've Got to Hide Your Love Away" proved the band's versatility.

The new millennium dawned on UNION's second studio CD, "The Blue Room", co-produced by Kulick and Corabi. The CD spawned two singles, "Do Your Own Thing" and "Who Do You Think You Are". The Blue Room Tour took the band through the U.S., Europe, Australia and Central America.

By the end of 2000, one by one the band members began to get involved in other individual musical projetcs: Brent Fitz toured and recorded with Guns 'N Roses guitarist Gilby Clarke, Bruce Kulick joined Grand Funk Railroad as their guitarist, and John Corabi joined Ratt as their second guitarist.

In 2001, both Fitz and Hunting joined original Motley Crue vocalist Vince Neil as band members.

In 2005, the group played together for the first time in about 3 years with two live shows in Japan. Brent Fitz was unable to attend (due to touring commitments with the band Theory Of A Deadman), so Bruce Kulick's former bandmate and friend Eric Singer (of Kiss, Black Sabbath & Alice Cooper) filled in. Also in 2005, Kulick oversaw the release of a Union DVD, "Do Your Own Thing Live", containing two full-length live shows plus bonus material. In November and December 2005, Union toured in Europe to promote the DVD, Kulick and Corabi were joined by Chuck Garric (bass player for Alice Cooper) and Fred Coury (drummer for Cinderella) instead of James and Brent.

John Corabi, Bruce Kulick, and Eric Singer also played together in the band ESP (Eric Singer Project).

Brent Fitz currently is a member of the Canadian band Econoline Crush as well as a touring drummer for Alice Cooper, Indigenous, and as well performs in Las Vegas with "Tinnitus", a band made up of several touring musicians from Blue Man Group with Fitz playing keyboards and guitar.

Discography

* "Union" (1998)
* "Union" (1998) Japanese Release *Bonus song "For You"
* "Union Live in the Galaxy" (1999)
* "Union" (Reissue-Spitfire 1999) *Bonus song "Oh Darlin"
* "The Blue Room" (2000)

External links

* [http://www.kulick.net/ Bruce Kulick official website]
* [http://www.brentfitz.com/ Brent Fitz Official Website]
* [http://kissfaq.com/union/index.html/ Union discography at kissFAQ.com]
* [http://www.rockandrollallnite.com/ Link to photos of Union in Japan in 2005]

Union is also the name of a band that used to feature Randy Bachman and Fred Turner.