Kiss' Original "Spaceman" and Founding Guitarist, Dies at 74

MORRISTOWN, N.J. — Ace Frehley, the flamboyant lead guitarist and co-founder of the hard-rock powerhouse Kiss, whose blistering riffs and extraterrestrial persona helped propel the band to global stardom, died today. He was 74.

Pictured above is my old KISS album "Destroyer" that I found in my garage. Ace Frehley was the lead guitarist on this album, but he was replaced on some tracks by guitarist Dick Wagner during the recording sessions. Frehley co-wrote songs for the album and performed on several tracks, but his solos were substituted on a few songs. And if memory serves me right, I remember hearing something about Frehley not having prior knowledge of this.

Frehley's family confirmed the news in a statement shared with multiple outlets, revealing that the musician passed away peacefully this morning at a hospital in Morristown, New Jersey, surrounded by loved ones. His death follows a recent fall at his home that left him hospitalized with a brain bleed, according to his longtime agent, Lori Lousararian.

The incident, which occurred late last month, prompted Frehley to cancel the remaining dates of his 2025 solo tour just 10 days ago, citing "ongoing medical issues." Born Paul Daniel Frehley on April 27, 1951, in the Bronx, New York, Frehley earned his enduring nickname "Ace" at age 16 from a bandmate grateful for his matchmaking skills.

By his early 20s, he had channeled that charisma into music, co-founding Kiss in 1973 alongside vocalist-guitarist Paul Stanley, bassist Gene Simmons, and drummer Peter Criss. The quartet quickly became synonymous with theatrical excess: seven-inch platform boots, codpiece-laden leather outfits, and kabuki-inspired face paint that transformed them into comic-book superheroes—the Demon, Starchild, Catman, and, of course, the Spaceman. Frehley's "Spaceman" alter ego, complete with silver-starred makeup and a guitar rigged to spew smoke and sparks, was the visual anchor for Kiss's pyrotechnic live spectacles.

His raw, feedback-laden solos defined the band's signature sound on arena anthems like "Detroit Rock City," "Rock and Roll All Nite," and "Strutter." He also penned early staples such as "Cold Gin" and "Shock Me," infusing Kiss's bombastic hard rock with a gritty, streetwise edge. Kiss exploded onto the scene amid the mid-1970s glam-rock boom, selling millions of albums and pioneering rock merchandising with everything from lunchboxes to action figures.

Their 1975 live album Kiss Alive! captured the frenzy, cementing their status as one of the era's biggest draws. Yet Frehley's tenure was turbulent; battles with substance abuse led to his departure in 1982, shortly after the band's non-makeup experiment flopped commercially. Undeterred, Frehley launched a solo career that outshone his bandmates'. His 1978 eponymous debut spawned the Top 40 hit "New York Groove," a disco-tinged rocker that became a staple of classic-rock radio.

He later formed Frehley's Comet in 1984, scoring a minor hit with "Rock Soldiers" and maintaining a cult following through sporadic releases and tours. Frehley rejoined Kiss twice—for a blockbuster 1996 reunion tour and a brief 1998 stint—before acrimoniously splitting for good in 2002. Tensions lingered, particularly with Simmons, who in a 2019 interview cited Frehley's unreliability as a factor in his firings.

Despite the feuds, Frehley's contributions were undeniable. Kiss was inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in 2014, with all four original members attending.

In recent years, Frehley remained active, releasing his 10th solo album, 10,000 Volts, in 2024 to positive reviews.

News outlets worldwide echoed the sentiment, with headlines hailing him as the architect of Kiss's "glittery sound." Frehley is survived by his wife, two children, and four grandchildren. Funeral arrangements have not been announced. In a band built on spectacle, Ace Frehley was the spark—gone too soon, but forever etched in rock 'n' roll legend.