Kiss guitarist Tommy Thayer has told MusicRadar that the band may record new music in the future – but in the meantime he has jumped back in the saddle himself with a newly recorded EP.
Titled Bombshell, this EP is a collaboration between Thayer and singer Jaime St. James.
These guys go back a long way – to the ‘70s when they were high school friends in Portland, Oregon.
In 1981 they put a band together named Black ’N Blue. The band toured as the opening act for Kiss before recording two albums in the late ’80s with Kiss star Gene Simmons as producer.
Thayer went on to join Kiss in 2002 as the replacement for Ace Frehley.
St. James remains a member of Black ’N Blue, and Thayer has made guest appearances with his old band on various occasions throughout the years.
Most recently, Thayer performed with Black ’N Blue at the Kiss Landlocked in Vegas event in November 2025.
Thayer tells MusicRadar that this new EP with St. James was created in “super organic” fashion.
“Jaime and I got together simply because we’re so close and thought it would be fun to record again. We sat down intending to revisit a few old tracks we liked, but Jaime happened to show me two new ideas he had, and I loved them.
“So, we just dove in – writing, finishing the songs, and working out arrangements right there in my living room with an acoustic guitar and recording the ideas on my phone.
“It was super organic, just two friends doing what we love. We’ve always written great songs together, so we knew it would be a fun project.”
The new tracks were recorded in Portland with producer Rob Daiker, who also performs with another rock band that emerged from that city in the ’80s, the Dan Reed Network.
“We had a blast,” Thayer says. “Once Jaime and I had six songs arranged, we went into the studio with Rob and just knocked them out.
“It’s really a labour of love. We enjoy spending time together, creating together – and the bonus is that the songs turned out amazing, maybe even better than anything we’ve done before.
“And it’s funny – people have asked me about the gear and guitars I used to record with Jaime on our new EP, and honestly, this is the truth – I’m not totally sure!
“Rob Daiker isn’t just an amazing engineer and producer. He’s also a guitar player and a fantastic musician in his own right. So he had a whole arsenal of guitars and amps ready to go, and he set me up completely.
“I did bring along a [Gibson] SG I’d had hanging around for years, which I never thought was a particularly good-sounding guitar. It was just something I happened to have with me in Oregon. But when we plugged it in at the studio, it ended up sounding great, so I used it a bit. Beyond that, Rob had everything dialed in.”
Thayer laughs when he adds: “Back in the old days, we all had those special guitars or amps you had to bring into the studio because they were the ‘magic’ guitars or instruments you couldn’t do without. But over time I’ve realised it doesn’t really matter as much as I used to think.
“What makes the difference is having someone in the room who knows what sounds good and understands the tone you’re aiming for. After that, it’s in your hands – literally in your hands. That’s what truly makes a great sound. With that, you can make almost anything work.”
Thayer concedes that St. James was the primary songwriter for this project
“The truth is that almost all six of these song ideas originally came from Jaime,” he says, “except for Magnetic, which was something I started. Jaime is an exceptionally talented songwriter, and we both really rely on each other for strong ideas.
“We both know that whatever we bring to the table, the other person is going to elevate it. So we start from a place of confidence when we’re throwing ideas back and forth. It’s comfortable, it makes sense, and it works because we know each other so well.
“Honestly," Thayer says, “all six songs feel like some of the best things we’ve ever written. I know that might sound weird, but it’s true.
“Time Of My Life is a great one. That song would’ve absolutely crushed it on MTV and radio 40 years ago!
“But the real sleeper for me was the song Bulletproof. Out of the six, once we had the arrangements together before heading into the studio, I actually told Jaime, ‘I’m not sure if it’s quite there yet compared to the others.’ But after we recorded it and finished it, it really surprised me. It has that kind of Slade-style vibe to it. It’s a killer!”
As for the future, Thayer says he plans to continue working with St. James and also with Rob Daiker’s bandmate, singer Dan Reed.
“I’ve been writing a lot, both with Jaime and with Dan Reed,” he says. “I’ve been spending quite a bit of time in the Czech Republic, and since Dan lives in Prague we’ve had the chance to hang out and have some fun getting creative.
“He’s an incredibly talented singer, writer, and producer, and I’ve had a blast working with him. There’s more to come!”
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