Kiss Guitarist Ace Frehley Dead at 74
Ace Frehley, the iconic lead guitarist of Kiss, has died at the age of 74. News of his passing broke September 16, 2024, following a reported battle with complications from full-body cancer. Frehley’s distinctive guitar work and stage persona – as the “Space Ace” – were integral to Kiss’s signature sound and theatrical performances, helping propel the band to global superstardom.
Frehley’s death marks the end of a turbulent yet influential career spanning decades, marked by both creative brilliance and personal struggles. His contributions to Kiss’s early success, including signature songs like “Deuce” and “Shock Me,” cemented his place in rock history. Beyond his work with Kiss, Frehley maintained a dedicated solo career, continuing to perform and record music beloved by a loyal fanbase.
Born Arthur Harold Frehley in New York City in 1950, he joined Kiss in 1973, quickly becoming known for his flashy guitar solos, signature makeup, and energetic stage presence. He was a key architect of the band’s breakthrough albums, including Hotter Than Hell (1974), Dressed to Kill (1975), and Destroyer (1976).
Frehley’s relationship with Kiss was often fraught with tension. He first left the band in 1982, pursuing a solo career that yielded the triumphant album Ace Frehley (1978), featuring the hit single “Speedfreak.” A brief Kiss reunion at the band’s 1995 MTV unplugged special lead to a massive reunion tour in 1996, with all four original members donning the makeup and revisiting their classic songs.
He participated in the recording of 1998’s Psycho Circus, though he only played on one track. “I wasn’t invited to the studio,” Frehley told Ultimate Classic Rock in 2014. “When you hear Paul and Gene talk about it, they say I didn’t show up. The reason I’m not on any of the songs is as I wasn’t asked. They tried to make it look like I was absent.”
Frehley again departed Kiss in 2002 following a farewell tour. Tommy Thayer replaced him, performing in the Starman makeup and replicating Frehley’s guitar parts. Frehley remarked to Guitar Player in 2014, “Tommy played the right notes, but he didn’t have the right swagger.He just doesn’t have my same technique.”
In the decades following his final departure from Kiss, Frehley continued to tour extensively as a solo artist, performing sets filled with Kiss classics. His most recent show took place last month at Providence, Rhode Island’s Uptown Theater, concluding with ”Rock and Roll All Nite.”
Reflecting on the band’s devoted fanbase in a 2013 Rolling Stone interview, Frehley said, “I have a lot of diehard fans. 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.”
Details regarding memorial services have not yet been announced.
