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Guitarists

Ace Frehley, Original Lead Guitarist of Kiss, Dies at 74

Strategic Insights

— 2 min read

Ace Frehley, the original lead guitarist of the iconic hard-rock band Kiss, died on Thursday in Morristown, New Jersey, at the age of 74. Born in the Bronx on April 27, 1951, Frehley was a consummate showman known for his distinctive stage persona, including the silver stars on his face, which earned him the nickname "the Spaceman" or "Space Ace." He played guitar with pyrotechnic effects and designed the band's logo, with its lightning-bolt letters. During his two tenures with Kiss, from 1973 to 1982 and again from 1996 to 2002, the band released 11 studio and live albums that went gold or platinum in the United States.

Key Takeaways:

  • Ace Frehley was a founding member of Kiss and played lead guitar for the band during two tenures, from 1973 to 1982 and again from 1996 to 2002.
  • He was known for his distinctive stage persona, including the silver stars on his face, which earned him the nickname "the Spaceman" or "Space Ace."
  • Kiss released 11 studio and live albums during Frehley's tenure, which went gold or platinum in the United States.
  • Frehley played on seven of the band's Top 40 singles, including "Love Gun," "Christine Sixteen," and "I Was Made for Loving You."
  • He contributed some songs to the group's repertoire, starting with "Cold Gin" on their debut album, which was released in 1974.
  • Frehley was a successful solo artist, with his single "New York Groove" reaching the Top 20 and being played at Citi Field after every Mets victory.
  • He pursued a solo career after leaving Kiss in 1982, releasing seven more albums under his own name and two with a group called Frehley's Comet.
  • Frehley was a member of the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame, inducted in 2014 by guitarist Tom Morello of Rage Against the Machine.
  • His autobiography, "No Regrets," was published in 2011 and included stories about his time with Kiss and his struggles with addiction.
  • Frehley started dating his wife, Jeanette, at 18 and they married in 1978; she survives him, along with their daughter, Monique, his brother, Charles, and his sister, Nancy Salvner.

Statistics:

  • 100 million: number of albums sold by Kiss, according to Ace Frehley
  • $100 million: annual income for Kiss in the late 1970s, according to Ace Frehley
  • 7: number of Top 40 singles played by Ace Frehley with Kiss
  • 11: number of studio and live albums released by Kiss during Ace Frehley's tenure
  • 2014: year in which Kiss was inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame
  • 2024: year in which Ace Frehley said he got sober after "10 car accidents" in an interview on the podcast "Guitar Tales with Dave Cohen"
  • 1951: year of Ace Frehley's birth
  • 1973-1982: years in which Ace Frehley played with Kiss for the first time
  • 1996-2002: years in which Ace Frehley rejoined Kiss for a lucrative reunion tour

Sources:

  • Lynch, Michael, and Alisha Dwan, "Ace Frehley Dies at 74". The New York Times, page B12.

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