Guitarist established himself as one of the most influential in rock in the early 1970s — he himself admits that he became comfortable afterwards
The talent of Ace Frehley as a guitarist he is undeniable. Especially in its early years Kissthe musician presented riffs, solos and even complete compositions that went down in the history of hard rock.
Names that would prove important to the instrument in the following years did not hesitate to cite him as an influence. Of Dimebag Darrell (Panther) a Mike McCready (Pearl Jam), there are many names that extol the Spaceman.
Despite this, the feeling when analyzing Frehley’s career in full is that he never realized his full potential. Having problems with alcohol and drugs, the guitarist ended up leaving the band in 1982, unable to repeat his success alone and didn’t offer much when he returned for a contested second stint between 1996 and 2002.
Paul Stanley and Gene Simmonsleaders of Kiss, have never hidden their admiration for Ace as a musician. On the other hand, they never stop criticizing him for “off-field” situations.
In an interview with Guitar Worldin 2014, the duo spoke again about Spaceman and made it clear what talent was missing there. Gene initially stated:
“As a musician, you have to give him credit. He knew things. When he cared — during the first three records, I would say — he was great. I could even sing those solos of his. It was like opera. The integrity of his style was instantly recognizable. As soon as he played, you knew it was him. That’s probably the best compliment you can pay a guitarist.”
In fact, it was from the fourth studio album, Destroyer (1976), that the situation began to deteriorate. The guitarist became more involved with alcohol and drugs, reducing his contributions in the studio. On the aforementioned album, he was replaced at times by studio musicians.
In turn, Paul Stanley highlighted that, even in recent times, he continued to talk a lot about Ace Frehley in interviews.
“I tell people: he really knew how to do that. He can argue all he wants about the fact that he still plays the same way, or say whatever he wants to explain why he hasn’t ascended to something even greater. Everyone is entitled to an opinion. But I saw someone throw away a talent.”
To conclude, Simmons commented:
“Before the drugs and alcohol and everything, he was basically Ace, a lovable guy. We all took care of him. I loved him. Love ‘Straightened Ace’. But I hate any drug addict, because they are possessed.”
Ace Frehley and Kiss
Ace Frehley was the last original member to join Kiss, back in 1973. He remained until 1982, being credited for all the albums until then — although he didn’t actually play on them. Creatures of the Night (1982), in the unreleased tracks of the collection of Killers (1982) and part of the unreleased live material Alive II (1977), as well as isolated songs from some other works.
He returned in 1996, together with the drummer Peter Crissfor a tour with the original lineup. After carrying out a farewell tour that did not actually end the band, Frehley left the group definitively in 2002. During this period, he recorded only two tracks on the album Psycho Circus (1998).
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Source: Rollingstone
Earl Johnson is a music writer at Gossipify, known for his in-depth analysis and unique perspective on the industry. A graduate of USC with a degree in Music, he brings years of experience and passion to his writing. He covers the latest releases and trends, always on the lookout for the next big thing in music.
