Ace Frehley, the intergalactic lead guitarist and original founding member of Kiss, died on Thursday at 74 years old following a recent fall in his home. Best known for his intricate guitar skills and magnetic onstage persona as "the Spaceman" or "Space Ace," Frehley's contributions to Kiss and his successful solo career established him as one of the greatest metal guitarists of all time.
Not only was Frehley responsible for designing Kiss' signature lightning logo, but he also is credited for co-writing many of Kiss' successful hits early in their career, such as fan favorites like "Cold Gin" and "Shock Me."
Although he left the band in 1982 and didn't return until Kiss' 1996 reunion tour, staying with the band before departing again in 2001, Frehley's legacy with Kiss and his influence on many hard rock and metal musicians today is everlasting.
Ace Frehley's most unforgettable moments
For many, Frehley is just as loved for his legendary musical contributions as he is for his humorous personality off stage. Over the years, Frehley's sense of humor and easily recognizable laugh has led to many iconic moments for the guitar player, and since his death both fans and fellow musicians alike have paid their respects by sharing their favorite moments in Frehley's life.
From "New York Groove" to certain infamous interviews, here are defining moments in Frehley's life that Kiss fans will never forget.
Kiss on The Tom Snyder Show
To write a list of the Spaceman's most iconic moments and not include the classic Tom Snyder interview would be a crime. In 1979, Kiss appeared on The Tom Snyder Show, and all four members sat down with Snyder to discuss the band's formation, where each member grew up, and how each of their signature onstage personas came together.
However, throughout the interview, Frehley repeatedly derails the conversation, cracking jokes for the entirety of the segment. It's truly hard to pick just one famous line, whether it's "I'm the trout player" to "No, actually I'm a plumber." Many of Frehley's most hilarious one-liners come from this interview alone, resulting in one of Kiss' best interviews.
"Look, it's rock 'n' roll!"
Kiss' 1980 appearance on Countdown Australia resulted in another one of Frehley's most quotable lines. That year, the band was on their debut tour throughout Australia and New Zealand. This year also marked the introduction of Kiss' new drummer, Eric Carr, who replaced original drummer Peter Criss.
During their appearance on Countdown Australia, Kiss were filming a bit where they introduced Carr as their new drummer. However, Frehley, seeming to be under the influence of alcohol, makes the scene nearly impossible to get through.
After numerous takes of Frehley cracking up the entire band, the tipping point lies at the end of the final take where he abruptly interrupts his band mates to point directly at the camera and say, "Look! It's rock 'n' roll!" To this day, it's not completely known if Carr was ever properly introduced.
Ace Frehley's solo album
In 1978, at the height of their fame, each member of Kiss simultaneously released their own solo album. The band did this to allow each member to venture down their own artistic path, possibly creating music that wouldn't necessarily work for a Kiss record, and so everyone in the band could take a much-needed break from one another after tensions began to rise within the group.
For each solo album, the members of Kiss worked on their own record individually, receiving no help from other bandmates. These albums did not sound like traditional Kiss albums, with each musician pulling inspiration from their own distinct influences and favorite genres. While Gene Simmons' solo effort pulled a lot of Beatles inspiration, Criss' album was very radio pop and R&B-influenced.
This being said, while Simmons' album charted the highest, it was Frehley's solo album that became the highest-selling out of the four. Many love his album for the fact that it's the most hard rock-sounding, and Frehley's classic rendition of "New York Groove," originally recorded by Hello in 1975, became the only hit single to come from the four solo albums.
That time he thought Kiss won a Grammy
In a hilarious interview with Loudwire, interviewer Graham Hartmann asks Frehley his thoughts on the fact that Kiss never won a Grammy. (Though they were nominated once for Best Hard Rock Performance for "Psycho Circus.") Frehley then tells Hartmann that Kiss won a Grammy for their song "Beth" from the band's 1976 album Destroyer.
After being told Kiss did not in fact ever win a Grammy, Frehley insists he has the award on a shelf at home. He then calls his then-girlfriend Rachel Gordon to go downstairs in their home and check the award. After some discourse (and Gordon referring to Frehley as "Pooh Bear'), it's revealed that, though not a Grammy, Kiss did receive a New York Heroes Award from The Recording Academy.
The entire interview is affectionately humorous, and Frehley's ability to laugh at himself for thinking there was a Grammy on his shelf of (presumably many) awards is a telltale sign of the guitarist's personality.
His smoking guitar
As Kiss' science fiction-inspired lead guitarist, Frehley took to the stage in his distinctive face paint, which included two silver stars over his eyes, glittering silver and black outfits, and his trusty Gibson Les Paul's, which he adorned with many different special effects.
Kiss were known for their extravaggent live shows, which often involved Paul Stanley smashing his guitars, Simmons breathing fire and spitting blood, and Frehley's assortment of special guitars. While some included pyrotechnics, Frehley was also known for his signature "smoking guitar," that would emit smoke from a specially-designed humbucker pickup on the neck.
Many different moving parts made up a Kiss live show, and those early days weren't complete without Frehley's guitars to light up the stage.
The electrifying story of "Shock Me"
Speaking of Frehley's onstage antics, it was a shocking incident during a performance that led to one of Kiss' most renowned songs. Having co-written several standout tracks from Kiss' early catalogue, one of Frehley's best contributions is the song "Shock Me," featured on the band's 1977 album Love Gun.
On December 12, 1976, Kiss played at Lakeland Civic Center in Lakeland, Florida. During the opening number, Frehley touched a metal railing that was electrically charged. After electrocuting himself and falling to ground, the concert had to be delayed for half an hour. Eventually the band was able to finish their set -- despite Frehley not having any feeling in his hand for the entirety of the performance.
Greatly inspired by the event, Frehley wrote "Shock Me" after the incident. The song marked the first time that Frehley performed lead vocals on a Kiss song, and it is considered to be one of the band's best songs. Frehley's guitar solo in the song is also said to be one of the greatest in rock and metal.
Kiss Alive!
For many of rock music's most renowned guitarists, it is Frehley's guitar playing on Kiss' debut live album, Alive! (1975), that they credit as inspiring them to pick up a guitar in the first place. The album is said to be one of Kiss' best, and many publications and media outlets have said the record was groundbreaking in the live album landscape.
An extensive double LP, Alive! features all of Kiss' greatest songs from those years, such as "Strutter," "Hotter Than Hell," "Parasite," and "Black Diamond," that amplify both the band's insane live energy and Frehley's incredibly profound guitar playing.
Through his memorable and groundbreaking contributions to the hard rock genre, Frehley's enduring musical legacy cannot be denied, and his influence on the metal scene today will continue for generations to come.