Ace Frehley facts for kids

This page is about the guitarist. For his 1978 album, see Ace Frehley (album).

Quick facts for kids Ace Frehley
Frehley with Kiss in 1977
Background information
Birth name	Paul Daniel Frehley
Also known as	The Spaceman Space Ace Socks
Born	(1951-04-27)April 27, 1951 New York City, U.S.
Died	October 16, 2025(2025-10-16) (aged 74) Morristown, New Jersey, U.S.
Genres	Hard rock heavy metal
Occupation(s)	Musician
Instruments	Guitar vocals
Years active	1964–2025

Paul Daniel "Ace" Frehley (born April 27, 1951 – died October 16, 2025) was an American musician. He was the original lead guitarist and a founding member of the famous rock band Kiss. Ace Frehley created the cool stage character known as The Spaceman or Space Ace. He played with Kiss from 1973 until 1982, and then rejoined them later.

After leaving Kiss, Ace started his own band, Frehley's Comet, and also had a successful solo career. His first solo album in 1978 sold incredibly well, reaching "platinum" status. His latest solo album, 10,000 Volts, came out in 2024. Ace was famous for his powerful and melodic guitar playing. He also used amazing "special effects" guitars, like one that blew smoke and another with spinning lights! In 2014, he was honored by being inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame as a member of Kiss.

Ace Frehley: The Spaceman Guitarist

Early Life and Musical Beginnings

Paul Daniel Frehley was born in The Bronx, New York City, on April 27, 1951. He was the youngest of three children. His family loved music, and when he got an electric guitar for Christmas in 1964, he quickly learned to play it. Ace never took formal music lessons. He often said, "Everybody in my family plays an instrument." His parents and siblings all played piano or guitar.

Ace started playing guitar at age 13. He was inspired by famous guitarists like Jimi Hendrix, Jeff Beck, and the bands Led Zeppelin and the Rolling Stones. Growing up, Ace faced some challenges. However, music became his passion and helped him choose a positive path in life. His friends gave him the nickname "Ace" because they thought he was very good at many things.

Early Musical Steps

Before joining Kiss, Ace played in several local bands. These included groups like the Outrage and Molimo. Molimo even recorded music for RCA Records. Ace loved playing so much that he left high school for a while to focus on music. But his family encouraged him to go back, and he earned his diploma. After school, he worked different jobs, like a mail carrier and taxi driver, while still pursuing his musical dreams.

Joining Kiss and Becoming The Spaceman

(L-R): Paul Stanley, Gene Simmons, Peter Criss and Frehley in 1975

In late 1972, Ace saw an advertisement for a lead guitarist. He auditioned for Paul Stanley, Gene Simmons, and Peter Criss. Even though he wore mismatched sneakers, the band loved his guitar playing. A few weeks later, Ace became their lead guitarist. By January 1973, the band chose the name Kiss. Ace even designed their famous double-lightning-bolt logo!

The band decided to wear face paint and costumes for their shows. Ace started painting silver stars around his eyes. This led to his stage character, Space Ace, also known as The Spaceman. He said this character was inspired by his love for science fiction and space travel.

"The Spaceman" was the make-up design used by Frehley during his years with Kiss (1973–1982, 1996–2002).

In the early days, Kiss practiced and played in small clubs. Ace worked as a part-time cab driver to help pay his bills. In September 1973, the band started getting a weekly salary from their new manager, Bill Aucoin. Ace was then able to quit his cabbie job.

Kiss released their first album, Kiss, in February 1974. Ace helped write two songs on it, including "Cold Gin". He also wrote or co-wrote several other songs for the band. He sang lead vocals for the first time on the song "Shock Me" in 1977.

Iconic Guitar Style and Solo Success

Ace Frehley became known for his exciting and unique guitar playing. Many guitarists in the 1970s were inspired by his style. He often used Gibson Les Paul guitars. One of his most famous guitars could even shoot smoke during his solos!

In 1978, all four members of Kiss released their own solo albums. Ace's album, titled Ace Frehley, was the most popular. His single, "New York Groove", became a Top 20 hit in the United States. Ace's role in songwriting grew in 1979 and 1980. Kiss also became very popular in other countries, like Australia, during this time. In 1981, a star was even named after Ace Frehley!

Frehley (right) and Gene Simmons during the Alive II Tour in 1978

Moving On From Kiss

As his songwriting grew, Ace started to have different ideas about the band's musical direction. He felt the band was moving in a different style than he preferred. His involvement in the 1981 album Music from "The Elder" was limited because of these differences.

Ace appeared on the covers of the 1982 albums Killers and Creatures of the Night. However, he did not play on Killers and had very little musical input on Creatures of the Night. His last appearances with Kiss were in a music video and some promotional events in late 1982.

Solo Adventures and Frehley's Comet

In December 1982, Kiss began a new tour without Ace. He then started his post-Kiss solo career. He put together a band that included drummer Anton Fig and bassist John Regan. This group was sometimes called 'Ace Frehley' and sometimes Frehley's Comet. They recorded many demo songs in 1984 and 1985.

The band signed with Megaforce Records and released their first album, Frehley's Comet, on July 7, 1987. The album was a mix of hard rock and pop metal. It was a successful return for Ace, reaching No. 43 on the Billboard 200 charts. The song "Into the Night" became a hit on the rock charts.

Ace continued to release music with Frehley's Comet, including the live EP Live+1 and the studio album Second Sighting in 1988. Later, he released Trouble Walkin' in 1989 under his own name. This album featured Peter Criss, another original member of Kiss, singing backup vocals on some songs. This showed that Ace and Peter remained good friends.

Back with Kiss: The Reunion Years

Frehley performing with Kiss in 1999

In 1996, Ace rejoined Kiss for a very successful reunion tour. All four original members played together live for the first time in many years. After the tour, they recorded a new album called Psycho Circus. Ace contributed to a few songs on this album, including "Into The Void".

Ace continued to tour with Kiss until 2002. After what was announced as the band's farewell tour, he decided to leave the group again and focus on his solo music. He also performed one last time with Kiss at the end of the 2002 Winter Olympics.

A Continued Solo Journey

After leaving Kiss, Ace continued his solo career. In 2006, he performed with other famous musicians like Rob Zombie and Slash at the VH1 Rock Honors event. In 2018, Ace and Bruce Kulick, another former Kiss guitarist, reunited with Kiss on the Kiss Kruise. They played several songs together, which was a special moment for fans.

Ace Frehley did not join Kiss for their final tour, which began in 2019. However, he continued to release new music for his fans. His album 10,000 Volts was released in 2024. It was very popular, reaching No. 72 on the Billboard 200 and topping both the Billboard Hard Music and Rock Album Charts. Ace had also planned to release another album, Origins Vol. 3, in 2025.

Frehley performing in 2011

Remembering Ace Frehley

On September 25, 2025, Ace Frehley had a fall at his home studio. This led to him canceling his upcoming tour dates. Sadly, on October 16, 2025, Ace Frehley passed away in Morristown, New Jersey, at the age of 74. Reports stated he had brain bleeding from his fall. His family made the difficult decision to remove him from life support after his health did not improve.

His Story in a Book

Ace Frehley shared his life story in his autobiography, No Regrets – A Rock 'N' Roll Memoir. The book was released on November 1, 2011. It became a bestseller, appearing on The New York Times Best Seller list.

Ace's Unique Guitar Technique

Ace Frehley was known for his unusual way of playing the guitar. He once said, "I'm an anomaly, I'm an un-schooled musician, I don't know how to read music, but I'm one of the most famous guitar players in the world, so go figure."

He told Guitar World in 1996 that he never took guitar lessons. He even mentioned that sometimes his thumb would be on the front side of the guitar neck when he played chords, which is very uncommon! Paul Stanley of Kiss once joked that Ace would shake his whole arm to create a vibrato sound, instead of just his hand.

Music by Ace Frehley

Frehley performing in 2008

Solo Albums

Ace Frehley (1978)
Trouble Walkin' (1989)
Anomaly (2009)
Space Invader (2014)
Origins Vol. 1 (2016)
Spaceman (2018)
Origins Vol. 2 (2020)
10,000 Volts (2024)

With Frehley's Comet

Frehley's Comet (1987)
Second Sighting (1988)

Live Albums

Live+1 (1988)
Greatest Hits Live (2006)

Compilation Albums

12 Picks (1997)
Loaded Deck (1998)

With Kiss

Kiss (1974)
Hotter than Hell (1974)
Dressed to Kill (1975)
Destroyer (1976)
Rock and Roll Over (1976)
Love Gun (1977)
Dynasty (1979)
Unmasked (1980)
Music from "The Elder" (1981)
Creatures of the Night (1982) (credited but does not play)
Psycho Circus (1998)

Kiss Live Albums

Alive! (1975)
Alive II (1977)
Kiss Unplugged (1996)
You Wanted the Best, You Got the Best!! (1996)
Alive! The Millennium Concert (2006)
Off the Soundboard: Tokyo 2001 (2021)
Off the Soundboard: Live at Donington 1996 (2022)
Off the Soundboard: Des Moines 1977 (2022)

Solo Songs (Singles)

1978: "New York Groove" – from the album Ace Frehley. This is a cover of a song by Russ Ballard.
1987: "Into the Night" – from the album Frehley's Comet.
1987: "Rock Soldiers" – from the album Frehley's Comet.
1988: "Words Are Not Enough" – (from the album Live+1).
1988: "Insane" – from the album Second Sighting.
1988: "It's Over Now" – from the album Second Sighting.
1989: "Do Ya" – from the album Trouble Walkin'. A cover of a Jeff Lynne song.
2009: "Outer Space" – from the album Anomaly.
2014: "Gimme a Feelin'" – from the album Space Invader.
2014: "The Joker" – from the album Space Invader. A cover of the Steve Miller song.
2016: "White Room" – from the album Origins Vol. 1. A cover of the Cream song.
2016: "Fire and Water" – from the album Origins Vol. 1. A cover of the Free song, featuring Paul Stanley of Kiss on vocals.
2018: "Bronx Boy" – from the album Spaceman.
2018: "Rockin' with the Boys" – from the album Spaceman.
2019: "Mission to Mars" – from the album Spaceman.
2020: "Space Truckin'" – from the album Origins Vol. 2. A cover of the Deep Purple song.
2020: "I'm Down" – from the album Origins Vol. 2. A cover of the Beatles song.
2023: "10,000 Volts" – from the album 10,000 Volts.
2024: "Walkin' on the Moon" – from the album 10,000 Volts.
2024: "Cherry Medicine" – from the album 10,000 Volts.

Guest Performances

"Eugene" – on the 1981 album by Crazy Joe and the Variable Speed Band. Ace co-wrote and co-produced this song.
"Bump and Grind" – on the 1984 Wendy O. Williams album WOW. Ace played lead guitar.
"Bad Attitude", "Walk the Line", and "Blue Moon Over Brooklyn" – on Peter Criss's 1994 album Cat 1. Ace played lead guitar on these songs.
"Cherokee Boogie" – on the 1996 compilation album Smell the Fuzz: Guitars that Rule the World 2. Ace wrote, produced, and played all guitars on this song.
"Rocker Room Theme" – on the 1998 Still Wicked album Something Wicked This Way Comes. Ace played rhythm and lead guitar.
"Foxy Lady" – on the 1998 ESP (Eric Singer Project) album Lost and Spaced. Ace played lead guitar.
"Freedom" – on the 2000 Karl Cochran album Voodooland. Ace played the guitar solo on a bonus version.
"Know Where You Go" – On the 2002 Anton Fig album Figments. Ace played lead guitar.
"Bad Choice" – on the 2005 Kathy Valentine album Light Years. Ace played the lead guitar solos.
"2,000 Man" (new version) – In 2005, Ace played this new version on Eddie Trunk's Merry Kissmas special.
"God of Thunder" (live version) – In 2006, Ace performed this Kiss song with a 'super-group' at the VH1 Rock Honors.
"Black Diamond" (live version) – On June 25, 2008, Ace appeared with Pearl Jam for an encore performance of this Kiss song.
"The Ride" – on the 2008 Black Pain Society album by Jam Pain Society. Ace played lead guitar.
"Highway to Hell" (live version) – On July 21, 2009, Ace played lead guitar with other musicians on a cover of this AC/DC song.
"Nothin' but a Good Time" – Ace played lead guitar on a re-recorded version of this song for Bret Michaels' 2013 album Jammin' with Friends.
"Never Too Hot" – Ace recorded the lead guitar for his friend, Chris Cassone.
"Rise Up (Back from the Grave)" – A 2014 collaboration between Kris Randall and Ace Frehley.
"Starman" – Ace Frehley played lead guitar on Joe Silva's cover of the David Bowie song in 2014.

Ace Frehley on Screen

Films and Documentaries

1978: Kiss Meets the Phantom of the Park
1988: Frehley's Comet: Live + 4 (VHS)
1992: X-treme Close-Up
1994: Ace Frehley – Acevision Volume #1
1996: Kiss Unplugged
1998: Kiss: The Second Coming Documentary
1999: Detroit Rock City
2001: Family Guy: A Very Special Family Guy Freakin' Christmas
2004: Kiss Loves You
2005: Remedy
2006: Kissology Volume One: 1974–1977
2007: Kissology Volume Two: 1978–1991
2007: Kissology Volume Three: 1992–2000
2009: Let's Go Cobo (Documentary)