As a young guitarist, I got my sonic sense from Jeff Beck, Jimi Hendrix, and Adrian Belew. My feel for structure from Eric Clapton and Jimmy Page. My respect for harmony from Joe Pass and Wes Montgomery. And much of my appreciation for showmanship came from Ace Frehley.
The music, the costumes, and the antics all played a major part in defining me as a young performer. As kids, when it came time to mimic a show, my friends and I would mimic KISS. There were days in elementary school that we’d bring in a boombox, climb on the desks, and do our best KISS pantomime. I was always Ace.
Aside from the flash and awe, his musical contributions should not be overlooked. Tasty riffs and solid solos — and not only with KISS. Notebly, in 1978 when each member released a solo album, it was Frehley who enjoyed the biggest success. ‘Back In The New York Groove’ was everywhere that year.
Admittedly, as a kid, KISS seemed to be a cartoon more than a band. The initial fascination for most kids was the live show. Full of fire and smoke, blood and lights, theatrics galore. I remember waiting to see their campy, horror movie ‘Kiss Meets the Phantom of the Park’. Ultimately however, it was the music that kept us as fans. I had all their albums on either vinyl or 8-track up to ‘Dynasty’, which I had on cassette. After that — with the eventual lineup changes — I admit I lost interest.
Ace Frehley’s contributions to those early years were essential to the band’s success. To minimize that would be a shame. He was more than a musical marianette, as he was often portrayed. He was a founding member and an important architect to the sound. His playing was full of the blues. It had soul, it had feeling. In my opinion, the best of KISS was with that original lineup and Frehley’s part cannot be denied. Though he had his trouble with substances, he was a hell of a player.
His latter-day music also rocked solid. Check out this video of his 2024 song ‘10,000 Volts’ and see for yourself.
Frehley passed away peacefully surrounded by family in Morristown, New Jersey at the age of 74 on October 16, 2025. Below is a statement from his family.
“We are completely devastated and heartbroken. In his last moments, we were fortunate enough to have been able to surround him with loving, caring, peaceful words, thoughts, prayers and intentions as he left this earth. We cherish all of his finest memories, his laughter, and celebrate his strengths and kindness that he bestowed upon others. The magnitude of his passing is of epic proportions, and beyond comprehension. Reflecting on all of his incredible life achievements, Ace’s memory will continue to live on forever!”
R.I.P Space Ace.
