Gene Simmons, Rush, Tom Morello honour Kiss’ Ace Frehley: ‘My first guitar hero’
Musicians shared their memories of Frehley, who died yesterday, celebrating his remarkable talent, unforgettable laugh, and impact across generations
Tributes celebrating the wild, remarkable talent and inimitable laugh of Kiss‘ guitarist, Ace Frehley, were shared by his fellow musicians following the spaceman’s death on October 16 at 74. Frehley co-founded the band in 1973 alongside lead singer Gene Simmons, guitarist Paul Stanley, and drummer Peter Criss, playing with Kiss during their Seventies heyday and returning for their reunion in the Nineties. The band’s wild performances, painted faces, outrageous glitter costumes, and pyrotechnic hijinks would cement their place in rock & roll history forever (Kiss were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2014), while their monumental hits like ‘I Was Made for Lovin’ You’ and ‘Detroit Rock City’ would go on to sell tens of millions of records worldwide.
In a joint statement, Simmons and Stanley wrote, “We are devastated by the passing of Ace Frehley,” and remembered their bandmate as “an essential and irreplaceable rock soldier during some of the most formative foundational chapters of the band and its history.” They added, “He is and will always be a part of KISS’s legacy.”
Simmons shared his own, separate tribute, as well. “No one can touch Ace’s legacy,” he said in a social media post. “I know he loved the fans. He told me many times. Sadder still, Ace didn’t live long enough to be honored at the Kennedy Ctr Honors event in Dec. Ace was the eternal rock soldier. Long may his legacy live on!”
Rush, who toured with Kiss as an opener for Kiss in the Seventies, looked back at their time with Frehley on the road. “Back in 1974, as the opening act for KISS, Alex, Neil and myself spent many a night hanging out together in his hotel room after shows, doing whatever nonsense we could think of, just to make him break out his inimitable and infectious laugh,” wrote the band on Instagram, calling him “an undeniable character and an authentic rock star.”
Pearl Jam’s Mike McCready also mourned the loss of Frehley after news of his death. “All my friends have spent untold hours talking about KISS and buying KISS stuff. Ace was a hero of mine and also I would consider a friend. I studied his solos endlessly over the years,” said McCready. “I would not have picked up a guitar without Ace and KISS’s influence. RIP it out Ace, you changed my life. Thank you.”
Tom Morello, an obsessive Kiss fan who inducted them into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, called Frehley his “first guitar hero.” “The legendary Space Ace Frehley inspired generations to love rock n roll and love rock n roll guitar playing,” said the Rage Against the Machine guitarist in an Instagram post. “His timeless riffs and solos, the billowing smoke coming from his Les Paul, the rockets shooting from his headstock, his cool spacey onstage wobble and his unforgettable crazy laugh will be missed but will never be forgotten. Thank you, Ace for a lifetime of great music and memories.”