8 To Late joins the Kiss Army in mourning the loss of rock n roll’s ‘Spaceman’ – the Les Paul-wielding, riffmeister, and representative of the planet Jendell – the legendary Ace Frehley. Space Ace leaves us with a legacy fit for an intergalactic rockstar. Joining Kiss in late 1972, Ace quickly found an outlet for his frenetic guitar playing and visual artistry, having designed the famous Kiss logo.
From the outset, Ace was a key component of the bands songwriting team, delivering classics like ‘Cold Gin’, ‘Parasite’ and ‘Strangeways’, before stepping up to the mic on 1977’s Love Gun to deliver the anthemic ‘Shock Me’, based on Ace’s onstage electrocution while on tour the previous year. Ace’s confidence as a singer and songwriter grew by leaps and bounds over the next year, as he penned the standout studio track ‘Rocket Ride’, on Kiss’s Alive II, the best-selling of the four Kiss solo albums. 1979 saw Kiss embrace the sounds and rhythms of disco on decade-closer Dynasty, but again it was Space Ace who provided the rock n roll credibility with a trio of songs including a cover of the Rolling Stones’ ‘2000 Man’.
As the 1980s dawned and MTV became the center of the musical universe, Ace decided that it was time to fly solo, leaving Kiss after the disappointing concept album, The Elder, and bringing a hot new band, Frehley’s Comet into living rooms across the country. His first non-Kiss offering was the immortal Rock Soldiers, an autobiographical account of Ace’s wild behavior and near death experience in a high speed accident on the Brooklyn Bridge. Ace as a solo artist proved that he still had plenty of Space Man energy in the tank, releasing two more albums in the 80s: Second Sighting and 1989’s straight forward rocker, Trouble Walkin.
1995 would see all four original members of Kiss reunite on the Halloween edition of “MTV: Unplugged.” With the rousing success of “Unplugged,” Kiss would officially reunite for the 95/96 Kiss Alive Worldwide Reunion Tour, donning the makeup and costumes from the classic era and recreating the biggest show in rock n roll. The band toured relentlessly, stopping only to record 1998’s Psycho Circus, which once again showcased Ace’s songwriting, this time with the classic, ‘Into The Void’. Ace would once again embark on a solo career starting in 2002. After a few years away from the spotlight, Ace would come roaring back with 2009’s Anomoly, kicking off a 15 year span of creativity that resulted in four studio albums, two tribute albums and a yet-to-be-released volume in his ‘Origins’ series.
The Spaceman leaves behind a legacy in rock like no other. Many of rock n roll’s greatest guitarists cite Ace as a major influence and inspiration to pick up the instrument. Ace’s humor and trademark appearance has become a major part of the pop culture. With Kiss, Ace is an inductee in the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame. Ace is a longtime collaborator with Gibson Guitars, being honored with multiple signature model Les Paul guitars. He was also honored with countless trade magazine player awards.
8 To Late is deeply saddened by this loss, but forever grateful for the music, personality and eternal legacy of Space ‘Ace’ Frehley! Safe travels on the Rocket Ride back to Jendell. Join me on air Monday night for a special 8 To Late tribute to Ace!