Bryan Adams Release His Own Version Of KISS’ “War Machine”

Bryan Adams has released a video for his version of “War Machine,” one of two tracks he co-wrote for Kiss’s 1982 album, Creatures of the Night. This follows the earlier release of his take on “Rock and Roll Hell,” which was launched earlier this month. Both songs will be available on a double-A side vinyl single, which fans can pre-order now.

Reflecting on his collaboration with Kiss, Adams shared, “I was thrilled to work with them back then. I was a broke songwriter – it came at the perfect time.” He recounted how Gene Simmons played him a powerful bass riff that became the backbone of “War Machine.” Adams explained:

“I was trying to think of a theme that could possibly match the riff and came up with the title, which was actually an homage to a comic book character.”

Creatures of the Night was Kiss’s effort to return to their rock and roll roots after experimenting with pop, disco, and prog sounds that hadn’t been well received in previous years. This album marked one of the heaviest directions Kiss ever took, pushing closer to metal. It was also the band’s second album featuring drummer Eric Carr, following Peter Criss’s departure.

During this period, Kiss also faced lineup changes on guitar. Ace Frehley was no longer with the band but still appeared on the album artwork. Guitar parts were performed by Bob Kulick, Robben Ford, Steve Farris, and Vinnie Vincent. Vincent would soon officially replace Frehley but left the group within two years.

“War Machine” quickly became a staple in Kiss’s live shows and continued to be a fan favorite for decades, with only a few notable absences in the late ’90s and late ’00s. The track even found its way into the setlist of Kiss’s final performance in New York on December 2 of last year. Speaking about the song in 2021, Adams noted, “Well, I’ve never seen them live. So I’m glad to hear it worked out.”

You can watch the new video along with the original Kiss recording below.