Union

by Alex Henderson Not to be confused with the early 1980s band Union, this Union is a Los Angeles-based outfit that recorded for Mayhem in the late 1990s and boasts former members of Kiss and Motley Crue. Formed in L.A. in late 1996, Union unites ex-Motley Crue vocalist John Corabi and former Kiss guitarist Bruce Kulick with bassist Jamie Hunting and drummer Brent Fitz. Serving as lead guitarist for Kiss from 1984-1996, Kulick held a position that had previously been held by Ace Frehley and Vinnie Vincent (who he replaced). Corabi, meanwhile, had replaced Vince Neil as Motley Crue's lead singer in 1994 and recorded only one album with the band, 1994's self-titled Motley Crue, before leaving in 1996. A major departure from Crue's previous albums with Neil, that grunge-influenced effort found the Crue trying to adapt to 1990s alternative rock tastes. Because Union contained former Kiss and Crue members, some listeners might have expected the type of hedonistic, decadent heavy metal/hard rock that Kiss and the Crue were best known for; but for the most part, Union's music is Seattle-type grunge and alternative rock that is comparable to Nirvana, Pearl Jam, Soundgarden and The Stone Temple Pilots. Mayhem released Union's self-titled debut album in 1998; The Blue Room followed two years later.