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
This year marks the 25th anniversary of Ace’s solo album, Trouble Walkin’. Lots of KISS anniversaries to be celebrated this year.
Anomaly was a good album and I’ve been listening to it everyday since it was released 5 years ago. I look forward to Space Invader and hopefully Ace can release some preview samples in the coming weeks.
As for the Hall of Fame, what’s done is done but he’s right that it would have repeated the reunion history again and Paul and Gene don’t want that after investing in the current lineup for 10 years. I wonder if Ace and Peter saw KISS’ performance at American Idol.
Peter can’t play well guess people don’t care he survived cancer but what do trolls care.
True, and guess it’s okay for some people to keep talking about Peter’s playing while ignoring Paul’s voice which has been gone for a few years. He couldn’t get through a song on Idol. But pay no attention to that and keep slamming former members as drug addicts and critiquing THEIR performance even though they have been sober for years? Gotta love the double standard.
Ok, now I will critique Ace and Peter’s appearance on American Idol. Hold please, looking for the tape…… Wait a minute. Just remembered – THAT NEVER HAPPENED! Enough said.
And THANK GOD that Ace & Peter weren’t playing……that was a 5 Alarm DUMPSTER FIRE brah. Even Gene looked like he was imitating Barney & Friends. A major EMBARRASSMENT that had a lot of print (FYI Yute……that would be PRESS) totally laughing at…and you are spot on….ENOUGH SAID.
Amen to that Eddie …
Ace has issues unrelated to drugs but I guess at his age and the fact that a few brain cells are gone he is doing pretty good(I intend on buying the new CD). Peter is at the end of his days as a drummer but still can perform in some capacity. Paul is a shell of his former self and not even in tune anymore, forget hitting all the notes. Gene actually doesn’t sound that bad considering his age but who knows what his vocal range is now. For me the bigger issue is how bad the song writing is on the last two KISS CD’s.
Bullseye Jim!
Glad to hear what your reaction to KISS’ performance at American Idol was. I guess we can see the real reason they didn’t perform at the HoF.
Playing at the Hall of Fame? Hmmmm….well it’s kinda of HYSTERICAL because Gene & Paul still continue to yap about “how bad Peter & Ace play” (hmmmmm) but REALITY really has shown enough proof who is playing ANNNND singing bad……..cough cough genepaul!! Joe in The Cuse
Gene and Paul really really need Tommy and Eric, not only for filling in for the two originals, but even more so today for covereing up on vocals. So it really is double standard. I can understand G & P’s motives for carrying on, I and you would probably also like the money and the fame and the big arenas, but they should stop telling everyone that A & P cannot do it anymore when they themselves have arrived at the end of capability.
I listened to 104.3 it was artist profile on Kiss Paul and Gene admitted they did what they want wether the fans liked or not, so it was never about the fans. The bad thing is more modern bands seem do it. Bands just make a so called statement. Slipknot part ways with one member and no statement for 6 months. My opinion that’s not being up front with fans.
Bands have to grow Nick…you have to make decisions on your own. Look at how much flack Metallica got for growing…and yet their still going strong. As much as it is for the fans, bands still have to do what they think is best….the old saying “can’t please everyone all the time” definitely applies to being in a band.
@Patrick S…Just for the record Ace probally influenced Thousands if not millions of kids to play…So did George Harrison when the Beatles came out. That does not mean they are Excellent lead players. The only reason Ace is not in Kiss is because he no longer plays at his previous level. Paul might have to consider the end coming for him with his vocal issues, but it came for Ace long ago. Money or Greed have nothing to do with it. The players you mention other than Dimebag are not the Virtuoso’s I was referring to. Try Vai, VanHalen, Satriani, Doug Aldrich, Those are Players. Although I may think Tommy Thayer does a good job, neither Ace or Tommy need to be Talking about Blowing any one away because they are not the Virtuoso type of player…Regardless off How many Ace has influenced. Kiss has always been a band about great songs not chops, which is More important if you want to sell records.
I don’t think it is either or with guitar playing. Ace is not just a guitarist he sings, writes and is at this point a celebrity personality. BB King is not a virtuoso either but very much relevant in his time. You could say the same for countless guitarist. KISS is not any one thing because the tried to morph as the years went on sometimes they succeeded other times not so much. KISS has not always been about great songs example everything Gene wrote from Animalize through Crazy nights(YIKES) Classic KISS pre-dated the list of guitarist you listed and could be listed in almost a completely different style of music. Money and Greed always have something to do with it, ALWAYS!!!!!!!!
What the he’ll does George Harrison have to go with a discussion on Ace vs Tommy. He’ll let’s bring Eddie Van Halen into the conversation? Stay on the topic!
@Patrick S. That is on Topic.. Comparing Ace to another Player who was more Famous for Songs and Star Quality than his lead Skills. Kiss were the American Beatles Of our generation…Many people feel the same way.
I am Not comparing Ace to Tommy..Ace was the original and true spaceman..I just think Thayer does a Good Job filling in. I admit I still Enjoy The band..But I don’t Condone how it’s all gone down.
Don’t sweat it Bill. I understood your comparison, but Patrick doesn’t welcome other opinions.
Dana, did you see that?
(:
I think you do a great job, but I wanted to point out that comment.
Hey Patrick! IM TALKING ABOUT YOU! COOL OUT!! We are allowed to disagree with you! Grow up!
Thanks Mike,
I do not recall approving that comment, but I have edited it.
D 🙂
No worries Dana, and thanks for editing that! (:
I know there are a lot of comments. You must be sick of KISS by now! Thanks for being so patient and for facilitating this site!
Mike,
Thank you for being a gentleman. Sadly, it’s a rare trait these days.
D 🙂
Man … just caught the Metal Evolution episode with KISS featured and the first clip was the band circa Alive era (’74-75) doing Deuce live. Now THAT is the shit … that is the band I miss. Ace was just killing it. They were so tight because of all the touring . The only members to speak on camera were Ace & Pete. There seems to be a trend on the episodes, the host says that Zepplin and Purple don’t like to refer to themselves as metal. Maybe this is the club that Gene & Paul have joined – hence the distance from Ed’s show.
Looking forward to new music from Ace, can’t wait.