Paul Daniel “Ace” Frehley, co-founder and lead guitarist of Kiss, is dead at the age of 74. The musician suffered a fall at his studio last month and was forced to cancel his upcoming tour dates, but his health did not improve, and a statement from his family has confirmed that he has passed.
“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,” reads the statement. “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!“
As a young man, Frehley was active in athletics and music, but a few hits on the football field convinced him to embrace music. “This is bullshit,” he later recalled. “My hands are too important. The guitar comes first.” He then responded to an ad in the Village Voice that wanted a lead guitarist with “flash and ability.” He showed up to audition wearing bell-bottoms and multi-coloured shoes, which prompted laughter from Gene Simmons, Paul Stanley, and Peter Criss, but the laughter stopped when he started playing. “I just soloed through the whole song,” he recalled. “They all smiled. We jammed for a few more songs, and then they said, ‘We like the way you play a lot. We’ll call you.’“
Frehley became known as The Spaceman, but he left Kiss in 1982 to pursue a solo career. Frehley had already released his first solo album in 1978 along with the other three Kiss members, but his proved to be the most successful. After leaving Kiss, he formed Frehley’s Comet, but ultimately rejoined the band in 1996 for a reunion tour and remained with them until 2002.
In a 2013 interview with Rolling Stone, Frehley commented on the enduring legacy of Kiss and its passionate fan base. “I have a lot of diehard fans,” he said. “Ace Frehley fans and Kiss fans are the greatest fans in the world. They’ve always been there for me through ups and downs. My life has been a roller coaster ride, but somehow I’ve always been able to land on my feet and still play the guitar.“
Our thoughts and condolences go out to Frehley’s family and friends. Rock ‘n’ roll, baby. You will be missed, but the music lives on forever.
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