Guitar World has posted an excerpt online from their July 2014 issue which features an interview with original KISS guitarist Ace Frehley. Read the clip in its entirety below.
Jeff Kitts reports:
This year started off innocently enough for Ace Frehley. Just one week prior to Christmas 2013, the former KISS lead guitarist learned that he and his comrades in the original lineup—Gene Simmons, Paul Stanley and Peter Criss—were finally being inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame after 15 years of eligibility (and 15 years of outcry from the Kiss Army).
A cause for celebration, no doubt—and a golden opportunity for the four founding members of the legendary rock band to perform onstage together again for the first time since October 7th, 2000, the final North American date of their Farewell Tour.
And then, somehow, it all imploded. In the weeks preceding the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame induction ceremony on April 10th in Brooklyn, New York, KISS became the primary focus of every public and private discussion surrounding the event after they announced that there would be no performance—let alone a reunion—that night.
To make matters worse, the band members seized every opportunity to lambast one another in the press on a seemingly daily basis, effectively rendering what was supposed to be a triumphant reunion performance loaded with all the blood-spitting, fire-breathing, makeup-running pageantry that fans had been clamoring for all these years into a pitiful non-event.
“I was like, Jesus Christ, after 40 years of support you can’t give the fans 10 minutes?” says a still worked-up Frehley over a cup of black tea at Guitar World headquarters in New York. “The fans wanted it, the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame wanted it. But Gene and Paul didn’t. It’s sad. They definitely lost some fans because of this decision.
I think the reason they didn’t want to get together with the original members was because they’re afraid of history repeating itself. When we did Unplugged in 1995, you saw what happened: because the fans were so excited about me and Peter playing with those guys, they had to scrap their last record [with then-current members Bruce Kulick and Eric Singer] and do a reunion tour [with Frehley and Criss in 1996]. Although at this point I don’t think Peter could do a two-hour show and a full tour. But I still got the chops. I definitely blow [current Kiss guitarist] Tommy Thayer off the stage.”
It’s obvious that Frehley is fired up, and with good reason. With the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame fiasco behind him, the clean-and-sober Spaceman is able to focus on the things in life that make him happy, like living in San Diego with his pretty blond 47-year-old fiancé Rachael Gordon, writing books, working with Gibson on various signature guitars and recording new music. Space Invader, his first record since 2009’s top-notch Anomaly, is due out in a few weeks, and Ace couldn’t be more excited.
“I haven’t had a drink in more than seven and a half years, and I feel great now,” says the 63-year-old guitarist. “I’m writing great songs and I’m singing great, and I’m super excited about this new album. It’s gonna be even better than Anomaly. I played some tracks for a couple of guys I was considering using for mixing, and the first thing out of their mouths was, ‘God, your voice sounds like it did on your 1978 solo record.’ Unlike some other people, whose voices aren’t maybe what they used to be. Not to name names, or anything.”
Guitar World: Your love affair with alcohol during KISS’ heyday—and, well, all through the Eighties and Nineties—is well documented. Do you miss it? Are there days when you want a drink?
Ace Frehley: No. I haven’t had the urge to drink in a long time. And I don’t miss the hangovers, I don’t miss the smells, the late nights at the bars, or the people. I was hanging out with some pretty shady people in my heavy-drinking-and-coke years. I was in some situations that really could have gone sideways. I was just lucky. And you have to realize that my fans used to emulate my behavior when I was a crazy man—“Ace is a party animal, let’s go get loaded!” Then they’d go crash their car, and I’d feel terrible.
Now it’s turned around. And when someone comes up to me and says that they haven’t had a drink in six months and that they’re doing well because I am, that makes my day. Maybe that’s one reason why God has kept me alive. By all rights I should have died a half dozen times already, so every day above ground I’m thrilled.
Guitar World: Did you think KISS would ever be inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame?
Ace Frehley: I knew that [the Hall] had to buckle to popular opinion. It was only a matter of time. We were first eligible 15 years ago, so I knew it would happen eventually. I mean, how can you exclude KISS, one of the biggest American rock groups in history? Even though we didn’t perform, I’m still thrilled to be in it.
Guitar World: Where were you when you found out that you were being inducted?
Ace Frehley: I was at home in San Diego and got a call from my manager. Then, about a week later, I got the “congratulatory” call from Paul and Gene. And I could tell that there was some hesitancy on their part about the whole thing. I was asking them if we were gonna play, and Gene avoided the question by saying, “Well, we’re just looking forward to getting the four of us up there together and celebrating…whatever.” It was a noncommittal congratulatory call.
Then, about a week later, I was told that the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame absolutely wants the four original members to reunite, and I said, “Great, I’ll do it.” And there was silence from Gene and Paul. And finally it was shot down. The next thing I heard is that Paul and Gene wanted to perform with the current KISS lineup [with Tommy Thayer and Eric Singer]. And I said, Well, that’s kind of a slap in the face. I mean, they’re not even being inducted. I have to sit through a KISS cover band when I’m receiving an award? I don’t think so.
I also heard at one point that they wanted me to perform in makeup with Tommy at the same time. I really didn’t want to be onstage with Tommy, but I said I would do it, as long as I got to play the bulk of the songs and that I could wear the Destroyer costume. Then a few days later [it was], “No, we’re not gonna play at all.” It was almost like they were trying to bait me, so that if I said no to anything they would just blame me for there being no performance. I was almost going to boycott the whole thing.
For the rest of this story, check out the June 2014 issue at the Guitar World Online Store.
source: guitarworld.com
118 Responses
Hi Paul! Nice of you to drop in FINALLY!
This guy is always. Talking
Why are you here? If Ace is mediocre, then what are you and your less than sophisticated rhetoric? It doesn’t take a genius to make inflammatory comments towards others who enjoy this forum. That’s easy. Are you not getting enough attention in your life? Keep your derogatory remarks to yourself.
Well If you know anything about Guitar or music in general you know that there is no way Ace is blowing any body away. You can’t find one good guitar solo on any track of Anomaly. Lets remember Ace had to take lessons from Tommy Thayer to even remember his own lead tracks. That being said I will always Love the original 4 and wish they could have re-united for 10 minutes at the R+RHOF. Ace said it himself..”Peter can’t even play a 2 hour show anymore” So Paul and Gene don’t have to worry about a forced reunion. Ace’s playing at this point is just as shot ,but for 10 minutes it could of been fine and we would have all loved it…too bad.
Oh yeah. If you know anything about guitar or music you know Ace has influenced hundreds of guitar players. John 5, Dimebag, Rivers from Weezer, Lenny Kravitz, Slash, ect.ect.ect. I could go on and on. Tommy Thayer can’t hold a candle to Ace. Ace is legendary. That’s why he is trying to play the part of the spaceman. Tommy will be remembered as the last guitarist Kiss had, but everybody wanted the return of Ace. But bottom line Gene and Paul were too greedy to let that happen.
“everybody wanted to see the return of Ace”? I had no idea you spoke for “everyone”. Was there a national election that took place and you were voted in as a Kiss fan spokesman?
There are certainly some vocal people on this site, but I don’t think “everyone” is worried about it. Tommy is doing a great job singing the songs with conviction, playing his own licks, and is an good stage performer (Ace as a performer was his strongest point during the last few tours he was in KISS). People (including me) miss Ace because he is just such a unique character–no’one can imitate Ace and all the original guitar solos from the classic albums are his. Nevertheless, Tommy is doing great as a member of KISS and in my opinion, deserves to be the Spaceman.
Mike seriously?? “doing a great job singing the songs with conviction, playing his own licks, and is an good stage performer”????????? Playing HIS OWNNNNNNNN licks??? He is doing nothing except copying what Ace did. Sorry brah, but there us ZERRRRRO way that any of that garbage you said is even close to real…..Joe in The Cuse. …..playing his own licks, dumbass thing to say….sheeeeshes
‘all the original guitar solos for the classic albums are his’. Not quite.
But I hear what your saying about Ace. The most unique dude in KISS. Tommy is doing what any of us would do if given the chance. So I can’t bang on him too much.
@ Joe in the Cuse for 7:51 am comment to Mike B.
LOL! JOE!!! Calm down! Are you serious? This is a debate, not your personal club where everyone agrees with you. Anyway, I was referring to Tommy’s licks on Sonic Boom and Monster (no need to mention Psycho Circus, which do sound like Ace’s licks, but are not). SO THERE! I did say that all the original albums were Ace’s licks which Tommy plays live. Maybe I should have clarified that, but your comments will not stop me from disagreeing with you! (Good grief…)
You actually think Tommy is a better fit than Ace? Get real or go back listening to your Justin Beiber.
Patrick,
I am not sure if you are responding to me or Yute, but I think Tommy is a better fit today than Ace would be. Ace from the old days is the best. If you like Ace so much, why aren’t you focusing on Space Invader instead of wishing he was in KISS? I look forward to listening to Space Invader because I think Ace has his s**t together and he has always been my favorite KISS guitarist. I am trying to be objective here, not piss off Ace fans. This is a debate, and as Eddie always says, all opinions are welcome.
In case you were talking to me… Beiber jokes? Not just a Beiber joke, but an overused Beiber joke…LOL
Crickets………..
Raid…
Are you and Patrick the same person Joe? Busted!
What these cover band supporters like Billy always seem to forget is Paul and Gene can’t play a two hour show anymore either. They get up there and play maybe a dozen songs with a co-headliner that had just as much to do with filling seats to play arenas. They need another draw to pull ticket sales as much as they need another band to make up for the fact they’ve only got a dozen songs left in them. Paul’s struggle just to sing through a couple songs on American Idol said it all. Then you have Gene that was equally embarrassing off to the side, making the chubby kid look like a lean mean fighting machine in comparison. I don’t think Peter could pull a full two hour bombastic Kiss show either, but based on what I’ve seen from Gene and Paul, he’d have no trouble keeping up with and even surpassing their cover band standard at this point. At that all the cover band seems to play are the original lineup songs, which just reenforces the whole cover band thing.
As Patrick pointed out, if you knew anything about great guitarists, you’d know how great Ace is judging by the laundry list of the greats he’s influenced. As for as the caterer refreshing Ace’s memory of stuff he played on Kiss albums, you have to figure Ace had moved on over the years in his solo career playing new music. This was during the same time the caterer failed to do anything with his own band, ending up being Gene and Paul’s handyman, and was resigned to performing in a Kiss tribute band playing what Ace created note for note. I suggest you go back to Kiss Online with the other minions and leave the objectivity to the establishment on this site that gets the bigger picture and substance in what’s being discussed.
All of the members of Kiss had to relearn the old songs, not just Ace.
That’s been so blown out of proportion.
Anomaly has great quitar parts all over it. His writing on that record ( other than some of the lyrics ), is very strong.
I agree. You don’t have to listen that hard.
Music is subjective, you either like something or you don’t. Sonic Boom and Monster are excellent, but I bet you don’t like those albums. Am I right? It’s not about listening “that hard”, but some music grows on you and sometimes you like it as you listen the first time. When I first heard Animalize, I didn’t like it, but I do now. No matter how much an album or a band sucks to someone’s ears, it sounds great to someone else’s.
Sorry folks…gotta agree with some of the points Billy is making here.
As for pure ability on the guitar…Tommy can play circles around Ace. Look…I really don’t like Thayer at all, perhaps one of the most boring players ever but chop wise, at this point in his career he his is a better player than Ace. Any guitar player worth their salt will agree with that. Take this argument up with a room full of guitarists and alot of you are going to be disappointed. Hell Bruce could take both of those guys out behind the woodshed. Bruce is a world class player.
Unfortunately some of you let your emotions get the best of you here…at this point Ace is just a shadow of his former self playing wise and has been for decades. Nothing wrong with that at this point in his career…afterall what does he have to prove.
Yes he influenced a ton of people to “pickup” the guitar…no denying that. But directly influencing how people approach playing the guitar and influencing people to “start” playing is two different things. Ace’s biggest influence was getting people to start playing. As a comparison…look at Eddie Van Halen, he changed how everyone…not just beginners but professionals approached the guitar, he changed the entire guitar landscape…few other than Hendrix and a hand full of others had that type impact when it comes to guitar. Huge difference.
Just because a guy influenced people to “play” doesn’t make him a great player. Kurt Cobain influenced whole generation…is he a great player? Hell no.
I love Ace, would love to see him back with the guys…he was a very solid player in the early years, one that was on the verge of evolving but like Paul said…he didn’t. Lets not pretend this guy is on the same level as an EVH, Rhoads, Vai, Gary Moore, Sykes, Campbell, Vandenberg, Jake or some of the players mentioned above with John 5 or Dime etc….
Actually, who told us that Ace needed help to relearn his licks? That phrase and alleged piece of Kisstory has been repeated a thousand times, probably without thinking or questioning its validity. That it appeared on the DVD Second Coming does make it a fact. That video was shot to create and manifest and also make some more money from the legendary return. Yes, the two businessmen did. So do you think it is true? At least there is the possibility that it is not. But like the talk about them still being drug abusers these so-called facts took on a life of their own in the minds of not-so-critical people. Then, and only then, of course, but not so unlikely, many here would again fall for their little trap of buying everything they say as fact. Technically, it must be admitted that Tommy can “blow Ace” technically, but there is more to music than technique, there is ideas and sound and originality, and that is where Ace will remain the legend that he has become influencing a generation of rock fans that wanted to play guitar and be cool just like him back in the day. So there is no need for him to show off or trying to be a virtuoso anymore, he can be himself, you might bash him for his sloppy chops, and he will be happy doing his thing, so what.
You are right Patrick he did influence a lot of guitar players and countless others we know nothing about some people say he’s not technical he’s not this he’s not that but he is rock and roll he’s the real deal not a poser like so many others out there yeah he might have a gut but that’s alright that means he’s eating and that’s a good thang
Right on!
Ziggy,
Good points. I prefer Ace’s creativity over other guitarist’s technical ability. Ace’s solos on the KISS albums from KISS to The Elder are far more unique and interesting than most of the “technically proficient” wizards out there.
Yep, the fact that Gene and Paul obviously have always made Tommy copy it note for note shows that even they know that Ace created something of value and recognition way beyond his time in the band. That is something uite rarely achieved by musicians, virtuosos or not. Musicians will mostly be remembered for their songs and the impact their music has on people, impact that will last, memories that will be cherished by the fans. This has not necessarily anything to do with musicianship. for those musicians who are real virtuosos this conclusion may be sad or even unjust, but it is a fact.