ACE FREHLEY SAYS HE IS WORKING ON NEW MUSIC AND DISCUSSES THE POSSIBILITY OF REUNITING WITH HIS OLD KISS BANDMATES
Original KISS guitarist Ace Frehley was guest on Eddie’s April 27th episode of his Sirius/XM show, Trunk Nation, where he discussed working on new music during the Corona virus shutdown.
He said (via blabbermouth.net), “Because of this virus, everything has been pushed back. The release of my Origins Vol. 2 [the sequel to his 2016 collection of cover songs that inspired him] has been pushed back to the fall. I don’t wanna be too idle, so I decided to start recording my next studio record. What the hell?”
According to Frehley, Origins Vol. 2 was “done months ago” but there is no concrete release date.
“We’re talking about the end of the summer…We might put out a single earlier than that — during the summer. We’re talking about probably not till September. But that can change. Don’t quote me or anything. First it was the summer, then it was the end of the summer. Last I heard it was September. Everybody’s worried about their health. Health comes first, because without your health, you’ve got nothing.”
In the same interview, the guitarist also discussed his relationship with his former KISS bandmates and if he would ever consider reuniting with them onstage?
He stated, “I texted Paul [Stanley] and Gene [Simmons] last week and just wished them well, and Peter [Criss]. And I got a text from Doc [McGhee, KISS manager]. Everybody’s okay — thank God. Knock on wood. Eric Singer’s been sending me some silly texts [Laughs] ‘Cause me and Eric always got along really well on the road.”
“Everything’s cool,” he continued. “What’s gonna happen is gonna happen. But everything is delayed at this juncture, so who knows? … I’m doing my own thing. Unless they come forward and the price is right, you’re not gonna see me anywhere close by.”
Frehley’s latest album, Spaceman, was released in October 2018 via eOne. KISS bassist/vocalist Gene Simmons co-wrote two tracks on the disc, Without You I’m Nothing and Your Wish Is My Command, the latter of which also features Simmons’s bass playing.
As previously reported that Origins Vol. 2 would feature guest appearances by Lita Ford (on The Rolling Stones’ Jumpin’ Jack Flash), Cheap Trick’s Robin Zander (on Humble Pie’s 30 Days In The Hole, former KISS guitarist Bruce Kulick (on Jimi Hendrix’s Manic Depression, guitarist John 5 (on Beatle I’m Down and Cream’s Politician).
Released in April 2016, Origins Vol. 1 debuted at Number. 23 on The Billboard 200 with first-week sales of 16,000 equivalent album units. The CD featured KISS frontman Paul Stanley on Free’s hit Fire And Water; Slash trading leads on Thin Lizzy’s classic Emerald, Lita Ford singing and playing lead on The Troggs staple Wild Thing, John 5 on KISS’ Parasite, and Pearl Jam’s Mike McCready on KISS’s Cold Gin.
As much as I love Ace he just needs to let it go. They are not interested and are selling enough tickets to satisfy their greed. If not, he would have been back in the fold already.
Other than maybe a final show appearance you will never see them together again and it sure sounds as though Ace/Peter are not interested in that. Ace has no negotiating power here.
Would they draw more fans? Sure.
Could they charge exorbitant ticket prices? Sure.
Do they want to deal with Ace? Nope.
Deep down I believe Gene would welcome him back but Paul would never bring him back.
I hope I am wrong but if it hasn’t happened yet I doubt it ever will.
It is totally Paul, I believe. With Gene writing songs with Ace and appearing on his last album and Ace attending his Vault appearances, it seems Gene likes working with Ace. Eddie T knows what it’s like when Paul holds a grudge.
Looking forward to his new album. Hopefully, when it comes out, I’ll be able to get a hard copy. I like to support local record shops (what little are left) and some are taking online orders. But some of the new CD’s I want, like the new Testament, aren’t on their web site. But the store is on my way home from work(shout out Vintage Vinyl Ford NJ).
i looks as if the concert scene is on hold for quiet a long time to come,these guys were in a groove being on tour,even though paul is faking the singing most of the time.they still are moving around and keeping pace.but at this age you suddenly stop with a show like this and take off a year or a year and a half and try to restart at that pace its not only going to be not good its dangerous .so if they resume the tour your talking about another year and a 1/2 then the supposed last show in nyc.gene will be like 73ish .i think they should just cancel the remaining dates ,have the one last show in nyc when this is over and call it a day.
Time sometimes has a way of making the seemingly impossible happen. I thought Axl and Slash were done for life. However, based on what Eddie said (and he knows a lot more than I do), it sounds unlikely. Maybe they could just do a one-off original line-up live gig for a DVD like Zep did with Jason Bonham? Lots of fireworks, flash pots, young people rocking out in the audience, and a Vinnie Vincent cameo (OK,.. I went too far there;).
I hope everyone is OK out there, hopefully we can see live music again sometime in 2020, and “That Metal Show” deserves a new home. I miss Jim Florentine’s smirk after busting Eddie’s stones.
I miss TMS too! Thanks. I personally think the photo of Kiss at the R&R HOF is the last time we see all 4 originals in the same room. Hope I’m wrong, we’ll see
eddie-that reminds me..maybe once during the pandemic, how about TVMS…”that virtual metal show”?
Good one EG !
The early inspiration for the song “Sweet Pain” was removing my wig from my head and the glue kept sticking.
LOL!!!!!!!
LMFAO I give!
Grw, oh wait…Elmer G(lue) Fudd’s Kiss tribute: “woven and weave ’em”
Good one Elliot…
Did you know that “Almost Human” was originally written about my wig?? It’s true.
LOL!!!