Ace Frehley
Paul Daniel "Ace" Frehley (/ˈfreɪli/; born April 27, 1951)[2] is an American musician who was the original lead guitarist, occasional lead vocalist and founding member of the rock band Kiss. He invented the persona of The Spaceman (a.k.a. Space Ace) and played with the group from its inception in 1973 until his departure in 1982. After leaving Kiss, Frehley formed his own band named Frehley's Comet and released two albums with the group. He subsequently embarked on a solo career, which was put on hold when he rejoined Kiss in 1996 for a highly successful reunion tour.
This article is about the musician. For the album, see Ace Frehley (album).
Ace Frehley
Paul Daniel Frehley
- The Spaceman
- Space Ace
- Socks[1]
April 27, 1951
New York City, U.S.
Musician
- Guitar
- vocals
1964–present
Frehley's second tenure with Kiss lasted until 2002, when he left at the conclusion of what was originally purported to be the band's farewell tour. His most recent solo album, 10,000 Volts, was released on February 23, 2024. Guitar World magazine ranked him as the 14th Greatest Metal Guitarist of All Time.
Outside Kiss, Frehley achieved further commercial success and popularity, with his debut solo album achieving platinum status. His first album with his Frehley's Comet band was also a big success. Frehley is noted for his aggressive, atmospheric and melodic guitar playing and is also known for the use of many "special effects" guitars, including a Gibson Les Paul guitar that emits smoke from the neck humbucker pickup and produces spinning pyrotechnics and a custom Les Paul that emits light based on song tempo. Frehley was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2014 as a member of Kiss.
Music career[edit]
Early career[edit]
Frehley's earliest bands included The Outrage, The Four Roses, King Kong, Honey, and The Magic People. When Frehley's later band, Cathedral, began getting paying gigs, he dropped out of high school. At the insistence of his family and girlfriend, Frehley eventually returned and earned a diploma. After graduation, Frehley held a string of short-term jobs, including mail carrier, furniture deliverer, messenger, taxi driver and liquor store delivery person.[12]
Autobiography[edit]
Ace Frehley released his autobiography, No Regrets – A Rock 'N' Roll Memoir, on November 1, 2011. The autobiography was authored by Frehley, Joe Layden and John Ostrosky, and published through Gallery Books, a subdivision of Simon & Schuster.[53] The book entered The New York Times Best Seller list in the hardcover non-fiction category at #10.[54]
Technique[edit]
In a 2009 interview with Rock N Roll Experience Magazine, Frehley stated, "I'm an anomaly, I'm an un-schooled musician, I don't know how to read music, but I'm one of the most famous guitar players in the world, so go figure."[55]
"I play guitar in such an unorthodox way," he told Guitar World in 1996. "I've never taken a guitar lesson. One of our assistants brought it to my attention a few months ago that, sometimes, when I play chords, my thumb is on the fretted side of the neck. I have no idea why or how I do it, but I do." Paul Stanley added, "I remember a time early on when Ace and I would play, and I would do vibrato with my hand, and Ace would get vibrato by shaking his whole arm against the neck of the guitar [laughs]."[56]
