Founding KISS guitarist and 2014 Rock and Roll Hall of Fame inductee, Ace Frehley has tapped long time friend and artist Ken Kelly to create the album cover for his upcoming LP Space Invader, due out July 8th. Kelly, who created the iconic cover art for two of KISS’s best selling LPS, Destroyer (1976) and Love Gun (1977), says, “It was very exciting when I was approached with the idea of doing an album cover for Ace.”
Ken Kelly is also widely known for his paintings in the sword and sorcery and heroic fantasy sub genres, most notably for the Conan the Barbarian novels. He continues, “I had spoken to Ace on a few occasions about the possibility, so I was delighted when it actually happened.”
Ace Frehley himself comments, ”I’ve been talking with Ken Kelly since 2007 about painting a CD Cover for me and it has finally happened! I couldn’t be more excited about the new Space Invader cover and the music behind it is also going to rock your world!”
With nearly 35 years between projects, KISS fans will surely be excited about this long-time duo working together again. Kelly concludes, “I am very pleased with the results and proud to play a part of Ace’s continuing successful career.”
Ace Frehley will release Space Invader, his first new solo album in five years, via Entertainment One Music (eOne Music) on July 8th, 2014. The album will include at least nine brand new original songs as well as a cover of Steve Miller’s The Joker. This album is the first release under Frehley’s new universal deal on eOne Music.
Widely known as the original “Space Ace” and founding guitarist for 16 cumulative years (over 2 tenures) of the multi platinum selling rock band KISS, Frehley is demonstrably the most popular original member. In addition to having the best selling solo album career (vintage or current) among the original foursome, Frehley’s self titled Ace Frehley, released in 1978, went on to sell over one million copies, producing the only Top 40 single, “New York Groove,” from any of the legendary KISS solo albums; (peaking at #13). The massive hit was most recently featured in an episode of cult show Entourage and was also KISS’ second best selling download in 2012, besting such KISS Army anthems as I Was Made For Lovin’ You, Beth and Calling Dr. Love even after 36 years.
Since departing from KISS, Frehley went on to release four more solo albums and one live EP including his most recent effort, Anomaly in 2009, which debuted at #27 on the Billboard Top 200 chart and received a welcoming response among critics.
You can catch Ace Frehley accepting his award at the 29th annual Rock and Roll Hall of Fame induction Ceremony on May 31st at 8pm on HBO.
34 Responses
That cover art won’t help. That’s like putting perfume on a pig.
Don’t you have a Justin Bieber disc to listen to? Dick.
Hey man he’s stealing my character theme dude! I’m telling Gene!
Back to FREHLEY’S COMET, Ace in my opinion is better with a second singer. He doesn’t have the vocal range for 10 songs. ANOMOLY is good bu FREHLEY’S COMET with Todd Howarth sharing the vocals works better. Ace is a guitarist first and foremost so it is not an insult to fans to supplement with someone else. Of the original 4, Ace is the worst singer.
Ace is not a technically great singer, but people like his voice. I can tell you there was backlash from fans on albums he didn’t sing that much (Second Sighting). Trouble Walkin had a better balance
Second Sighting must be Ace’s least favorite solo album.
It was not a good album, and I co-produced it! Not a good time for him. But the other guys did the best they good picking up the slack. Just wasn’t much of Ace on it
I think Second Sighting belonged to Tod Howarth than Ace as it was likely his moment. I agree about Trouble Walkin’ as it was the better album of the two.
Maybe, but I really dig the lead solo on the song Juvenile Delinquent. By the way, Ace was sick with a nasty cold when he recorded that record…
He makes good choices that accommodate what he can do vocally like 2000 MAN, NY GROOVE, IN THE NIGHT and FOX ON THE RUN. Great songs but another singer singing 3 out of 9 songs focusing on guitar work showcases what he does best. You mention SECOND SIGHTING and TROUBLE WALKING, but the eponymous FREHLEY’S COMET is a good album with a perfect balance. BREAKOUT doesn’t sound too much like KISS. INSANE off of 2ND SIGHTING was good but not a classic. I saw them open for IRON MAIDEN on 7 SON….tour. The smoking guitar is fun no matter what. I hope he pulls it off with SPACE INVADER. MEGAFORCE RECORDS LIVES FOREVER. I even had LIVE + 1. That drum solo? WTF.
2000 Man never got the love, and its the best song on Dynasty. Mind you, I really liked Charisma too, so that’s not saying much about me and my tastes back then. Ace’s singing style is unique to say the least. Kinda like a spoken word performer with a little bit of melody thrown in. But it always worked for Ace. Rocket Ride, Torpedo Girl, 2000 Man, Rip it Out are fantastic tunes with Ace at the mic. Even on Psycho Circus, Into the Void is the best tune.
Trouble Walkin’ wasn’t a Frehley’s Comet album, though maybe I’m confusing the point. The self-titled Frehley’s Comet was a better balance of Ace and Todd singing, Ace did all the lead vox on Trouble except for one song…
Cool cover as it’s a nod to Destroyer and Love Gun, which Ken Kelly did. The Anomaly cover is probably a nod to the 1978 solo album cover. Can’t wait for his new album and I hope he release some preview samples in the next several weeks.
Great cover art. It would be cool, if Ace’s Les Paul and and the lightning bolt strap were there but maybe it’s a licensing issue.
I’m one of the Ace fans who wants him to sing all the vocals and write all, or most, of the songs. Second Sighting was a good rock album, but for me it didn’t sound enough like an Ace solo album (which it wasn’t, haha). My friend had the record, so I taped it.