ACE FREHLEY’S “SPACE INVADER” DEBUTS AT NUMBER NINE ON THE BILLBOARD TOP 200 CHART
Rock and Roll Hall Of Fame inductee and former KISS guitarist Ace Frehley has made history with his new album, Space Invader, which debuted at number nine on the Top 200 Chart this week. The LP scores the highest charting position of ANY KISS solo album ever, and marks Frehley’s first return to the Top 10 since KISS’s 1998 Pyscho Circus reunion album. The album has also sold better in its first week than KISS’ recently released Kiss 40 album. Internationally, Space Invader has debuted number one on the Independent Chart and number sixteen on the Top 200 Chart in Canada, Top 40 in Switzerland and Sweden, and hit a historic benchmark for the first time ever as a solo artist in Germany.
Space Invader, Frehley’s first studio album in five years, has also received praise from critics. Rolling Stone wrote, “Gene Simmons has claimed Ace Frehley doesn’t deserve to wear KISS’ Kabuki clown paint, but the former Spaceman’s first solo LP in five years says otherwise,” while the Associated Press hailed, “…the original KISS lead guitarist has recorded his best solo album since his groundbreaking self-titled album in 1978.” Paste also confirmed, “Space Invader is a good rock album, and it’s an even better guitar record.”
Frehley stopped by The Tonight Show prior to his album release to sit in with legendary house band The Roots to perform his classic hit New York Groove. Watch it below.
Space Invader features nine brand new original songs, including the first single, Gimme a Feelin’, as well as a cover of Steve Miller’s classic rock staple The Joker. Frehley also tapped long time friend and artist Ken Kelly to create the album art for Space Invader. Kelly created the iconic cover art for two of KISS’s best selling LPS, Destroyer (1976) and Love Gun (1977).
Widely known as the original “Space Ace” and founding guitarist for 16 cumulative years (over two 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 (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. 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. Ace also released an autobiography titled No Regrets, which debuted at #10 on the NY Times Hardcover Non-Fiction best seller list in November 2011.
Mike B , just for the record im straight I just did the song and a lot of bowie’s early material nothing against anyone or their sexual preference
With that being said! Im so straight l eat a hot dog from the center out! Cheers
The last time I posted anything on this website regarding a new album, it was in regard to the new Judas Priest album. I wrote that despite being a huge fan, I hated it.
Now I’ve just listened to Space Invader for the first time…….
I LOVE IT!!!
I was able to listen to it from start to finish without skipping any of the tracks, which was something I did with the JP album. The songs Change and Reckless see Ace going back and looking at himself to how things used to be, which I feel is a testament to him for getting to the stage in his life and the turn around he has made to himself.
The music has a tremendous amount of bite to it. It bites you and doesn’t let go (At least it didn’t with me. Others might disagree but you are allowed too.)
Obviously, whether it be here on eddietrunk.com or in the world in general, the great Ace v KISS debate is going to happen. In my opinion, and again feel free to disagree, this album has something that KISS now doesn’t have, and it’s not just Ace not being in the band. If you can be mature and grown up about things, take a deep breath, step back and look at it again. Take a listen to the 70s albums, whether it be Destroyer or Love Gun, listen to Sonic Boom or Monster and then listen to Space Invader. I think that it shows how much of a driving force Ace Frehley was to the original music of KISS.
Some will of course repeat the old stories about how Ace didn’t play this song on this record, or that song on that record. That maybe true (but with all the revised history of KISS that gets peddled who knows?) But remember this: “Who helped to write them?” “Who came up with the riffs?”
It wasn’t always Paul and Gene.
What?
David, you’re oh so tremendously right! 🙂
What I’m saying is hell hath no fury than the one whose album is being scorned. It’s a hell of a thing to have to deal with…Hella liking something and having someone else blast it to hell. Wot the ‘ell? I mean this is a helluva time, what with all of the hellish things going on….: )
True, true…very true. And poetically stated I might add (seriously).
Mike B, remember in high school when the punks and headbangers would actually fist fight? lol…
No. But the stoners and jocks did! LOL
LOLOL not at my school 1/2 the football team partied with and were the stoners. and we were also the metal heads! LOLOL
Your right clown, I miss those days now the punks hide behind computers
Ace best work since 78 and every track is Ace not to sad about him being in kiss his SPACE INVADER cd destroys the 1/2 kiss stuff …..tell all friends to check it out