Ace Frehley, the original lead guitarist and founding member of the iconic glam rock band **KISS**, passed away on Thursday at the age of **74**.
Frehley, who captivated audiences worldwide with his elaborate galactic makeup and signature smoking guitar, died peacefully surrounded by family in Morristown, New Jersey. His death followed complications from a recent fall, which reports suggest caused a brain bleed.
Family members released a statement expressing profound grief: “We are completely devastated and heartbroken,” they said, adding that they will always cherish his laughter and celebrate the kindness he bestowed upon others.
The ‘Spaceman’ Persona and KISS’s Theatrical Legacy
Born **Paul Daniel Frehley**, he grew up in a musical family and began playing guitar at age 13, even serving as a roadie for Jimi Hendrix at 18 before joining KISS in 1973. Along with Gene Simmons, Paul Stanley, and Peter Criss, Frehley helped establish one of the most theatrical acts in rock history.
KISS, whose mega-hits included **“Rock and Roll All Nite”** and **“I Was Made for Lovin’ You,”** was known for its dramatic stage shows featuring pyrotechnics and band members dressed in comic book-style personas. Frehley embodied **“Space Ace”** or **“The Spaceman,”** known for his groundbreaking experiments with effects that made his guitars glow, emit smoke, and even shoot rockets from the headstock.
KISS co-founders Simmons and Stanley issued a joint tribute:
“We are devastated by the passing of Ace Frehley. He was an essential and irreplaceable rock soldier during some of the most formative foundational chapters of the band and its history. He is and will always be a part of KISS’s legacy.”
A Life of Music and Influence
KISS was a marketing marvel in the mid-1970s, selling tens of millions of albums. While the band was known for hard rock, its biggest U.S. commercial hit was the ballad **”Beth,”** which peaked at No. 7 on the Billboard Top 100 in 1976.
Frehley’s signature raw, melodic guitar style influenced countless musicians. His signature sound became a foundation for the **glam metal** era of the 1980s, inspiring bands like **Mötley Crüe** and **Poison**, as well as heavier groups like **Metallica** and **Pantera**. Poison front man **Bret Michaels** publicly thanked Frehley: “Ace, my brother, I surely cannot thank you enough for the years of great music, the many festivals we’ve done together and your lead guitar on Nothing But A Good Time.”
Throughout his career, Frehley also performed as a successful solo artist and with his band, **Frehley’s Comet**.
Reunion, Disputes, and Hall of Fame Recognition
Frehley’s history with KISS was marked by two primary stints. He left in **1982**, but rejoined in the mid-1990s for a highly successful reunion tour that restored the band’s original makeup and style. He departed again in **2002**.
The internal tensions were highlighted during the band’s induction into the **Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in 2014**. A plan for the original four members to perform was scrapped after a dispute. Simmons and Stanley wanted current members to be included in the induction, while Frehley objected to the current guitarist wearing his “Spaceman” makeup on stage while he was being inducted.
This year, President Donald Trump, as the Kennedy Center’s new chairman, named KISS as one of this year’s honorees—a prestigious accolade that Frehley sadly did not live to see.
In 2024, the band’s catalog, brand name, and intellectual property were sold to the Swedish company Pophouse Entertainment Group in a deal estimated to be over $300 million, solidifying the monumental commercial success of the brand Frehley helped create.
Ace Frehley is survived by his wife, Jeanette, and his daughter, Monique. His unforgettable stage presence and unique musical voice will be missed by the KISS Army and the entire rock community.
