Hard rock and KISS go together like socks and shoes. Over 50 years since the band started playing shows in New York dressed like spacemen on acid, you can’t have one without the other. Ace Frehley has inspired generations of guitar players. Ace wasn’t Jimi or Jimmy, but it didn’t matter; Ace was cool.
Ace Frehley passed away today at the age of 74.
Frehley’s family said that Ace passed away peacefully, surrounded by family, in a statement made to USA Today:
“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,” Frehley’s family said. “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!”
Born Paul Daniel Frehley on April 27, 1951, in The Bronx, New York, he grew up in a musical family. His father played the guitar, his mother sang, and both of his siblings were talented musicians. Frehley received his first guitar at the age of 13, sparking a lifelong passion for rock and roll that would shape his future.
As KISS’s original “Spaceman” or “Space Ace,” Frehley became known for his explosive guitar solos, innovative sound effects, and larger-than-life stage presence. He played a key role in defining KISS’s hard rock sound throughout the 1970s, contributing iconic tracks such as “Shock Me,” “Cold Gin,” and “Rocket Ride.”
After leaving KISS in 1982, Frehley launched a successful solo career, highlighted by his 1978 self-titled album Ace Frehley (widely considered the strongest of the four KISS solo releases) and later records like Frehley’s Comet (1987) and Spaceman (2018).
In the mid-’90s, Ace reunited with original drummer Peter Criss for a long-awaited KISS comeback, and for a while, all was right in the rock world again. But after the band parted ways once more, Frehley proved he was at his best when he was on stage doing his own thing. That point was driven home again in 2024 when he released his latest solo album, 10,000 Volts, a hard-rock return to form that reaffirmed his place as one of rock’s most distinctive and influential guitarists.
Known for his distinctive tone, melodic riffs, and signature smoking guitar, Ace Frehley will always be one of rock’s most influential and charismatic lead guitarists.
