(Artist Special Report)

Written by: Ginny Gaines   

In the Bronx, New York, a quiet kid named Paul Daniel Frehley was born on April 27, 1951. But the world wouldn’t remember him by that name. No, the world would come to know him as Ace Frehley, the wild, space-themed guitar hero who helped launch one of the most outrageous rock bands of all time: KISS. Ace didn’t grow up with much, but he had music in his blood. His family was musical, and by the time he was a teenager, he was already obsessed with rock ‘n’ roll. He got his first electric guitar at 13, and that was it, he was hooked. He taught himself to play by listening to records and mimicking the greats like Jimi Hendrix and Eric Clapton. He wasn’t just playing music, he was dreaming in distortion.

In 1973, Ace answered a newspaper ad looking for a “guitarist with flash and balls.” He showed up to the audition wearing mismatched sneakers and blew everyone away with his playing. That’s how he joined forces with Paul Stanley, Gene Simmons, and Peter Criss to form KISS, a band that would change rock forever. Each member created a character. Ace became “The Spaceman,” complete with silver makeup, platform boots, and a guitar that literally smoked on stage. He wasn’t just playing music, he was putting on a show from another galaxy.

KISS exploded in the mid-70s. They weren’t just a band; they were a phenomenon. Fire, blood, explosions, and face paint, no one had ever seen anything like it. And Ace? Well, he was the cool one. The mysterious one. The guy who made his guitar sound like a rocket ship taking off. He wrote and sang some of the band’s most beloved songs, like “Shock Me” and “Cold Gin,” and his solos were the stuff of legend. But behind the scenes, things weren’t always so cosmic.

By the early 1980s, the nonstop touring, the pressure, and the partying caught up with Ace. He left KISS in 1982, needing space, literally and figuratively. But he didn’t stop making music. He launched a solo career and formed a band called Frehley’s Comet. His solo hit “New York Groove” became an anthem, especially in his hometown. Ace kept doing his thing, playing loud, living fast, and staying true to his roots. He wasn’t chasing trends. He was just being Ace.

In 1996, the original KISS lineup reunited for a massive world tour. Fans went wild. The makeup was back. The boots were back. And Ace was back, shredding like it was 1975. They even recorded a new album together, Psycho Circus. But the reunion didn’t last forever. Ace eventually left again, preferring the freedom of solo work. He kept releasing albums, touring, and showing younger guitarists how it’s done. In 2014, Ace and the original KISS members were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. It was official: the Spaceman had earned his place among the stars.

Ace Frehley passed away on October 16, 2025, at the age of 74, after a fall in his home studio. The rock world mourned. Tributes poured in from fans and fellow musicians. Paul Stanley called him “irreplaceable.” Gene Simmons said he was “an essential rock soldier.” But Ace’s legacy? It’s eternal. He wasn’t just a guitarist. He was a character, a showman, a pioneer. He made kids believe that rock ‘n’ roll could be larger than life, and maybe even intergalactic.

Rest In Peace "Spaceman" Ace Frehley!!! You will be missed! Thank you for reading and in closing, please just know, Soundwave Music Media will be here and I will always do my best to bring you the rock music report! Please consider supporting me and the crew by purchasing a Soundwave shirt or hat and support our sponsors! Rock On! Until next time...🤘

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