Rock and Roll Hall Of Fame inductee and former KISS guitarist Ace Frehley has debuted The Joker, the second single from his highly anticipated solo LP Spacer Invader due out next week. The debut comes exclusively through Ultimate Classic Rock. Listen to it below.
https://soundcloud.com/eone-music/ace-frehley-the-joker
As previously reported, Frehley will perform on the Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon tonight (August 12th), sitting in with The Roots for the show’s entirety.
Additionally, a one time only in-store appearance and signing at the Best Buy in Union Square, NYC will take place Tuesday August 19th at 6PM. Fans will be able to get their own copy of Space Invader signed by the space man himself. Pre-order the album on iTunes here.
Watch a video clip in which Ace discusses his new album below.
Space Invader track list:
1. Space Invader
2. Gimme A Feelin’
3. I Wanna Hold You
4. Change
5. Toys
6. Immortal Pleasures
7. Inside The Vortex
8. What Every Girl Wants
9. Past The Milky Way
10. Reckless
11. The Joker
12. Starship
156 Responses
Just listened–it’s actually not bad. It’s starts off a little weird but improves as it continues. My first listen and I like the guitar solo. There are eleven other songs to listen to even if this ends up being deleted from everyone’s iPhone/smartphones.
Don’t know if you have heard reckless or space invader but those two songs (especially reckless!) kick a horses ass with a belt.
When I first heard Ace was covering the Joker I had a bad feeling in that I couldn’t imagine Ace (or anyone else for that matter) adding anything new to this song. After hearing it I actually love Ace’s vocals on it. Pretty happening solo on it as well. That being said I STILL don’t like this choice for a cover. It’s really short too – maybe could have used some kind of outro jam at the tail end of it.
I would have preferred The Stake, Jet Airliner, Fly Like An Eagle or Rock n’ Me for a Steve Miller cover Ace could have really had a feast with one of those tunes…
I will say this though – from everything I’ve heard on this album it buries Anomaly. I can’t believe some of the fan feedback I’ve heard criticizing Ace’s vocals and lyrics for Space Invader. I think Ace sounds better than ever on this? Is it me or are there that many haters out there?
Anyways – l feel were all blessed Ace is still putting out albums.
Eddie – get Ace to release some Live videos. Dying to see a pro shot of the show your put on with Ace at the NYC Hard Rock back in 2007. And finally – if the next album is covers and remakes, get Ace to recut Back Into My Arms Again from that 1985 demo collection. And ACE – you need to cover Neil Young’s “Rockin in the Free World” (that would have fit better in with the Space theme then the Joker)
Rock ‘N Me may have been a better choice if Ace HAD to cover a Steve Miller song…which he didn’t. From an interview I read. someone suggested to Ace he should cover The Joker and the reason he went along with it was because someone suggested he cover New York Groove, and that worked out well for him.
I don’t think his cover of The Joker is anything special. It’s ok, but kind of a waste of record space considering he plans to put out an album of all cover songs in the near future. Instead of an album of all cover songs, I wish Ace would record a lot of his old demos that I’ve heard for songs like Back on the Streets, Back into my Arms, Rock or be rocked, Don’t Run, The Hurt is on, I got the touch, The Man from Space, Take me to the city, etc. I would really enjoy that!
Covers are done for one reason. You have a better chance of getting classic rock radio that does not play new music to play them.
IMO, it depends entirely on the song. Today, I just don’t hear any classic rock station playing “The Joker”, by Ace Frehley. Ace is a classic artist, and so maybe if all the classic rock stations had like an hour long show, themed new music by our classic heroes, or titled something like that, maybe then we all would get to hear new ORIGINAL music by classic artists, on classic rock radio stations. When you cover a song like The Joker, even though it was originally done over 40 years ago, it’s a staple, an established artist doing an established song by another established artist, doesn’t work for me, except maybe if it’s done live the right way, place and time, by the right artist.
If you want to see Ace live, just YouTube it. YouTube plays whatever you want, unlike MTV–its WAY better.
And while you’re at it…. youtube Kiss Backstage footage from Farewell tour. I think there are 3 videos….. Now there’s some interesting stuff
I’m aware of youtube and what’s on there. There is a lot of cool ace footage….
Always wanted to see a nice pro shot of that 2007 Hard Rock Cafe show from Halloween. No real good footage on youtube from this show and Ace was at his skinniest here before he started to put weight on.
I was front row at this show and there was a little Asian guy professionally recording the show and I always hoped it would be released someday….
Don’t like this one! Space invader is a rockin though! Rockin ass solo!
Gene once said,”critics tears us to bits,but print a picture!”
I actually dig this track. Sounds alot better than that cover he did with Bret Michaels.