Today the world of rock lost one of its vivid characters: Ace Frehley, original lead guitarist of Kiss and a solo force in his own right, passed away at the age of 74.
Who Was Ace Frehley?
Born Paul Daniel Frehley on April 27, 1951, in New York City and raised in the Bronx, Ace was drawn early to the guitar. He answered an ad in 1973 and joined forces with Paul Stanley, Gene Simmons, and Peter Criss to launch Kiss. From the start, Ace’s persona—“The Spaceman,” also called “Space Ace”—was as much part of his identity as his riffs and solos.
He wasn’t just a guy in makeup who shredded; he helped shape the sound, the attitude, the spectacle of Kiss. His playing on early Kiss albums like Kiss (1974), Destroyer (1976), Rock and Roll Over, and Love Gun is foundational in rock history.
What He Did & Why He Mattered
Ace wasn’t content staying in the Kiss orbit. In 1978, each Kiss member released a solo album; Ace’s self-titled Ace Frehley hit big, with his version of “New York Groove” becoming a hit single. His solo work (and the band Frehley’s Comet) allowed him to stretch out creatively, showing he could hold his own outside of Kiss.
Ace had his dangerous moments too. In 1976, during a Kiss concert in Lakeland, Florida, he was electrocuted onstage when a staircase rail had become energized. He survived and later turned the experience into inspiration for the song “Shock Me.”
He left Kiss in 1982 amid creative tensions and a car accident, but rejoined for a reunion run in the mid‑1990s (1996–2002), contributing to Psycho Circus and reconnecting with fans.
In 2014, Ace was inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame along with his original bandmates. His solo catalog, his tone, his cosmic flair—all of it influenced countless guitarists and bands that came after him. He was proof that you could build a character, a myth, and still deliver substance.
His Final Days & Legacy
In late September 2025, Ace reportedly suffered a fall at his home studio, which led to a brain bleed and hospitalization. He canceled all his remaining tour dates that year. Today, his family confirmed that he passed away peacefully in Morristown, New Jersey, surrounded by loved ones. They shared that they held him with “peaceful words, thoughts, prayers and intentions” as he departed.
It’s a heavy moment for rock fans. But Ace left behind so much—albums, unforgettable solos, stories, stage memories, and the proof that even in the gaudiest rock theater, the guitar and the soul must speak loudest.
A Few Parting Thoughts
We say good night to Space Ace, but his music doesn’t sleep. His riffs will ripple through guitar solos, bars, and basements for generations. He once said, “I should have been dead that night” (referring to that 1976 shock), and yet he survived, created, and inspired.
So tonight, let’s cue up “New York Groove,” “Shock Me,” “Cold Gin,” or any track where Ace’s fire roars. Raise a glass, play that solo a little louder than usual, and whisper: “Good night, Space Ace. Thanks for lifting us up to the stars.”