GUITARIST ACE FREHLEY EXPLAINS TO EDDIE WHY HE REPLACED THE MUSICIANS IN HIS SOLO BAND
Former KISS guitarist Ace Frehley spoke to our very own Eddie Trunk on his SiriusXM’s Trunk Nation show about why he parted ways with the solo band that included: Richie Scarlet on guitar, Chris Wyse on bass and Scot Coogan.
“That was hard,” Frehley admitted [as per blabbermouth.net].
As for how the change happened, Ace said, “Well, I had performed with Gene’s [Simmons, KISS bassist/vocalist] backup band in Australia, and then Gene, for some reason, canceled his trip to Japan. So I went to Japan with his band and we did eight shows. And they’re super tight; they all sing lead — four-part harmony. I mean, I’ll never forget playing 2000 Man the first time with this band, and all of a sudden, I’m hearing all the harmonies that were on the original record done by Paul [Stanley] and Gene. I’m saying, ‘Great.’ So, after the last show in Tokyo, I said to these guys, ‘Are you available? Would you consider doing the [‘Kiss Kruise’]?’ And they said, ‘Yeah.’ They’re all fans of mine. And they’re cheaper than my band, and I’m trying to cut costs down. I cut one crew member… It wasn’t just about funds. I would have paid them what I’m paying my band right now, because they’re that good. But don’t let them know that.”
When Eddie inquired about how Scarlet, Wyse and Coogan took the news that they were being replaced, Frehley replied, “Chris took it really well. He’s been playing with the [Hollywood] Vampires, he told me he was doing solo shows with Joe Perry, and he’s one of the most sought-after bass players in Los Angeles. So Chris took it really well. Scotty didn’t take it very well. And Richie didn’t take it well, because his wife had just passed away [after battling ALS for many years].”
He continued, “It was a nightmare, because I kept procrastinating, because I said, ‘How can I call Richie and let him know I’m using another band when his wife is on her deathbed?’ And it was tearing me apart. Finally I just said, ‘I’ve gotta man up.’ So I called him and I told him briefly why and… and he hung up on me. [Laughs] He goes, ‘I can’t believe this s–t,’ and he hung up on me. So, two days later, I called him back in the evening, and I said, ‘Rich…’ He apologized for hanging up on me. I’ve known Richie forever. So we healed. He told me he loved me like a brother; I told him the same. I said, ‘Tell me what I can do for you, because I know you were expecting the money from the cruise.’ So I wired some money into his account to help pay for Joann’s funeral. She was a wonderful lady.”
Frehley went on to defend his actions explaining, “Bad timing is bad timing, but business decisions really don’t… can’t… with personal life, it never jells. It’s never the right time, in a lot of cases.”
Listen to Eddie’s interview with Ace by clicking here.
Frehley’s new solo album, Spaceman, will be released through eOne on October 19th.
