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
Tommy is in many ways like us, just trying to make a living. He works for the company called KISS, punches his time sheet, tries to do the best he can each day, and then go home at night and be with his family. Yeah, he really should not be wearing the ACE gear, nor should Eric the CAT gear, but it’s the terms and conditions of their employment. He’s a good guitar player who is doing his best to carry on the ACE sound. And Eric Singer? He is a million times better drummer, not even close.
Ace’s gal pal rant says it all. What’s next for Kiss? Doc…..any word about Kiss Week Vegas ’15, reunion stuff with everybody then selected reunion gigs a week apart? Cold drizzly Pittsburgh in December looms Ace…..better listen to your gal pal, you got Doc’s number and Kiss ’15 huge.
Ace and his GF only care about 1 thing and 1 thing only. KISS MONEY!!!
Ace dont care about his fans. Ace cares about Ace and Money!!
Well, I hear ya man but no one really knows what’s in Aces heart but Ace. He was very kind to everyone in St. Louis. It was my sons birthday and he gave him a free autographed vintage pass and guitar pick.
That’s funny Rob because the same can EASILY be said for Gene & Paul. Now I know all of the Ace “haters” are a little peed off with his current CD and interviews and I wonder is it because Ace still matters? Does it interfers with Gene & Paul’s agenda of basically shutting up Ace & make him irrelavent? Sorry but it is easily evident that Ace Frehley WILL ALWAYS MATTER…..Unfortuantly for the people that just cant stand the belief that Ace is just AS IMPORTANT with KISS today as he was in “KISS”s heyday. And yes I know Ace isn’t in the band but have PERSPECTIVE.
If I was Ace, I would think the same way. Tell me who wouldn’t.
I bought Space Invader and listened to it on Saturday morning…sorry but I think it is nearly embarrassingly bad. The only thing going for it is Ace’s name appeal…and yes, he can certainly play the guitar but the songs on this album are just terrible. Just stop already if this is the best you can do.
There is no way that if Ace wasn’t Eddie’s “friend” that The Trunk would call this a good album. I know he has a better ear than that…
I have said it is not a perfect album sir. I do think about 6 songs are great however and find it to be way better than I expected to be honest. I am objective about my “friend”.
Well, you are certainly entitled to your opinion and I’m fine with that, but throwing words around like great is something that should be limited to something that is actually great. And in all honesty, knowing your experience and ear, I can’t believe that you would think ANY song on this album is great if you didn’t know they were performed by Ace. It may be possible that you aren’t as objective as you strive to be, and that’s understandable. We all do it.
I think it’s interesting that there are Kiss fans on here saying Kiss is just a band, and it’s just music. Yet I have never seen the kind of passion vocalized on here done for any other band. Nobody had a conniption when KK Downing left Priest. Hardcore fans were upset, but it didn’t start a war. FOR 12 YEARS Kiss fans have been saying it is an injustice what they are doing. This is because Kiss are an entity more than a musical group. Always have been. It lives and breathes on its own. The Eagles are just a band. Kiss are iconic. It’s a shame, too, because even though Gene and Paul deserve to be in a band playing with people they enjoy being in a band with, the fact is, the Kiss Legend has already been set in stone. So no matter how great players Tommy and Eric are, and I think they are fantastic, it doesn’t matter. Not one bit. In fact, it’s less than zero. Ace bends one note and the masses know he is The Man. And, Gene and Paul know this, obviously. Nobody plays like Peter, Gene admitted that at the RARHOF induction. John, Paul, George, Ringo…Gene, Paul, Peter, Ace. names that are burned into the iconic landscape of rock and roll. Nobody will ever change that. 500 years from now, people are going to remember The Fearsome Foursome, and THAT’S IT, PEOPLE. The Eagles sold a lot more records than Kiss, right? Now roll all the Eagles’ first names off your tongue. See if 500 years from now anyone will be able to do that. The WORLD knows Gene, Paul, Ace, Peter, even people who never bought a Kiss record and who even hate them completely. THAT is ridiculously legendary. Nothing compares. Kiss is just a band? Ha!