Ace Frehley
Encyclopedia
Paul Daniel "Ace" Frehley (icon; born April 27, 1951)
is an American
musician
best known as the lead guitarist of the rock
band Kiss
. He took on the persona
of the "Spaceman" or "Space Ace" when the band adopted costumes and theatrics. Frehley played with the group from its inception in 1973 until his departure in 1982.
After leaving Kiss, Frehley embarked on a solo career, which was put on hold when he rejoined Kiss in 1996 for a highly successful reunion tour
. His second tenure with Kiss lasted until 2002, when he left at the conclusion of what was purported to be the band's Farewell Tour
. His latest album, Anomaly, was released on September 15, 2009.
Guitar World Magazine ranked him 14th Greatest Metal Guitarists Of All Time.
, the youngest of three children. He has a sister Nancy and a brother Charles, a classical guitarist. As a youth, Frehley was in a New York street gang called The Duckies with Steven Edward Duren (aka Blackie Lawless
, who would later become frontman for heavy metal band W.A.S.P.). The Frehleys were a musical family, and when Frehley received an electric guitar
as a Christmas present in 1964, he immersed himself in learning the instrument. "I never went to music school; I never took a guitar lesson, but everybody in my family plays an instrument. My mother and father both played piano, his father was the church organist, and my brother and sister both played piano and acoustic guitar." Frehley was always surrounded by music. Frehley started playing guitar at age 13. He lists Jimi Hendrix
, Albert Lee
, Buddy Guy
, Eric Clapton
http://www.answers.com/topic/ace-frehley, B.B. King, Led Zeppelin
, The Rolling Stones
, and The Who
as his main influences.
When Frehley's band, Cathedral, started earning a series of paying gigs
, Frehley dropped out of high school. At the insistence of his family and girlfriend, Frehley eventually returned and earned his diploma. After graduation, Frehley held a string of short-term jobs—mail carrier
, furniture deliverer, messenger, and liquor store delivery boy.
Growing up on the corner of Marion Avenue and 201st Street, off Bedford Park Boulevard (a/k/a 200th Street) and Webster Avenue
in the Bedford Park
section of the Bronx, Frehley graduated Grace Lutheran School at age 13. However, he was thrown out of two high schools and dropped out of the third. Two of the high schools he attended were DeWitt Clinton High School
on Mosholu Parkway
and Theodore Roosevelt High School
on Fordham Road
. It was in his high school years that he got the nickname "Ace" when he had the ability to get his friends dates. His friends said, "You are a real ace." It was also in his high school years that a guidance counselor encouraged him to get into graphic arts. His family did not have a lot of money, and in his teen years, Frehley got involved in street gangs. He would later credit guitar playing for "saving his life" as a member of Kiss.
members Paul Stanley
(rhythm guitar
), Gene Simmons
(bass guitar
) and Peter Criss
(drums
). Frehley, who showed up wearing one red sneaker and one orange sneaker, was less than impressive visually, but the band liked what they heard from his playing. About three weeks after Frehley auditioned, the new group named him their lead guitarist. By January 1973, Wicked Lester decided on a new name - Kiss
. Frehley designed the band's double-lightning-bolt logo. The band quickly decided to paint their faces for live performances, and Frehley decided to start painting silver stars on his eyes. When the group eventually decided to adopt a stage persona to go with their makeup designs. Frehley became "Space Ace". Later the stage persona would be known as "The Spaceman."
While Kiss spent their early days rehearsing and playing in empty clubs, Frehley took a job as a part-time cab driver to pay his bills. In September 1973, Kiss began to receive a salary from new manager Bill Aucoin
that paid each member $75 a week. This enabled Frehley to quit his job.
Kiss released their debut album, Kiss, in February 1974 — Frehley was credited for writing two songs, "Love Theme from KISS"(the only song written by the four original members) and a fan classic, "Cold Gin". However, due to Frehley's lack of confidence in his own singing voice, the vocals were performed by Simmons. Frehley wrote or co-wrote several of the band's songs over the next few years but did not record his vocals on a song until "Shock Me
" (inspired by his near-electrocution during a concert in Lakeland, Florida), which appeared on 1977's Love Gun
.
As lead guitarist, Frehley was known for his frenetic, atmospheric playing, becoming one of the most popular guitarists in the 70s and spawning a generation of new players. Frehley stated in the book Kiss: Behind the Mask that many guitarists have told him his playing on 1975's hit Alive! prompted them to pick up the instrument. Frehley is well recognized for using Gibson Les Paul
guitars, including his trademarked model conversion Cara Guitars which filled the stage full of smoke during his live guitar solo.
Along with the three other Kiss members, Frehley released an eponymous solo album
in 1978. His was the best-selling of the four, and the album's lone single — the Russ Ballard
-written "New York Groove
"), originally recorded by Hello
— reached the Top 20 in the United States.
Frehley's songwriting presence within the group increased in 1979. He contributed three songs for 1979's Dynasty and three for 1980's Unmasked. While this was not the best time for Kiss on a commercial level in the United States, they were only just beginning to take off in other countries (mostly in Australia, where Dynasty and Unmasked are their highest-selling albums). But even as his songwriting role within Kiss was increasing, Frehley found himself increasingly at odds with the musical direction of the band. After Peter Criss left Kiss in 1980, Frehley was often outvoted 2-1 in band decisions, as replacement drummer Eric Carr
was not a partner in Kiss and had no vote. Frehley's participation in the recording of 1981's Music from "The Elder" was far more limited than with previous albums. This was in large part due to his unhappiness with the band's decision to create a concept album
rather than a straightforward rock album, and also, by Frehley's own admission, his "not relating all that well" to producer Bob Ezrin
, who cut many of Frehley's solos from the recorded tracks.
Although Frehley appeared on the covers for 1982's greatest hits album Killers
and studio album Creatures of the Night
, he had no involvement with Killers, and minimal (no musical) input on Creatures of the Night. Frehley's last appearances with the band were the video for "I Love It Loud
", a series of European promotional appearances in November 1982 and a band interview with MTV
in early 1983 promoting their world tour
.
. However, Frehley retained a one-quarter share in the Kiss partnership until 1985. He received one-quarter of the profits for both Lick It Up
and Animalize
although he had no involvement with either record.
In 1984, Frehley started his post-Kiss solo career by assembling a band that included, among others, drummer Anton Fig
(who had performed on Frehley's 1978 solo album and on two Kiss albums). Bassist John Regan
(who had worked with Peter Frampton
), whom Frehley met in 1980, was also an original member of the band as was vocalist/guitarist Richie Scarlet and keyboardist Arthur Stead. The group, whose name alternated between 'Ace Frehley' and Frehley's Comet, recorded a series of demo
s throughout 1984 and 1985. The band performed their first ever live show at S.I.R. Studios in New York City, NY on November 30, 1984, and played a handful of shows in the Northeast United States in March 1985.
After a few unsuccessful attempts at securing a recording contract, the group eventually signed to Megaforce Records
and released their first album, Frehley's Comet
, on July 7, 1987. The album was co-produced by Eddie Kramer
, who had produced not only a number of Kiss albums, but Frehley's 1978 album and some of his 1984-85 demos. Anton Fig, now being the in-studio drummer for David Letterman
's late-night television show, performed on the album but was unable to maintain a permanent commitment to touring. He played on the 1987 tour in the U.S. when Frehley's band played a double bill with Y&T
, and new band (at the time) White Lion
opening the shows. By the time the band began recording this album, Richie Scarlet had left the group to pursue other projects and was replaced by Tod Howarth
. In addition, at some point between the initial Frehley's Comet shows in 1984-85 and their signing to Megaforce, the band had become a four-piece, with Arthur Stead no longer playing with the group.
Frehley's Comet, a mixture of hard rock and pop metal, was a successful return to the music scene for Frehley. The album peaked at #43 on the Billboard 200
(selling nearly 500,000 copies), and the single, a Russ Ballard
cover "Into the Night," reached #27 on the Mainstream Rock Tracks
chart. "Rock Soldiers" was an autobiographic song, written partially about Frehley's April 1982 car accident. The video for "Rock Soldiers" received moderate airplay on MTV
, particularly on Headbangers Ball
.
Despite the positive reviews and healthy album sales of Frehley's Comet, Frehley was unable to maintain much commercial momentum. Two 1988 Frehley's Comet albums—the live EP
Live+1
and second studio album Second Sighting
peaked at #84 and #81, respectively. A pair of tours in support of Alice Cooper
and Iron Maiden
ended prematurely, with the band claiming lack of payment in both cases.
In order to reverse his band's declining commercial fortunes, Frehley dropped the Frehley's Comet moniker and issued 1989's Trouble Walkin'
under his own name. Tod Howarth
and Jamie Oldaker
also decided to leave before recording started on the album, and were replaced by Richie Scarlet and Sandy Slavin. Despite the return to a more traditional hard rock style, Trouble Walkin continued the pattern of declining sales, and peaked at #102.
One notable aspect of Trouble Walkin was the guest appearance of Peter Criss, who provided backing vocals on several tracks, along with Sebastian Bach
and other members of Skid Row. It was the first time Criss and Frehley had performed together on an album since Kiss' 1979 album, Dynasty, although Criss had shown up briefly at a Frehley's Comet show in Los Angeles in 1987, playing drums on a final encore of "Deuce
". Frehley would return the favor by playing solos on Peter's 'Criss' "Cat #1
" CD on TNT Records, released in 1994. In contrast to the somewhat adversarial relationship Frehley had with Kiss (particularly Gene Simmons) throughout the 1980s, he and Criss had maintained good ties during the decade. In June 1995, Frehley's and Criss' bands embarked on the "Bad Boys Tour." These years (1993 to 1995) produced one of Frehley's most talented bands of his solo career, with Frehley on lead guitar and vocals, Richie Scarlet on guitar, Steve "Budgie" Werner on drums, and Karl Cochran on bass.
. It marked the first time the original members of Kiss had performed in public since the end of the Dynasty tour in 1979. Fan response was overwhelming, and rumors of a full-fledged reunion circulated. By December, the paperwork for the reunion was completed, although no official announcement was made at the time.
On February 28, 1996, the original members of Kiss appeared (in full makeup and costumes) at the Grammy Award
s to a standing ovation. On April 16, Kiss officially announced their reunion and plans for a tour during a press conference aboard the USS Intrepid
. The Alive/Worldwide Tour
kicked off on June 28 at Tiger Stadium in Detroit, Michigan
. The tour lasted through July 1997 and was a financial windfall for the group, earning $43.6 million.
The reunited Kiss issued Psycho Circus
in September 1998. Frehley's lone song on the album, "Into the Void" (co-written with Karl Cochran), was performed during the subsequent tour. The Psycho Circus Tour
, with new stage costumes (an updated version of those worn on their 1976 Destroyer tour), and a modified stage production from the Reunion tour, commenced in November 1998, after a Halloween Eve show at Los Angeles' Dodger Stadium for over 40,000 fans, the first 30 minutes broadcast live on FOX TV, and the entire show broadcast on nationwide radio. (At the Dodger Stadium show, Frehley and Kiss performed old classics "Nothin' To Lose" and "She" for the only time since they were together in the 1970s). But the Psycho Circus tour was not nearly as successful as the Reunion tour of two years earlier, and, after a Kiss movie "Detroit Rock City" which was a dismal flop in the fall of 1999, Kiss took a break until early 2000, when Frehley re-signed to join them for a final tour—the "Farewell Tour", beginning March 11, 2000. Frehley, expecting that the tour would be Kiss' last, chose not to remain in the band when it ended. His last performance with Kiss was on February 24, 2002, during the closing ceremonies of the 2002 Winter Olympics
.
guitarist, Tommy Thayer
. Thayer was an assistant of the band at the time, and had previously served in a variety of other roles, as well as having played Frehley in the Kiss tribute band Cold Gin. Since Kiss now owned the copyright to Frehley's makeup and costume designs, they placed Thayer on lead guitar as the "Spaceman," and had him perform Frehley's well-known tricks (such as shooting rockets from his guitar) and sing Frehley's signature song, "Shock Me
", moves which generated controversy and anger among some of the fan base.
Frehley appeared with Rob Zombie
, Slash
, Tommy Lee
, Scott Ian
, and Gilby Clarke
on VH1's Rock Honors special on May 31, 2006. This supergroup played Kiss' "God of Thunder." He has also attempted acting (not counting a walk-on in the "...Thirteen Years Later"
episode of Millennium
or his part in Kiss Meets the Phantom of the Park
), making his debut in 2004 in Remedy
, an independent crime drama produced by actor/producer Jonathan Doscher
, with Sopranos stars Frank Vincent
and Vincent Pastore
, playing a drug dealer with a heart of gold named Johnny. In July 2007, a Dunkin' Donuts
television commercial directed by Zach Braff
began airing that featured Frehley playing in his Kiss makeup and costume.
In 2007, Peter Criss
dedicated the final track of his new solo album, One for All
, to Frehley. The song is titled "Space Ace" and features biographical lyrics and a very Pink Floyd
-like atmosphere.
Frehley was to play the Download Festival
08 (June 13, 2008) on the same day as Kiss, who were headlining. However, for reasons unknown, Frehley was moved to the Saturday (headlined by The Offspring
), while Kiss remained as headliners for the Friday. He said, "I am very excited to have been asked to play at a festival like this for my English fans and I'm really looking forward to the day." Frehley also made an appearance (and played one of his own songs) at a Pearl Jam
concert at Madison Square Garden
on June 25, 2008 during an extended encore performance.
Frehley appeared on April 2, 2009, at the opening of the Hard Rock Cafe
at Yankee Stadium
performing "New York Groove
" with Scott Ian
, Frank Bello
, and Anton Fig
.
Frehley performed with Alice Cooper
, Barry Goudreau
(formerly of Boston
), Chad Smith
(of the Red Hot Chili Peppers
and Chickenfoot
) at the Berklee Performance Center April 26, 2009, as part of the 'Rock & Roll Supergroup' show. It was a benefit for a substance abuse facility in Arlington, Massachusetts, called 'Right Turn'.
His most recent album Anomaly was released on September 15, 2009. This date was chosen as it was three years since he had confronted his alcohol problem and stopped drinking. The album was dedicated to his former bandmate Eric Carr
who died of cancer, Dimebag Darrell
who was a huge fan of Frehley and Les Paul
who died a month prior to the album's release, and his wife Jeanette and her family.
The album was supported by a world tour, first in the US
, then Europe
, Japan
and Australia
.
On Eddie Trunk
's XM Show in March 2010, Ace Frehley let listeners know that Gene Simmons
has contacted him and Peter Criss
about rejoining Kiss for a reality show. No confirmation has come from either Simmons, Stanley, Frehley, or Criss. Frehley also mentioned on the show that he hopes to release a new album within the next year or two, plus another album that would contain songs Frehley worked on in the 80s and 90s but were never officially released. The title that was mentioned but has yet to be confirmed was Ace Frehley: The Lost Tapes.
Frehley made a brief appearance during the home opener of the New York Rangers
2010-11 NHL Hockey Season on October 15, 2010. He stood at one of the entrances to the ice and both sang and played guitar on a short version of "New York Groove
" just prior to the start of the game. The performance wasn't well taken by the crowd, as Frehley's voice cracked during his performance and the fans started chanting "Let's Go Rangers" to drown out the end of the song.
guitars with three DiMarzio
Super Distortion pickups
. Gibson has marketed Frehley's own signature Les Paul models for about two decades now. Frehley came up with his trademark "smoking guitar trick" on one of the first Kiss tours in Canada. Frehley placed a smoke bomb in the compartment of his Les Paul where the volume and tone controls are located and lit it by hand, causing the smoke to come out through the humbucker pickups. After a couple of times, the smoke started to gum up the volume and tone controls and it stopped working. As a result, Frehley had to find a way to avoid this; after an alternative technique was found, the smoke stunt has remained a part of his act. Frehley also played a guitar whose body was covered in LEDs, as well as having invented the infamous rocket set-up that shoots into the air. It came from an earlier idea that he had of a fiber optic wire running up the neck of his guitar to a laser at the top of the guitar to "blow up things." However, Frehley took out the wire and put rockets on.
credited, but does not appear
followed by Mark St. John
is an American
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
musician
Musician
A musician is an artist who plays a musical instrument. It may or may not be the person's profession. Musicians can be classified by their roles in performing music and writing music.Also....* A person who makes music a profession....
best known as the lead guitarist of the rock
Rock music
Rock music is a genre of popular music that developed during and after the 1960s, particularly in the United Kingdom and the United States. It has its roots in 1940s and 1950s rock and roll, itself heavily influenced by rhythm and blues and country music...
band Kiss
KISS (band)
Kiss is an American rock band formed in New York City in January 1973. Well-known for its members' face paint and flamboyant stage outfits, the group rose to prominence in the mid to late 1970s on the basis of their elaborate live performances, which featured fire breathing, blood spitting,...
. He took on the persona
Persona
A persona, in the word's everyday usage, is a social role or a character played by an actor. The word is derived from Latin, where it originally referred to a theatrical mask. The Latin word probably derived from the Etruscan word "phersu", with the same meaning, and that from the Greek πρόσωπον...
of the "Spaceman" or "Space Ace" when the band adopted costumes and theatrics. Frehley played with the group from its inception in 1973 until his departure in 1982.
After leaving Kiss, Frehley embarked on a solo career, which was put on hold when he rejoined Kiss in 1996 for a highly successful reunion tour
Alive/Worldwide Tour
The Alive/Worldwide Tour was a 1996-1997 concert tour by Kiss. It was the first tour with original members Peter Criss and Ace Frehley since their 1979 Dynasty Tour...
. His second tenure with Kiss lasted until 2002, when he left at the conclusion of what was purported to be the band's Farewell Tour
Kiss Farewell Tour
The Kiss Farewell Tour was a concert tour performed by the rock group Kiss four years after they reunited the group's original line up for a record-breaking Reunion Tour in 1996, "Kiss Worldwide Alive". A follow up tour in 1998 in support of their cd "Psycho Circus" saw lower ticket sales in the...
. His latest album, Anomaly, was released on September 15, 2009.
Guitar World Magazine ranked him 14th Greatest Metal Guitarists Of All Time.
Early years
Frehley was born and raised in The BronxThe Bronx
The Bronx is the northernmost of the five boroughs of New York City. It is also known as Bronx County, the last of the 62 counties of New York State to be incorporated...
, the youngest of three children. He has a sister Nancy and a brother Charles, a classical guitarist. As a youth, Frehley was in a New York street gang called The Duckies with Steven Edward Duren (aka Blackie Lawless
Blackie Lawless
Blackie Lawless , is an American singer, songwriter, guitarist, bassist and actor, best known as the lead singer and rhythm guitarist for heavy metal band W.A.S.P..In an interview, Blackie claims to have been born in the kitchen of the Rainbow Bar and Grill in Hollywood,...
, who would later become frontman for heavy metal band W.A.S.P.). The Frehleys were a musical family, and when Frehley received an electric guitar
Electric guitar
An electric guitar is a guitar that uses the principle of direct electromagnetic induction to convert vibrations of its metal strings into electric audio signals. The signal generated by an electric guitar is too weak to drive a loudspeaker, so it is amplified before sending it to a loudspeaker...
as a Christmas present in 1964, he immersed himself in learning the instrument. "I never went to music school; I never took a guitar lesson, but everybody in my family plays an instrument. My mother and father both played piano, his father was the church organist, and my brother and sister both played piano and acoustic guitar." Frehley was always surrounded by music. Frehley started playing guitar at age 13. He lists Jimi Hendrix
Jimi Hendrix
James Marshall "Jimi" Hendrix was an American guitarist and singer-songwriter...
, Albert Lee
Albert Lee
Albert William Lee, born 21 December 1943 in Leominster, Herefordshire, England, is an English guitarist known for his fingerstyle and hybrid picking technique. Lee has worked both in the studio and on tour with some of the most famous musicians which stretch through a very wide of genres...
, Buddy Guy
Buddy Guy
George "Buddy" Guy is an American blues and jazz guitarist and singer. He is a critically acclaimed artist who has established himself as a pioneer of the Chicago blues sound, and has served as an influence to some of the most notable musicians of his generation...
, Eric Clapton
Eric Clapton
Eric Patrick Clapton, CBE, is an English guitarist and singer-songwriter. Clapton is the only three-time inductee to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame: once as a solo artist, and separately as a member of The Yardbirds and Cream. Clapton has been referred to as one of the most important and...
http://www.answers.com/topic/ace-frehley, B.B. King, Led Zeppelin
Led Zeppelin
Led Zeppelin were an English rock band, active in the late 1960s and throughout the 1970s. Formed in 1968, they consisted of guitarist Jimmy Page, singer Robert Plant, bassist/keyboardist John Paul Jones, and drummer John Bonham...
, The Rolling Stones
The Rolling Stones
The Rolling Stones are an English rock band, formed in London in April 1962 by Brian Jones , Ian Stewart , Mick Jagger , and Keith Richards . Bassist Bill Wyman and drummer Charlie Watts completed the early line-up...
, and The Who
The Who
The Who are an English rock band formed in 1964 by Roger Daltrey , Pete Townshend , John Entwistle and Keith Moon . They became known for energetic live performances which often included instrument destruction...
as his main influences.
When Frehley's band, Cathedral, started earning a series of paying gigs
Concert
A concert is a live performance before an audience. The performance may be by a single musician, sometimes then called a recital, or by a musical ensemble, such as an orchestra, a choir, or a musical band...
, Frehley dropped out of high school. At the insistence of his family and girlfriend, Frehley eventually returned and earned his diploma. After graduation, Frehley held a string of short-term jobs—mail carrier
Mail carrier
A mail carrier, mailman, postal carrier, postman, postwoman , postman/postwoman , letter carrier or postie is an employee of the post office or postal service, who delivers mail and parcel post to residences and businesses...
, furniture deliverer, messenger, and liquor store delivery boy.
Growing up on the corner of Marion Avenue and 201st Street, off Bedford Park Boulevard (a/k/a 200th Street) and Webster Avenue
Webster Avenue
Webster Avenue is one of the longest thoroughfares in the Bronx. It stretches for 5.8 miles from Melrose to Woodlawn . The road starts at an intersection with Melrose Avenue, East 165th Street, Brook Avenue and Park Avenue in Melrose, ending at Nereid Avenue and East 240th Street in the town of...
in the Bedford Park
Bedford Park, Bronx
Bedford Park is a residential neighborhood in the northwest Bronx between the New York Botanical Garden and Lehman College. Its boundaries, starting from the north and moving clockwise are: Mosholu Parkway to the north, Webster Avenue to the east, East 198th Street to the south, and Jerome Avenue...
section of the Bronx, Frehley graduated Grace Lutheran School at age 13. However, he was thrown out of two high schools and dropped out of the third. Two of the high schools he attended were DeWitt Clinton High School
DeWitt Clinton High School
DeWitt Clinton High School is an American high school located in the Bronx, New York City, New York.-History:Clinton opened in 1897 at 60 West 13th Street at the northern end of Greenwich Village under the name of Boys High School, although this Boys High School was not related to the one in Brooklyn...
on Mosholu Parkway
Mosholu Parkway
The Mosholu Parkway is a hybrid freeway-standard parkway and grade-level roadway in the New York City borough of the Bronx, constructed from 1935 to 1937 as part of the roadway network created under Robert Moses...
and Theodore Roosevelt High School
Theodore Roosevelt High School (New York City)
Theodore Roosevelt High School is a public high school located in The Bronx, New York City, United States. It was first organized November 14, 1918. When Theodore Roosevelt died on January 6, 1919, the Board of Education decided to give the school his name...
on Fordham Road
Fordham Road
Fordham Road is a major street in The Bronx borough of New York City. It runs east-west from the Harlem River to Bronx Park.This street runs through the neighborhood of University Heights, divides Fordham from Fordham-Bedford and finally runs along the northern border of Belmont...
. It was in his high school years that he got the nickname "Ace" when he had the ability to get his friends dates. His friends said, "You are a real ace." It was also in his high school years that a guidance counselor encouraged him to get into graphic arts. His family did not have a lot of money, and in his teen years, Frehley got involved in street gangs. He would later credit guitar playing for "saving his life" as a member of Kiss.
Kiss
Frehley spent the early 1970s in a series of local bands. In late 1972, his best friend, Bob McAdams (co-author of the book Kiss & Tell), spotted an advertisement for a lead guitarist in the Village Voice and showed the ad to Frehley. Both McAdams and Frehley went to 10 East 23rd Street above the Live Bait Bar. Frehley auditioned for Wicked LesterWicked Lester
Wicked Lester was the name of the New York-based rock and roll group that would eventually come to be known as Kiss. The band, under its original name, Rainbow, formed in 1970. The most notable original members were bassist Gene Klein, , and rhythm guitarist Stanley Eisen. The two would later be...
members Paul Stanley
Paul Stanley
Stanley Harvey Eisen , better known by his stage name Paul Stanley, is an American hard rock guitarist, singer, musician, painter and songwriter best known for being the rhythm guitarist and primary lead vocalist of the rock band Kiss. He is the writer or co-writer of many of the band's...
(rhythm guitar
Rhythm guitar
Rhythm guitar is a technique and rôle that performs a combination of two functions: to provide all or part of the rhythmic pulse in conjunction with singers or other instruments; and to provide all or part of the harmony, ie. the chords, where a chord is a group of notes played together...
), Gene Simmons
Gene Simmons
Gene Simmons is an Israeli-American entrepreneur, singer-songwriter, actor, and rock bassist. Known as "The Demon", he is the bassist/vocalist of Kiss, a hard rock band he co-founded in the early 1970s.-Early life:...
(bass guitar
Bass guitar
The bass guitar is a stringed instrument played primarily with the fingers or thumb , or by using a pick....
) and Peter Criss
Peter Criss
George Peter John Criscuola , better known as Peter Criss, is an American drummer and singer, best known as the original drummer for the rock band Kiss...
(drums
Drum kit
A drum kit is a collection of drums, cymbals and often other percussion instruments, such as cowbells, wood blocks, triangles, chimes, or tambourines, arranged for convenient playing by a single person ....
). Frehley, who showed up wearing one red sneaker and one orange sneaker, was less than impressive visually, but the band liked what they heard from his playing. About three weeks after Frehley auditioned, the new group named him their lead guitarist. By January 1973, Wicked Lester decided on a new name - Kiss
KISS (band)
Kiss is an American rock band formed in New York City in January 1973. Well-known for its members' face paint and flamboyant stage outfits, the group rose to prominence in the mid to late 1970s on the basis of their elaborate live performances, which featured fire breathing, blood spitting,...
. Frehley designed the band's double-lightning-bolt logo. The band quickly decided to paint their faces for live performances, and Frehley decided to start painting silver stars on his eyes. When the group eventually decided to adopt a stage persona to go with their makeup designs. Frehley became "Space Ace". Later the stage persona would be known as "The Spaceman."
Bill Aucoin
William "Bill" Aucoin was an American band manager, well-known for his work with the rock band Kiss.-Biography:...
that paid each member $75 a week. This enabled Frehley to quit his job.
Kiss released their debut album, Kiss, in February 1974 — Frehley was credited for writing two songs, "Love Theme from KISS"(the only song written by the four original members) and a fan classic, "Cold Gin". However, due to Frehley's lack of confidence in his own singing voice, the vocals were performed by Simmons. Frehley wrote or co-wrote several of the band's songs over the next few years but did not record his vocals on a song until "Shock Me
Shock Me
"Shock Me" is a song released by American hard rock band Kiss on their 1977 album Love Gun. It was written by lead guitarist Ace Frehley, who made his lead vocal debut on the track. The song was inspired by an event that took place during Kiss' Rock and Roll Over tour, when Frehley was nearly...
" (inspired by his near-electrocution during a concert in Lakeland, Florida), which appeared on 1977's Love Gun
Love Gun
Love Gun is the sixth studio album by American hard rock band Kiss. It was certified platinum on June 30, 1977, just two weeks after the album's release....
.
As lead guitarist, Frehley was known for his frenetic, atmospheric playing, becoming one of the most popular guitarists in the 70s and spawning a generation of new players. Frehley stated in the book Kiss: Behind the Mask that many guitarists have told him his playing on 1975's hit Alive! prompted them to pick up the instrument. Frehley is well recognized for using Gibson Les Paul
Gibson Les Paul
The Gibson Les Paul was the result of a design collaboration between Gibson Guitar Corporation and the late jazz guitarist and electronics inventor Les Paul. In 1950, with the introduction of the Fender Telecaster to the musical market, electric guitars became a public craze. In reaction, Gibson...
guitars, including his trademarked model conversion Cara Guitars which filled the stage full of smoke during his live guitar solo.
Along with the three other Kiss members, Frehley released an eponymous solo album
Ace Frehley (album)
Ace Frehley is a 1978 solo album from the lead guitarist and vocalist of American hard rock band Kiss. It was one of four solo albums released by the members of Kiss on September 18, 1978....
in 1978. His was the best-selling of the four, and the album's lone single — the Russ Ballard
Russ Ballard
Russell Glyn Ballard is an English singer, songwriter and musician.-Career:Ballard was initially a guitarist with Buster Meikle & The Day Breakers in 1961, together with Roy Ballard, Russ's older brother on piano and Bob Henrit on drums...
-written "New York Groove
New York Groove
"New York Groove" is a song written by Russ Ballard and first recorded by Hello in 1975 and later by Ace Frehley in 1978.-Hello:The British glam rock band Hello first recorded the song in 1975, for their debut album, Keeps Us Off The Streets...
"), originally recorded by Hello
Hello (band)
Hello is a Bell Records label, teen appeal glam rock band, based in England.-Career:The core of Hello was founded in about 1969, originally being called The Age. The band was started by Bob Bradbury, previously of The Flashback Berries, with Jeff Allen , Keith Marshall and Vic Faulkner...
— reached the Top 20 in the United States.
Frehley's songwriting presence within the group increased in 1979. He contributed three songs for 1979's Dynasty and three for 1980's Unmasked. While this was not the best time for Kiss on a commercial level in the United States, they were only just beginning to take off in other countries (mostly in Australia, where Dynasty and Unmasked are their highest-selling albums). But even as his songwriting role within Kiss was increasing, Frehley found himself increasingly at odds with the musical direction of the band. After Peter Criss left Kiss in 1980, Frehley was often outvoted 2-1 in band decisions, as replacement drummer Eric Carr
Eric Carr
Paul Charles Caravello , also known as Eric Carr, was an American musician, best known as drummer for the rock band Kiss. Caravello was selected as the new Kiss drummer after Peter Criss left in 1980...
was not a partner in Kiss and had no vote. Frehley's participation in the recording of 1981's Music from "The Elder" was far more limited than with previous albums. This was in large part due to his unhappiness with the band's decision to create a concept album
Concept album
In music, a concept album is an album that is "unified by a theme, which can be instrumental, compositional, narrative, or lyrical." Commonly, concept albums tend to incorporate preconceived musical or lyrical ideas rather than being improvised or composed in the studio, with all songs contributing...
rather than a straightforward rock album, and also, by Frehley's own admission, his "not relating all that well" to producer Bob Ezrin
Bob Ezrin
Robert Alan "Bob" Ezrin is a Canadian music producer and keyboardist, known for his work with artists including Alice Cooper, Kiss and Pink Floyd. He was inducted into the Canadian Music Hall of Fame in 2004.-Biography:...
, who cut many of Frehley's solos from the recorded tracks.
Although Frehley appeared on the covers for 1982's greatest hits album Killers
Killers (KISS album)
Killers is the second compilation album by American hard rock group Kiss. The album was released only outside the United States, but quickly became available as an import. Of the twelve songs on Killers, four were new compositions recorded specifically for the album...
and studio album Creatures of the Night
Creatures of the Night
Creatures of the Night is the tenth studio album by Kiss. It is the band's last album for Casablanca Records, the only label the group had ever recorded for up to that point...
, he had no involvement with Killers, and minimal (no musical) input on Creatures of the Night. Frehley's last appearances with the band were the video for "I Love It Loud
I Love It Loud
"I Love It Loud" is a song by the American rock band Kiss, released on their 1982 album Creatures of the Night. The song was written by bassist/vocalist Gene Simmons and guitarist Vincent Cusano, although some versions of the album mistakenly credit the song as written by Paul Stanley and Cusano...
", a series of European promotional appearances in November 1982 and a band interview with MTV
MTV
MTV, formerly an initialism of Music Television, is an American network based in New York City that launched on August 1, 1981. The original purpose of the channel was to play music videos guided by on-air hosts known as VJs....
in early 1983 promoting their world tour
Creatures of the Night Tour
The Creatures of the Night Tour was a concert tour by the hard rock group Kiss in support of their album of the same title. It was the second tour with drummer Eric Carr,his first in his home country, and the first tour with guitarist Vinnie Vincent, who replaced Ace Frehley.Wearing a make up...
.
Solo career / Frehley's Comet
In December 1982, Kiss began the Creatures of the Night tour without Frehley: he was replaced by Vinnie VincentVinnie Vincent
Vincent John Cusano, better known as Vinnie Vincent, is an American guitarist from Bridgeport, Connecticut and songwriter known for his brief membership in the band Kiss.-Replacing Ace Frehley in Kiss:...
. However, Frehley retained a one-quarter share in the Kiss partnership until 1985. He received one-quarter of the profits for both Lick It Up
Lick It Up
Lick It Up is the 11th studio album by the U.S. band Kiss. On the day of the album's release, Kiss appeared on MTV without their trademark makeup. It was the first public appearance without makeup by Kiss since the very early days of the band...
and Animalize
Animalize
Animalize is the 12th studio album by the American band Kiss. In a continuation of the commercial resurgence begun with Lick It Up, Animalize was certified platinum by the RIAA on December 12, 1984. It was the biggest-selling Kiss album since 1977's Alive II.The album marked the only appearance by...
although he had no involvement with either record.
In 1984, Frehley started his post-Kiss solo career by assembling a band that included, among others, drummer Anton Fig
Anton Fig
Anton Fig , known as "The Thunder from Down Under" is a session drummer, noted for his work in David Letterman's house band, the CBS Orchestra. Letterman often refers to Fig as "Anton Zip"or "Buddy Rich Jr."...
(who had performed on Frehley's 1978 solo album and on two Kiss albums). Bassist John Regan
John Regan (bassist)
John Regan is an American musician, songwriter, producer and bassist. He is notable for being a member of ex-KISS guitarist Ace Frehley's band "Frehley's Comet" from 1984 to 1990. He has also recorded and performed with Peter Frampton 1979 til currently, John Waite, The Rolling Stones, Stephen...
(who had worked with Peter Frampton
Peter Frampton
Peter Kenneth Frampton is an English musician, singer, producer, guitarist and multi-instrumentalist. He was previously associated with the bands Humble Pie and The Herd. Frampton's international breakthrough album was his live release, Frampton Comes Alive!. The album sold over 6 million copies...
), whom Frehley met in 1980, was also an original member of the band as was vocalist/guitarist Richie Scarlet and keyboardist Arthur Stead. The group, whose name alternated between 'Ace Frehley' and Frehley's Comet, recorded a series of demo
Demo (music)
A demo version or demo of a song is one recorded for reference rather than for release. A demo is a way for a musician to approximate their ideas on tape or disc, and provide an example of those ideas to record labels, producers or other artists...
s throughout 1984 and 1985. The band performed their first ever live show at S.I.R. Studios in New York City, NY on November 30, 1984, and played a handful of shows in the Northeast United States in March 1985.
After a few unsuccessful attempts at securing a recording contract, the group eventually signed to Megaforce Records
Megaforce Records
Megaforce Records is an American independent record label which was founded in 1982 by Jon and Marsha Zazula to publish the first works of Metallica. It has offices in New York and Philadelphia. The label is distributed in the U.S. by Sony Music Entertainment/RED Distribution...
and released their first album, Frehley's Comet
Frehley's Comet (album)
Frehley's Comet is the second solo release from Ace Frehley, former lead guitarist of Kiss. Frehley also named his band after the title of this album, and in this way it is also considered the self-titled first album credited to the band Frehley's Comet . It was the first album Frehley released...
, on July 7, 1987. The album was co-produced by Eddie Kramer
Eddie Kramer
Edwin H. Kramer is an audio engineer and producer who has worked with, among others, Led Zeppelin, Triumph, Kiss , Jimi Hendrix, The Beatles, The Rolling Stones, David Bowie, Spooky Tooth, Peter Frampton, Curtis Mayfield, Santana, Anthrax, Carly Simon, Loudness, and Robin Trower.-1960s:Eddie...
, who had produced not only a number of Kiss albums, but Frehley's 1978 album and some of his 1984-85 demos. Anton Fig, now being the in-studio drummer for David Letterman
David Letterman
David Michael Letterman is an American television host and comedian. He hosts the late night television talk show, Late Show with David Letterman, broadcast on CBS. Letterman has been a fixture on late night television since the 1982 debut of Late Night with David Letterman on NBC...
's late-night television show, performed on the album but was unable to maintain a permanent commitment to touring. He played on the 1987 tour in the U.S. when Frehley's band played a double bill with Y&T
Y&T
Y&T is an American hard rock/heavy metal band formed in 1974. They hail from Oakland, California...
, and new band (at the time) White Lion
White Lion
White Lion is an American/Danish hard rock/heavy metal band that was formed in New York City in 1983 by Danish vocalist Mike Tramp and American guitarist Vito Bratta. Mainly active in the 1980s and early 1990s, the band achieved double platinum status with their #8 hit "Wait" and #3 hit "When the...
opening the shows. By the time the band began recording this album, Richie Scarlet had left the group to pursue other projects and was replaced by Tod Howarth
Tod Howarth
Tod Howarth is an American rock and roll musician best known as the vocalist/keyboardist/guitarist for the short-lived band Frehley's Comet, led by former KISS guitarist, Ace Frehley...
. In addition, at some point between the initial Frehley's Comet shows in 1984-85 and their signing to Megaforce, the band had become a four-piece, with Arthur Stead no longer playing with the group.
Frehley's Comet, a mixture of hard rock and pop metal, was a successful return to the music scene for Frehley. The album peaked at #43 on the Billboard 200
Billboard 200
The Billboard 200 is a ranking of the 200 highest-selling music albums and EPs in the United States, published weekly by Billboard magazine. It is frequently used to convey the popularity of an artist or groups of artists...
(selling nearly 500,000 copies), and the single, a Russ Ballard
Russ Ballard
Russell Glyn Ballard is an English singer, songwriter and musician.-Career:Ballard was initially a guitarist with Buster Meikle & The Day Breakers in 1961, together with Roy Ballard, Russ's older brother on piano and Bob Henrit on drums...
cover "Into the Night," reached #27 on the Mainstream Rock Tracks
Mainstream Rock Tracks
Hot Mainstream Rock Tracks is a ranking in Billboard magazine of the most-played songs on mainstream rock radio stations, a category that includes stations that play primarily rock music. Modern rock tracks are counted in the Alternative Songs chart.This chart began with the March 21, 1981, issue...
chart. "Rock Soldiers" was an autobiographic song, written partially about Frehley's April 1982 car accident. The video for "Rock Soldiers" received moderate airplay on MTV
MTV
MTV, formerly an initialism of Music Television, is an American network based in New York City that launched on August 1, 1981. The original purpose of the channel was to play music videos guided by on-air hosts known as VJs....
, particularly on Headbangers Ball
Headbangers Ball
Headbangers Ball is a music television program consisting of heavy metal music videos airing on MTV2, MTV Australia, MTV Two , MTV Adria , MTV Brand New, MTV Portugal, MTV Finland, MTV Arabia, MTV Norway, MTV Sweden, MTV Denmark, MTV Greece, MTV Türkiye, MTV...
.
Despite the positive reviews and healthy album sales of Frehley's Comet, Frehley was unable to maintain much commercial momentum. Two 1988 Frehley's Comet albums—the live EP
Extended play
An EP is a musical recording which contains more music than a single, but is too short to qualify as a full album or LP. The term EP originally referred only to specific types of vinyl records other than 78 rpm standard play records and LP records, but it is now applied to mid-length Compact...
Live+1
Live+1
Live+1 is a 1988 EP from Frehley's Comet. It was meant to serve as a stop-gap until the release of the group's second studio album, Second Sighting. The first four songs were recorded live at the Aragon Ballroom in Chicago, Illinois on September 4, 1987...
and second studio album Second Sighting
Second Sighting
Second Sighting is a studio album by American hard rock band Frehley's Comet. This is the second out of three LPs put out by Frehley in the 1980's, but the last under the band name Frehley's Comet....
peaked at #84 and #81, respectively. A pair of tours in support of Alice Cooper
Alice Cooper
Alice Cooper is an American rock singer, songwriter and musician whose career spans more than four decades...
and Iron Maiden
Iron Maiden
Iron Maiden are an English heavy metal band from Leyton in east London, formed in 1975 by bassist and primary songwriter Steve Harris. Since their inception, the band's discography has grown to include a total of thirty-six albums: fifteen studio albums; eleven live albums; four EPs; and six...
ended prematurely, with the band claiming lack of payment in both cases.
In order to reverse his band's declining commercial fortunes, Frehley dropped the Frehley's Comet moniker and issued 1989's Trouble Walkin'
Trouble Walkin'
Trouble Walkin is the third full-length solo album released by Ace Frehley. No longer under the band name Frehley's Comet the album features guest performances by former Kiss drummer Peter Criss, as well as Skid Row members Sebastian Bach, Rachel Bolan and Dave Sabo.The album peaked at #102 on the...
under his own name. Tod Howarth
Tod Howarth
Tod Howarth is an American rock and roll musician best known as the vocalist/keyboardist/guitarist for the short-lived band Frehley's Comet, led by former KISS guitarist, Ace Frehley...
and Jamie Oldaker
Jamie Oldaker
James Oldaker is an American rock music, blues rock and country music drummer and percussionist. He was born September 5, 1951 in Tulsa, Oklahoma. He is an exponent of the shuffle style....
also decided to leave before recording started on the album, and were replaced by Richie Scarlet and Sandy Slavin. Despite the return to a more traditional hard rock style, Trouble Walkin continued the pattern of declining sales, and peaked at #102.
One notable aspect of Trouble Walkin was the guest appearance of Peter Criss, who provided backing vocals on several tracks, along with Sebastian Bach
Sebastian Bach
Sebastian Bach is a Canadian heavy metal singer who achieved mainstream success as frontman of Skid Row from 1987 to 1996. Since his departure from Skid Row, he has had many television roles, acted within Broadway plays, and leads a successful solo career.-Early life:Bach was born Sebastian...
and other members of Skid Row. It was the first time Criss and Frehley had performed together on an album since Kiss' 1979 album, Dynasty, although Criss had shown up briefly at a Frehley's Comet show in Los Angeles in 1987, playing drums on a final encore of "Deuce
Deuce (song)
"Deuce" is a song written by Kiss bassist/vocalist Gene Simmons that first appeared on Kiss' eponymous 1974 debut album. In addition to being one of the band's most popular and most-covered songs, "Deuce" is a traditional concert opener...
". Frehley would return the favor by playing solos on Peter's 'Criss' "Cat #1
Cat 1 (album)
Cat #1 is the fourth album released by former Kiss drummer Peter Criss, and first under the band name Criss.-Track listing:#"Bad Attitude" – 4:33#"Walk the Line" – 3:47...
" CD on TNT Records, released in 1994. In contrast to the somewhat adversarial relationship Frehley had with Kiss (particularly Gene Simmons) throughout the 1980s, he and Criss had maintained good ties during the decade. In June 1995, Frehley's and Criss' bands embarked on the "Bad Boys Tour." These years (1993 to 1995) produced one of Frehley's most talented bands of his solo career, with Frehley on lead guitar and vocals, Richie Scarlet on guitar, Steve "Budgie" Werner on drums, and Karl Cochran on bass.
Kiss reunion and beyond
The beginning of the "Bad Boys Tour" was followed a few months later by Frehley and Criss both performing with Kiss for their August 9, 1995 appearance on MTV UnpluggedMTV Unplugged
MTV Unplugged is a TV series showcasing many popular musical artists usually playing acoustic instruments. The show has received the George Foster Peabody Award and 3 Primetime Emmy nominations among many accolades.-Unplugged:...
. It marked the first time the original members of Kiss had performed in public since the end of the Dynasty tour in 1979. Fan response was overwhelming, and rumors of a full-fledged reunion circulated. By December, the paperwork for the reunion was completed, although no official announcement was made at the time.
On February 28, 1996, the original members of Kiss appeared (in full makeup and costumes) at the Grammy Award
Grammy Award
A Grammy Award — or Grammy — is an accolade by the National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences of the United States to recognize outstanding achievement in the music industry...
s to a standing ovation. On April 16, Kiss officially announced their reunion and plans for a tour during a press conference aboard the USS Intrepid
USS Intrepid (CV-11)
USS Intrepid , also known as The Fighting "I", is one of 24 s built during World War II for the United States Navy. She is the fourth US Navy ship to bear the name. Commissioned in August 1943, Intrepid participated in several campaigns in the Pacific Theater of Operations, most notably the Battle...
. The Alive/Worldwide Tour
Alive/Worldwide Tour
The Alive/Worldwide Tour was a 1996-1997 concert tour by Kiss. It was the first tour with original members Peter Criss and Ace Frehley since their 1979 Dynasty Tour...
kicked off on June 28 at Tiger Stadium in Detroit, Michigan
Detroit, Michigan
Detroit is the major city among the primary cultural, financial, and transportation centers in the Metro Detroit area, a region of 5.2 million people. As the seat of Wayne County, the city of Detroit is the largest city in the U.S. state of Michigan and serves as a major port on the Detroit River...
. The tour lasted through July 1997 and was a financial windfall for the group, earning $43.6 million.
The reunited Kiss issued Psycho Circus
Psycho Circus
Psycho Circus is the 18th studio album by American band Kiss. The album features the original four members back together, and in full make-up....
in September 1998. Frehley's lone song on the album, "Into the Void" (co-written with Karl Cochran), was performed during the subsequent tour. The Psycho Circus Tour
Psycho Circus Tour
Psycho Circus Tour was a Kiss concert tour in 1998-1999. It was the first concert tour in history to have 3-D visual effects. One notable show on the tour was the March 12 Bremen, Germany show. After the opening song, Paul Stanley announced that the local fire marshall had banned Kiss from using...
, with new stage costumes (an updated version of those worn on their 1976 Destroyer tour), and a modified stage production from the Reunion tour, commenced in November 1998, after a Halloween Eve show at Los Angeles' Dodger Stadium for over 40,000 fans, the first 30 minutes broadcast live on FOX TV, and the entire show broadcast on nationwide radio. (At the Dodger Stadium show, Frehley and Kiss performed old classics "Nothin' To Lose" and "She" for the only time since they were together in the 1970s). But the Psycho Circus tour was not nearly as successful as the Reunion tour of two years earlier, and, after a Kiss movie "Detroit Rock City" which was a dismal flop in the fall of 1999, Kiss took a break until early 2000, when Frehley re-signed to join them for a final tour—the "Farewell Tour", beginning March 11, 2000. Frehley, expecting that the tour would be Kiss' last, chose not to remain in the band when it ended. His last performance with Kiss was on February 24, 2002, during the closing ceremonies of the 2002 Winter Olympics
2002 Winter Olympics
The 2002 Winter Olympics, officially the XIX Olympic Winter Games, were a winter multi-sport event that was celebrated in February 2002 in and around Salt Lake City, Utah, United States. Approximately 2,400 athletes from 77 nations participated in 78 events in fifteen disciplines, held throughout...
.
Return to solo career
Frehley was soon replaced by former Black 'n BlueBlack 'N Blue
Black 'n Blue is a Hard rock band from Portland, Oregon. The current members are singer Jaime St. James, guitarist Shawn Sonnenschein, guitarist Jeff Warner, bassist Patrick Young, and drummer Pete Holmes.-History:...
guitarist, Tommy Thayer
Tommy Thayer
Tommy Cunningham Thayer is an American musician and songwriter best known as the lead guitarist for the American hard rock band Kiss.- Early life :...
. Thayer was an assistant of the band at the time, and had previously served in a variety of other roles, as well as having played Frehley in the Kiss tribute band Cold Gin. Since Kiss now owned the copyright to Frehley's makeup and costume designs, they placed Thayer on lead guitar as the "Spaceman," and had him perform Frehley's well-known tricks (such as shooting rockets from his guitar) and sing Frehley's signature song, "Shock Me
Shock Me
"Shock Me" is a song released by American hard rock band Kiss on their 1977 album Love Gun. It was written by lead guitarist Ace Frehley, who made his lead vocal debut on the track. The song was inspired by an event that took place during Kiss' Rock and Roll Over tour, when Frehley was nearly...
", moves which generated controversy and anger among some of the fan base.
Frehley appeared with Rob Zombie
Rob Zombie
Rob Zombie is an American musician, film director, screenwriter and film producer. He founded the heavy metal band White Zombie and has been nominated three times as a solo artist for the Grammy Award for Best Metal Performance.Zombie has also established a career as a film director, creating the...
, Slash
Slash (musician)
Saul Hudson , known by his stage name Slash, is a British-American musician and songwriter. He is best known as the former lead guitarist of the American hard rock band Guns N' Roses, with whom he achieved worldwide success in the late 1980s and early 1990s. During his later years with Guns N'...
, Tommy Lee
Tommy Lee
Thomas Lee Bass , best known as Tommy Lee, is an American musician and founding member of glam metal band Mötley Crüe. As well as being the band's long-term drummer, Lee founded rap-metal band Methods of Mayhem, and has pursued solo musical projects...
, Scott Ian
Scott Ian
Scott Ian Rosenfeld , better known by the stage name Scott Ian, is an American musician, best known as the rhythm & lead guitarist for the heavy metal band Anthrax. Ian is also the guitarist and a founding member of the crossover thrash band Stormtroopers of Death...
, and Gilby Clarke
Gilby Clarke
Gilbert "Gilby" Clarke is an American guitarist and record producer best known for a 3-year tenure as the rhythm guitarist of Guns N' Roses, replacing Izzy Stradlin in 1991 during the Use Your Illusion Tour...
on VH1's Rock Honors special on May 31, 2006. This supergroup played Kiss' "God of Thunder." He has also attempted acting (not counting a walk-on in the "...Thirteen Years Later"
Millennium (season 3)
The third season of the American supernatural thriller series, Millennium aired between 1998-1999, the Fox network decided not to renew the series after the third season because of a declining viewership level.-Recurring:*Terry O'Quinn as Peter Watts...
episode of Millennium
Millennium (TV series)
Millennium is an American television series created by Chris Carter, creator of The X-Files. Millennium aired on the Fox Network from 1996 to 1999. The series was filmed in Vancouver, British Columbia, though most episodes were ostensibly set in or around Seattle, Washington...
or his part in Kiss Meets the Phantom of the Park
KISS Meets the Phantom of the Park
Kiss Meets the Phantom of the Park is a 1978 television film, starring American hard rock band Kiss...
), making his debut in 2004 in Remedy
Remedy (film)
Remedy is an American 2005 crime drama directed by Christian Maelen and written by Sandy Eiges, Nicholas Reiner, and Charlotte Wise. The film stars Maelen, Arthur Nascarella, Jon Doscher, Frank Vincent, Vincent Pastore, and Chuck Zito.-Production:...
, an independent crime drama produced by actor/producer Jonathan Doscher
Jonathan Doscher
Jon Doscher is an American independent film producer and actor. His popular works are: This Thing of Ours, Remedy, 4CHOSEN: The Documentary and Harry: A Communication Breakdown....
, with Sopranos stars Frank Vincent
Frank Vincent
Frank Vincent is an American actor, musician, author and entrepreneur. He is a favorite performer of director Martin Scorsese, having played important roles in three of Scorsese's most acclaimed films: Raging Bull , Goodfellas and Casino . He often plays a gangster and works both in features and...
and Vincent Pastore
Vincent Pastore
Vincent Pastore is an Italian-American actor, often cast as a mobster and best known for the role of Salvatore "Big Pussy" Bonpensiero on The Sopranos.-Early life:...
, playing a drug dealer with a heart of gold named Johnny. In July 2007, a Dunkin' Donuts
Dunkin' Donuts
Dunkin' Donuts is an international doughnut and coffee retailer founded in 1950 by William Rosenberg in Quincy, Massachusetts; it is now headquartered in Canton...
television commercial directed by Zach Braff
Zach Braff
Zachary Israel "Zach" Braff is an American actor, screenwriter, producer, comedian, and director. Braff first became known in 2001 for his role as Dr. John Dorian on the television series Scrubs, for which he was nominated for an Emmy Award and three Golden Globe Awards.In 2004, Braff made his...
began airing that featured Frehley playing in his Kiss makeup and costume.
In 2007, Peter Criss
Peter Criss
George Peter John Criscuola , better known as Peter Criss, is an American drummer and singer, best known as the original drummer for the rock band Kiss...
dedicated the final track of his new solo album, One for All
One for All (Peter Criss album)
One for All is the fifth studio album by former Kiss drummer and vocalist Peter Criss. It was released by Megaforce Records on July 23, 2007. The album reached number 36 on the Billboard Top Independent Album list...
, to Frehley. The song is titled "Space Ace" and features biographical lyrics and a very Pink Floyd
Pink Floyd
Pink Floyd were an English rock band that achieved worldwide success with their progressive and psychedelic rock music. Their work is marked by the use of philosophical lyrics, sonic experimentation, innovative album art, and elaborate live shows. Pink Floyd are one of the most commercially...
-like atmosphere.
Frehley was to play the Download Festival
Download Festival
The Download Festival is a three day rock music festival held annually at Donington Park, England . It usually takes place in June...
08 (June 13, 2008) on the same day as Kiss, who were headlining. However, for reasons unknown, Frehley was moved to the Saturday (headlined by The Offspring
The Offspring
The Offspring is an American punk rock band from Huntington Beach, California, formed in 1984. Known as Manic Subsidal until 1986, the band consists of lead vocalist and rhythm guitarist Dexter Holland, lead guitarist Kevin "Noodles" Wasserman, bassist Greg K. and drummer Pete Parada...
), while Kiss remained as headliners for the Friday. He said, "I am very excited to have been asked to play at a festival like this for my English fans and I'm really looking forward to the day." Frehley also made an appearance (and played one of his own songs) at a Pearl Jam
Pearl Jam
Pearl Jam is an American rock band that formed in Seattle, Washington, in 1990. Since its inception, the band's line-up has included Eddie Vedder , Jeff Ament , Stone Gossard , and Mike McCready...
concert at Madison Square Garden
Madison Square Garden
Madison Square Garden, often abbreviated as MSG and known colloquially as The Garden, is a multi-purpose indoor arena in the New York City borough of Manhattan and located at 8th Avenue, between 31st and 33rd Streets, situated on top of Pennsylvania Station.Opened on February 11, 1968, it is the...
on June 25, 2008 during an extended encore performance.
Frehley appeared on April 2, 2009, at the opening of the Hard Rock Cafe
Hard Rock Cafe
Hard Rock Cafe is a chain of theme restaurants founded in 1971 by Americans Peter Morton & Isaac Tigrett. In 1979, the cafe began covering its walls with rock and roll memorabilia, a tradition which expanded to others in the chain. In 2006, Hard Rock was sold to the Seminole Tribe of Florida, and...
at Yankee Stadium
Yankee Stadium
Yankee Stadium was a stadium located in The Bronx in New York City, New York. It was the home ballpark of the New York Yankees from 1923 to 1973 and from 1976 to 2008. The stadium hosted 6,581 Yankees regular season home games during its 85-year history. It was also the former home of the New York...
performing "New York Groove
New York Groove
"New York Groove" is a song written by Russ Ballard and first recorded by Hello in 1975 and later by Ace Frehley in 1978.-Hello:The British glam rock band Hello first recorded the song in 1975, for their debut album, Keeps Us Off The Streets...
" with Scott Ian
Scott Ian
Scott Ian Rosenfeld , better known by the stage name Scott Ian, is an American musician, best known as the rhythm & lead guitarist for the heavy metal band Anthrax. Ian is also the guitarist and a founding member of the crossover thrash band Stormtroopers of Death...
, Frank Bello
Frank Bello
Frank Bello is an American musician who plays bass guitar for the thrash metal band Anthrax. Originally he was a roadie and guitar technician for the band, but later he replaced Dan Lilker on the Spreading the Disease album. After leaving Anthrax in early 2004 Bello joined Helmet - another New...
, and Anton Fig
Anton Fig
Anton Fig , known as "The Thunder from Down Under" is a session drummer, noted for his work in David Letterman's house band, the CBS Orchestra. Letterman often refers to Fig as "Anton Zip"or "Buddy Rich Jr."...
.
Frehley performed with Alice Cooper
Alice Cooper
Alice Cooper is an American rock singer, songwriter and musician whose career spans more than four decades...
, Barry Goudreau
Barry Goudreau
Barry Goudreau is a musician, best known as one of the original guitarists for the rock band Boston.- Before Boston :Goudreau had developed a musical interest at an early age and got his first guitar, an acoustic which he borrowed from a friend, at age 11. He began taking lessons and by age 13,...
(formerly of Boston
Boston (band)
Boston is an American rock band from Boston, Massachusetts that achieved its most notable successes during the 1970s and 1980s. Centered on guitarist, keyboardist, songwriter, and producer Tom Scholz, the band is a staple of classic rock radio playlists...
), Chad Smith
Chad Smith
Chad Smith is an American musician, best known as the longtime and current drummer of Red Hot Chili Peppers. Smith is also the drummer of the hard rock supergroup Chickenfoot which includes Sammy Hagar, Joe Satriani, and Michael Anthony, former Deep Purple vocalist Glenn Hughes' backing band and...
(of the Red Hot Chili Peppers
Red Hot Chili Peppers
Red Hot Chili Peppers is an American rock band, formed in Los Angeles in 1983. The group's musical style primarily consists of rock with an emphasis on funk, as well as elements from other genres such as punk, hip hop and psychedelic rock...
and Chickenfoot
Chickenfoot (band)
Chickenfoot is an American rock supergroup, consisting of former Van Halen members Sammy Hagar and Michael Anthony , solo artist Joe Satriani and Red Hot Chili Peppers drummer Chad Smith. The band released their self-titled debut album, Chickenfoot, on June 5, 2009...
) at the Berklee Performance Center April 26, 2009, as part of the 'Rock & Roll Supergroup' show. It was a benefit for a substance abuse facility in Arlington, Massachusetts, called 'Right Turn'.
His most recent album Anomaly was released on September 15, 2009. This date was chosen as it was three years since he had confronted his alcohol problem and stopped drinking. The album was dedicated to his former bandmate Eric Carr
Eric Carr
Paul Charles Caravello , also known as Eric Carr, was an American musician, best known as drummer for the rock band Kiss. Caravello was selected as the new Kiss drummer after Peter Criss left in 1980...
who died of cancer, Dimebag Darrell
Dimebag Darrell
Darrell Lance Abbott , also known as Diamond Darrell and Dimebag Darrell, was an American guitarist. He was best known as a founding member of the heavy metal bands Pantera and Damageplan. Abbott also contributed to the album Rebel Meets Rebel, a collaboration between Pantera and David Allan Coe...
who was a huge fan of Frehley and Les Paul
Les Paul
Lester William Polsfuss —known as Les Paul—was an American jazz and country guitarist, songwriter and inventor. He was a pioneer in the development of the solid-body electric guitar which made the sound of rock and roll possible. He is credited with many recording innovations...
who died a month prior to the album's release, and his wife Jeanette and her family.
The album was supported by a world tour, first in the US
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
, then Europe
Europe
Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
, Japan
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
and Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
.
On Eddie Trunk
Eddie Trunk
Eddie Trunk is an American music historian, radio personality, talk show host, and author best known as the host of several hard rock and heavy metal themed radio and television shows.- Current work :...
's XM Show in March 2010, Ace Frehley let listeners know that Gene Simmons
Gene Simmons
Gene Simmons is an Israeli-American entrepreneur, singer-songwriter, actor, and rock bassist. Known as "The Demon", he is the bassist/vocalist of Kiss, a hard rock band he co-founded in the early 1970s.-Early life:...
has contacted him and Peter Criss
Peter Criss
George Peter John Criscuola , better known as Peter Criss, is an American drummer and singer, best known as the original drummer for the rock band Kiss...
about rejoining Kiss for a reality show. No confirmation has come from either Simmons, Stanley, Frehley, or Criss. Frehley also mentioned on the show that he hopes to release a new album within the next year or two, plus another album that would contain songs Frehley worked on in the 80s and 90s but were never officially released. The title that was mentioned but has yet to be confirmed was Ace Frehley: The Lost Tapes.
Frehley made a brief appearance during the home opener of the New York Rangers
New York Rangers
The New York Rangers are a professional ice hockey team based in the borough of Manhattan in New York, New York, USA. They are members of the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League . Playing their home games at Madison Square Garden, the Rangers are one of the...
2010-11 NHL Hockey Season on October 15, 2010. He stood at one of the entrances to the ice and both sang and played guitar on a short version of "New York Groove
New York Groove
"New York Groove" is a song written by Russ Ballard and first recorded by Hello in 1975 and later by Ace Frehley in 1978.-Hello:The British glam rock band Hello first recorded the song in 1975, for their debut album, Keeps Us Off The Streets...
" just prior to the start of the game. The performance wasn't well taken by the crowd, as Frehley's voice cracked during his performance and the fans started chanting "Let's Go Rangers" to drown out the end of the song.
Death hoax
Rumors of Ace Frehley’s suicide began to circulate around the Internet on Friday, February 23, 2007. The rumor stated that Frehley committed suicide by taking pills, and was reported dead at 2 a.m. Frehley responded by saying, "I don't know how this ridiculous rumor got started."Performance style
Ace Frehley is noted for using Gibson Les PaulGibson Les Paul
The Gibson Les Paul was the result of a design collaboration between Gibson Guitar Corporation and the late jazz guitarist and electronics inventor Les Paul. In 1950, with the introduction of the Fender Telecaster to the musical market, electric guitars became a public craze. In reaction, Gibson...
guitars with three DiMarzio
DiMarzio
DiMarzio, Inc. is an United States manufacturer best known for its revolutionary direct-replacement guitar pickups. The company also produces miscellaneous guitar accessories, such as cables, straps and hardware.DiMarzio became known for its Super Distortion model, which was the first after...
Super Distortion pickups
Humbucker
A humbucker is a type of electric guitar pickup, first patented by Seth Lover and the Gibson company, that uses two coils, both generating string signal. Humbuckers have higher output than a single coil pickup since both coils are connected in series...
. Gibson has marketed Frehley's own signature Les Paul models for about two decades now. Frehley came up with his trademark "smoking guitar trick" on one of the first Kiss tours in Canada. Frehley placed a smoke bomb in the compartment of his Les Paul where the volume and tone controls are located and lit it by hand, causing the smoke to come out through the humbucker pickups. After a couple of times, the smoke started to gum up the volume and tone controls and it stopped working. As a result, Frehley had to find a way to avoid this; after an alternative technique was found, the smoke stunt has remained a part of his act. Frehley also played a guitar whose body was covered in LEDs, as well as having invented the infamous rocket set-up that shoots into the air. It came from an earlier idea that he had of a fiber optic wire running up the neck of his guitar to a laser at the top of the guitar to "blow up things." However, Frehley took out the wire and put rockets on.
With Kiss
- Kiss (1974)
- Hotter Than HellHotter Than HellHotter Than Hell is the second studio album from hard rock band Kiss. It was released on October 22, 1974 and was certified Gold on June 23, 1977, having shipped 500,000 copies. The album was re-released in 1997 in a remastered version...
(1974) - Dressed to KillDressed to Kill (album)Dressed to Kill is the third studio album from American hard rock band Kiss. It is unique for having been produced by Casablanca Records president Neil Bogart, as the financial situation of the label at the time did not allow the hiring of a professional producer."C'mon and Love Me" and "Rock and...
(1975) - Alive! (1975)
- Destroyer (1976)
- Rock and Roll OverRock and Roll Over-Personnel:*Paul Stanley - rhythm guitar , vocals*Gene Simmons - bass guitar, vocals, rhythm guitar on "Ladies Room"*Ace Frehley - lead guitar, backing vocals*Peter Criss - drums, percussion, vocals-Charts:-Certifications:...
(1976) - Love GunLove GunLove Gun is the sixth studio album by American hard rock band Kiss. It was certified platinum on June 30, 1977, just two weeks after the album's release....
(1977) - Alive IIAlive IIAlive II is a 1977 live album from Kiss. It is the group's eighth album and second live album.-The songs:The origins of Alive II go back to early 1977 when the band's manager, Bill Aucoin, had the idea to have Eddie Kramer record a live album during the evening show at Budokan Hall in Tokyo on...
(1977) - Double PlatinumDouble Platinum (album)Double Platinum is the first greatest hits album by the American hard rock band Kiss.Many of the songs on Double Platinum were remixed and significantly differ from their original versions...
(1978) - Dynasty (1979)
- Unmasked (1980)
- Music From "The Elder" (1981)
- Creatures of the NightCreatures of the NightCreatures of the Night is the tenth studio album by Kiss. It is the band's last album for Casablanca Records, the only label the group had ever recorded for up to that point...
(1982) - Kiss UnpluggedKISS UnpluggedKiss Unplugged is a Kiss album featuring the group performance in MTV Unplugged.On August 9, 1995, hard rock band Kiss performed on MTV Unplugged in what fans consider the beginning of the eventual Kiss Reunion Tour. Paul Stanley and Gene Simmons contacted former members Peter Criss and Ace Frehley...
(1995) - You Wanted the Best, You Got the Best!!You Wanted the Best, You Got the Best!!You Wanted the Best, You Got the Best!! is a Live hits album released by American hard rock band Kiss. The album was issued to coincide with the group's 1996–97 Alive/Worldwide Tour. All of the songs on the album are live versions. Most were taken from Alive! or Alive II but four recordings had...
(1996) - Psycho CircusPsycho CircusPsycho Circus is the 18th studio album by American band Kiss. The album features the original four members back together, and in full make-up....
(1998)
credited, but does not appear
Solo/Frehley's Comet (studio)
| Date of Release | Title | Billboard Billboard 200 The Billboard 200 is a ranking of the 200 highest-selling music albums and EPs in the United States, published weekly by Billboard magazine. It is frequently used to convey the popularity of an artist or groups of artists... |
Certification Certification Certification refers to the confirmation of certain characteristics of an object, person, or organization. This confirmation is often, but not always, provided by some form of external review, education, assessment, or audit... |
|---|---|---|---|
| September 18, 1978 | Ace Frehley Ace Frehley (album) Ace Frehley is a 1978 solo album from the lead guitarist and vocalist of American hard rock band Kiss. It was one of four solo albums released by the members of Kiss on September 18, 1978.... |
26 |
|
| July 7, 1987 | Frehley's Comet Frehley's Comet (album) Frehley's Comet is the second solo release from Ace Frehley, former lead guitarist of Kiss. Frehley also named his band after the title of this album, and in this way it is also considered the self-titled first album credited to the band Frehley's Comet . It was the first album Frehley released... |
43 | |
| May 24, 1988 | Second Sighting Second Sighting Second Sighting is a studio album by American hard rock band Frehley's Comet. This is the second out of three LPs put out by Frehley in the 1980's, but the last under the band name Frehley's Comet.... |
81 | |
| October 13, 1989 | Trouble Walkin' Trouble Walkin' Trouble Walkin is the third full-length solo album released by Ace Frehley. No longer under the band name Frehley's Comet the album features guest performances by former Kiss drummer Peter Criss, as well as Skid Row members Sebastian Bach, Rachel Bolan and Dave Sabo.The album peaked at #102 on the... ' |
102 | |
| September 15, 2009 | Anomaly | 27 |
Solo (live)
| Date of Release | Title | Billboard Billboard 200 The Billboard 200 is a ranking of the 200 highest-selling music albums and EPs in the United States, published weekly by Billboard magazine. It is frequently used to convey the popularity of an artist or groups of artists... |
|---|---|---|
| February 2, 1988 | Live+1 Live+1 Live+1 is a 1988 EP from Frehley's Comet. It was meant to serve as a stop-gap until the release of the group's second studio album, Second Sighting. The first four songs were recorded live at the Aragon Ballroom in Chicago, Illinois on September 4, 1987... |
84 |
Solo (compilation)
| Date of Release | Title |
|---|---|
| April 8, 1997 | 12 Picks 12 Picks -Personnel:*Ace Frehley – lead guitar on all tracks, lead vocals on tracks 1-7 and 9-12, backing vocals*Tod Howarth – rhythm guitar on tracks 1-3 and 6-13, lead vocals on tracks 8 and 13, keyboards... |
| January 20, 1998 | Loaded Deck Loaded Deck Loaded Deck is a greatest hits compilation of Ace Frehley's solo career released in 1997, after the widespread Kiss reunion tour. It includes some of Frehley's greatest hits such as "New York Groove", "Rock Soldiers", and a cover of The Move's "Do Ya".... |
| January 24, 2006 | Greatest Hits Live Greatest Hits Live (Ace Frehley album) Greatest Hits Live is a live album by Ace Frehley. The album contains ten live tracks and two studio recordings. Tracks 1-6, 8 and 10 were recorded in London, England. Tracks 7 and 9 were recorded in Chicago, Illinois... |
Singles
- 1978 - New York GrooveNew York Groove"New York Groove" is a song written by Russ Ballard and first recorded by Hello in 1975 and later by Ace Frehley in 1978.-Hello:The British glam rock band Hello first recorded the song in 1975, for their debut album, Keeps Us Off The Streets...
- 1987 - Into the Night
- 1988 - Insane
- 1988 - It's Over Now
- 1989 - Do Ya
- 2009 - Outer Space
Guest appearances
- "Eugene" – Song on the 1981 self-titled album by Crazy Joe and the Variable Speed Band. Frehley played synth drums, had a spoken-word part, and co-produced.
- "Bump and Grind" – Song on the 1984 Wendy O. WilliamsWendy O. WilliamsWendy Orlean Williams , better known as Wendy O. Williams, was the lead singer for the American punk band the Plasmatics, as well as a solo artist...
album W.O.W. Frehley played lead guitar. - Cat #1 – 1994 Criss album. Frehley played lead guitar on three songs: "Bad Attitude," "Walk the Line" and "Blue Moon Over Brooklyn."
- "Cherokee Boogie" – Song on the 1996 compilation album Smell the Fuzz: Guitars that Rule the World 2. The song was written, produced and engineered by Frehley, who also played all guitars on it.
- "Rocker Room Theme" – Song on the 1998 Still Wicked album Something Wicked This Way Comes. Frehley played rhythm and lead guitar. CD also features Ron Leejack (Wicked Lester), Gordon G.G. Gebert, MaryAnn Scandiffio and Michael Sciotto.
- "Foxy LadyFoxy Lady"Foxy Lady" is a song by The Jimi Hendrix Experience from their 1967 album Are You Experienced. It can also be found on a number of Hendrix's greatest hits compilations, including Smash Hits and Experience Hendrix: The Best of Jimi Hendrix...
" – Song on the 1998 ESP (Eric SingerEric SingerEric Doyle Mensinger , better known as Eric Singer, is a hard rock and heavy metal drummer for the rock band Kiss and formerly for singer Alice Cooper...
Project) album Lost and Spaced. Frehley played lead guitar. - "Freedom" – Song on the 2000 Karl Cochran album Voodooland. Frehley played guitar.
- Insanity of Life – 2002 Richie Scarlet album. Frehley played guitar on "Johnny's in Love" and lead guitar on "Too Far Gone." He also co-wrote "Too Far Gone" with Scarlet.
- "Know Where You Go" – Song on the 2002 Anton Fig album Figments. Frehley played lead guitar.
- "Bad Choice" – Song on the 2005 Kathy ValentineKathy ValentineKathy Valentine is the American bass guitarist for the all-girl rock band, The Go-Go's....
album Light Years. Frehley played the lead guitar solos. - In 2005, Frehley played a new version of "2,000 Man" on Eddie Trunk'sEddie TrunkEddie Trunk is an American music historian, radio personality, talk show host, and author best known as the host of several hard rock and heavy metal themed radio and television shows.- Current work :...
"Merry Kissmas" special. - On June 25, 2008 Frehley appeared onstage at New York's Madison Square Garden with Pearl Jam for an encore performance of Kiss's "Black Diamond" sung by drummer Matt Cameron.
- On December 20, 2008, Frehley appeared on That Metal ShowThat Metal ShowThat Metal Show is a talk show hosted by Eddie Trunk with co-hosts Jim Florentine and Don Jamieson. It premiered on VH1 Classic on November 15, 2008. New episodes air on VH1 Classic on Saturday nights and are rebroadcast throughout the week....
with host Eddie Trunk. - On July 21, 2009, Frehley appeared on the Dark Horse TourDark Horse TourThe "Dark Horse" World Tour was a worldwide concert tour by Canadian rock band Nickelback. It was their first world tour since the conclusion of their massive All The Right Reasons Tour, ending on September 2, 2007 in Kansas City, MO. The tour was in support of their new album Dark Horse. Dates...
with members from each of the tour's participating bands in a rendition of AC/DCAC/DCAC/DC are an Australian rock band, formed in 1973 by brothers Malcolm and Angus Young. Commonly classified as hard rock, they are considered pioneers of heavy metal, though they themselves have always classified their music as simply "rock and roll"...
's Highway to HellHighway to Hell (song)"Highway to Hell" is the opening track of AC/DC's 1979 album Highway to Hell and the twelfth track on AC/DC Live. It was initially released as a single in 1979....
. Frehley played lead guitar with Chad KroegerChad KroegerChad Robert Kroeger is aCanadian songwriter, singer, and guitarist best known as the lead vocalist and guitarist for the Canadian rock band Nickelback...
of NickelbackNickelbackNickelback is a Canadian rock band from Hanna, Alberta. Since 1995 the band has included guitarist and lead vocalist Chad Kroeger, guitarist and back-up vocalist Ryan Peake and bassist Mike Kroeger.. The band's current drummer and percussionist is Daniel Adair who has been with the band since 2005....
playing rhythm guitar and providing backing vocals and Austin Winkler of HinderHinderHinder is an American rock band from Oklahoma that was formed in 2001 by drummer Cody Hanson, guitarist Joe Garvey, and singer Austin Winkler. The band was inducted into the Oklahoma Music Hall of Fame in 2007.-Formation and early history:...
and Jacoby ShaddixJacoby ShaddixJacoby Dakota Shaddix is the lead singer of Californian rock band Papa Roach, and along with bassist Tobin Esperance, is the main songwriter for the band.-Early life:...
of Papa RoachPapa RoachPapa Roach is an American rock band from Vacaville, California. Their first major-label release was the triple-platinum album Infest . The group's success continued with their gold album Lovehatetragedy , their platinum album Getting Away with Murder , The Paramour Sessions , and Metamorphosis...
sharing lead vocals.
Filmography
- Kiss Meets the Phantom of the ParkKISS Meets the Phantom of the ParkKiss Meets the Phantom of the Park is a 1978 television film, starring American hard rock band Kiss...
(1978) - Live+4 (1988) (VHS)
- Ace Frehley - Acevision Volume #1 (1994)
- Kiss: The Second Coming DocumentaryThe Second Coming (Kiss video)The Second Coming is a DVD collection released by the band Kiss in 2000. The DVD set focuses on the Alive/Worldwide Tour tour, which took place in 1996 and 1997.It was certified Platinum in the US.-External links:*...
(1998) - Detroit Rock CityDetroit Rock City (film)Detroit Rock City is a 1999 film about four teenagers in a Kiss cover band who try to see their idols in Detroit in 1978. Comparable to Rock 'n' Roll High School, Dazed and Confused, The Stöned Age, and I Wanna Hold Your Hand, Detroit Rock City tells a coming of age story through a filter of 1970s...
(1999) - Kiss Loves YouKiss Loves YouKISS Loves You is a 2004 documentary film directed by Jim Heneghan and co-produced by 8th Grade Films and Sveriges Television. The documentary chronicles the triumphs, tragedies and absurdities of a select group of KISS fans over a ten year period beginning in 1994, during which the band reunited...
(2004) - RemedyRemedy (film)Remedy is an American 2005 crime drama directed by Christian Maelen and written by Sandy Eiges, Nicholas Reiner, and Charlotte Wise. The film stars Maelen, Arthur Nascarella, Jon Doscher, Frank Vincent, Vincent Pastore, and Chuck Zito.-Production:...
(2004) - Let's Go Cobo (Documentary) (2009)
Interviews
- Ace Frehley Interview on Maximum Threshold Radio
- Behind the Player:Ace Frehley DVD (2010)
External links
followed by Mark St. John