Eddie Trunk interviewed KISS guitarist Ace Frehley for his podcast. Quotes from the interview, courtesy of blabbermouth.net, appear below.
Frehley discussing what he thinks about current KISS guitarist Tommy Thayer wearing his makeup:
“[Tommy is] not Ace Frehley by any stretch of the imagination, number one. Number two, what bothers me the most is that I know the new fans that KISS are getting don’t know it. A lot of people that see Tommy up there think he’s the original guy that created the makeup, that wrote great songs and wrote all those solos that he’s performing, but he’s not. He’s just a guy up there copying me and trying to move like me and trying to sing like me and trying to play like me. And that’s what bothers me the most. I mean, the real hardcore fans know. But the new fans, a lot of them don’t know.”
On the fact that he played with drummer Eric Singer who was wearing Peter Criss’ Catman makeup:
That was okay. I mean, Eric’s such a solid drummer, he’s a pleasure to play with, because you know the beat’s always gonna be there.” When asked if it was weird seeing someone else play in Criss’ makeup Ace said, “Well, you know, I don’t see as good as I used to, so when I look back, I can’t tell the difference. [laughs] Just like a lot of fans don’t know…I can’t tell you how many times I get phone calls and people say,’ Hey, Ace, I heard you’re playing here, I heard you’re playing there. Can you get me tickets?’ I go, ‘I’m not in the band anymore.’ Some people, still, are oblivious to that whole thing.”
To listen to Eddie’s podcast with Ace Frehley, please click here.
additional source: blabbermouth.net
137 Responses
Seriously??????? This is hilarious. Lets try to have a new article everyday on what a current or former member of Kiss thinks about another member, the state of the music business, or any current event. Better yet, Paul and Gene should have a Kiss soap opera on daytime tv. That’s what this is all like. It can be in a high school setting. That’s the perfect place for all this crap. These guys should all just go away. Kiss is done and they are tainting what little of a legacy they have left!
I can tell you that when I was at a KISS show a few years back and the couple next to us was talking about how cool ACE was. We had to tell them it wasn’t ACE. As far as ACE not caring about Eric in Peters makeup, why would he? That’s between Eric and Peter. And to those who don’t think Tommy is acting and playing like ACE, you have to be brain dead. Did Vinnie sound like ACE? Did Mark St. John? Did Bruce? NO. Tommy sounds exactly like ACE. For gods sake, he is TOLD to. And there is video out there of Tommy at a golf course for a fundraiser and he stumbles toward the cameraman just like ACE….pointing at the camera like ACE would. I personally have nothing against the guy but if you don’t think he has taken on the ACE persona in a quite eerie kind of way….well, you have no buisness calling ACE fans Kool-aid drinkers. And for everyone who thinks Tommy is a better player….let him put out a solo lp playing everything except drums and let’s see. Sad thing is, at this point, it would probably sound just like an ACE album. After KISS is over, will he still be the “spaceman” or will he be Tommy Thayer? C’mon people.
Tommy took the relatively well-paid gig as opposed to being a relatively unknown original musician. He made the choice. Bad for him personally (I think) and good for Gene and Paul. In fact, he seems to be the complete opposite to Ace, not playing original stuff, not abusing drugs, always doing what he’s told, not interfering with any of Gene’s or Paul’s plans. He might be fine with that, but for the development of Kiss as a band and their music it is a loss.
KISS is not about development as a band. KISS is about sustainability as a brand.
Aces comments solidified points I and MANY have made on this site…Ace was ok with Eric dressed as Peter when he was still in Kiss..Peter did a freakin album with Tommy, so when the “original Catman” was making money he was ok with Tommy in the Ace makeup?? Peter and Ace both managed to almost bring one of the greatest rock groups to a halt, TWICE!! Now to listen to this from Aces own mouth proves that Gene and Paul did the right thing by distancing themselves at the RRHOF…I still support all things Kiss and Aces album is great, but I now have even more support for what Gene and Paul say…I’d like to hear from all of the Ace apologists now…especially Eddie…love ya buddy, but that interview sealed Aces fate with many fans and took your argument that Gene and Paul have ruined Kiss and flushed it right down the toilet!!! Give me a break!!
I’m sure Ace gets publishing checks from radio, but I wonder if he gets any royalties from songs he wrote being played for profit in concerts? They really were a great band in their prime. They put on a spectacle, but the songs were there, and they could in fact perform them effectively. Although sometimes, the way Paul minces around the stage makes me want to slap him, hard, repeatedly. And why can’t Gene afford better fake hair?
Every time your song is played live you will get a check, the bigger the venue the more money you get. So, ironically, Ace makes money as long as Kiss is touring and maybe playing a song or two from his catalogue.
Not true. You only get paid if a song is played live if it is recorded and released or used in a broadcast
All due respect to Peter, Eric is a much better drummer. But either way I would agree that its just an imitation. Even tho Eric’s drumming is much better, As to Tommy Thayer he is so wrapped up in copying Ace at this point, he even tries to make the solo’s he played on the last two albums sound like Ace. Copying the make up for the sake of the band in whole I get, but shit at least try to have your own voice and personality within the music…unless you don’t have that.
Hmmmmm…..