The Late Great Ace Frehley

Ace Frehley, founding member and lead guitarist of Kiss and a solo artist in his own right, died on October 16, 2025, at the age of 74. The cause was complications from a fall. 

Ace Frehley was born Paul Frehley in The Bronx, New York City on April 27, 1951. He began playing guitar when he was 13. He was influenced by artists from Albert Lee to Jimi Hendrix to The Who. It was while he was in high school that he received the nickname "Ace." 

Ace Frehley played with several different bands early in his career. One band, Molimo, was signed to RCA and released one album in 1971. It was in late 1972 that Ace Frehley answered an ad in The Village Voice for a lead guitarist. He auditioned for Gene Simmons and Paul Stanley, who were forming a new band following the dissolution of their old band Wicked Lester. Ace Frehley then became the lead guitarist of the band Kiss. It was Ace Frehley who designed the Kiss logo. The band also decided to perform in make-up, with each member adopting a different persona. Ace Frehley became "Space Ace," also known as "The Spaceman." 

Kiss's self-titled, debut album was released in 1974. Ace Frehley wrote the song "Cold Gin" and co-wrote"Love Theme from Kiss" with the rest of the band. Ace Frehley would write or co-write several different songs on various Kiss albums, including "Parasite," "Comin' Home," and "Strange Ways" on Hotter Than Hell, "Getaway" and "Rock Bottom" on Dressed to Kill, "Flaming Youth" on Destroyer, "Shock Me" on Love Gun, "Hard Times" and "Save Your Love" on Dynasty, "Talk to Me," "Two Sides of the Coin," and "Torpedo Girl" from Unmasked, "Dark Light," "Escape from the Island," and 'Finale" from Music from the Elder.  It was in 1978 that each member of Kiss released a solo album, including Ace Frehley. The album featured a cover of the band Hello's song "New York Groove," which proved to be a hit single for Ace Frehley, going to no.13 on the Billboard Hot 100. 

It was in 1982 that Ace Frehley decided to leave Kiss due to creative differences with the other members of the band. He formed his own band, Frehley's Comet, which would release two album: Frehley's Cometin 1987 and Second Sighting in 1988. He also recorded a solo album, Trouble Walkin', which featured a cover of The Move/ELO song "Do Ya." 

It was in 1996 that Ace Frehley reunited with Kiss and he appeared on the album Psycho Circus. Afterwards, Ace Frehley left Kiss again and resumed his solo career. From 2009 to 2024, he released six solo albums. 

Ace Frehley also appeared as a guest artist on artists' work, including Crazy Joe and the Variable Speed Band's self-titled, debut album, Wendy O. Williams's 1981 album WOW, and  former Kiss bandmate Peter Criss's 1994 album Cat 1, among others. 

Ace Frehley was both a consummate performer and a virtuoso guitarist. His style was aggressive, but at the same time melodic and would have a lasting impact on glam metal. It was Ace Frehley's guitar that largely shaped the sound of Kiss in its early days, and while talented guitarists would follow Mr. Frehley as Kiss's lead guitarist, the band never quite sounded the same after he left. Ace Frehley was also a talented solo artist, producing good quality work from "New York Groove" to "Do Ya." He won't soon be forgotten.