Wow, I know he canceled tour dates because of a fall, but never thought it would be something like this. This one will hurt as he was my first inspiration to pick up a guitar:

KISS Guitarist Ace Frehley On Life Support With Brain Bleed

Just coming here to post the same thing. I always thought it would hit me hard when the first original KISS member passed away, but this will hurt the most for me, I've been an Ace fan since I was 10 years old. I even dressed up as him on Halloween 1978. Fuck, I hope there's some miracle that he can pull through.

Gene tried to jump the line with that car accident a few days ago.

Get well Space Man.

Hoping for the best here ...

Sounds dire. Big bummer, he's one of the ones that got me started playing guitar.

From the last time I saw him in 2023:

Update: Dead. At least according to Rolling Stone.

Me and my friends used to pretend to be KISS in our garages. I would grab a broom and put baby powder in it so when a "played" the powder would look like the smoke coming out of his guitar. Neil Peart was the first actor/musician that actually hurt when he passed. Now, Ace. I'm so glad I go to see KISS with Ace and also see Ace solo.

Ace when he toured with Alice Cooper, last time I got to see him.

Rip.

Damn.

I just recently read all 4 of the original member's biographies and his was honestly the best written and most enjoyable.

After reading it though, it is stunning he lasted until 74.

He was a truly unique individual. RIP.

I don't usually think too much about celebrity deaths but this one stings.

Yeah this one is a real bummer.

Incredibly sad news. Like cultshock, I'd been a fan of his and the band since elementary school back in the 70s. I've mentioned on here before that my very first concert was seeing KISS on the Love Gun tour when I was 9 years old. When they brought Ace & Peter out for the MTV Unplugged performance it was like I was a kid again. I remember getting choked up while they were playing 2000 Man, as I never thought they would all be back on the same stage again. Loved Ace's sense of humor and down-to-earthness. R.I.P. Spaceman, and thanks for the memories ...







Ah, fuck, fuck, fuck! Gonna listen to his 1978 solo album tonight. RIP Space Ace, I'll never forget you.

Fuuuuuuck. Like many, Ace was my intro into wanting to play guitar and he ignited my love of Les Paul guitars. I saw him post-KISS on his 1st Frehley's Comets tour back in the late 80s. I went to Werehouse Records on Sunset where he did an appearance to promote his tour, and he signed my CD Box. My 1st up close KISS member experience after being a fan since the 70's. I have been up close to Paul and Gene. I also got see him play with KISS several times when he and Peter came back.

RIP Ace

Here is what RUSH posted on their IG.

Rest In Peace

Seems sort wrong that Rush is posting a 1970s photograph one of them (presumably) took while he wasn't wearing the make-up.

There was such a mystique around that band with kids back then... Gene really could breathe fire, Gene had a cow's tongue sewn onto his own tongue, they didn't actually wear make-up it's just what they looked like, KISS Meets the Phantom was just as good as Star Wars.

Lots of tributes coming in from other musicians, Ace was a big influence on many guitarists of our generation.

I think it's cool when the old 70s non-makeup photos started showing up out of the woodwork after they removed the makeup, they are always fascinating to see.

I was 10 when the TV movie came out, and no one in my circle of friends thought it was as good as Star Wars. And in 1978 us kids were huge Star Wars and KISS fans, but the one-two shit punch of Phantom of the Park and the Star Wars Holiday Special was a massive disappointment in that several week period in fall of 1978, even then we thought they both sucked after all that built up anticipation.


Maybe a mod can update the thread title?

Saw a post from Eddie Trunk talking about his friendship with Ace. I never really new much about Trunk outside of That Metal Show. What an interesting history the guy has with Ace. He helped sign Ace to his first solo record contract and had been friends ever since, so now I get why he was nearly in tears when talking about him.

Ace always seemed to most normal guy in KISS. I was absolutely loving the "Shopping with Ace" segments he was posting on his Youtube channel. I mean, can you ever see Gene or Paul just wandering around a Walmart?

Rip.

I finally got to see him perform last year on the Monsters of Rock cruise which includes a free photo op with him. I got in line an hour early for the photo which was fortunate since they had to stop the line early since he would only commit to 90 minutes and he promptly left when his time was up. But I did get my photo with him and he was surprisingly gracious and chatty in the few moments I had with him.

A couple of quick, funny moments. I loved his laugh.

Yeah, it is. I was always under the impression that they wouldn't let anyone take their pictures out of make-up, so it's always surprising when a new one turns up.

I can only vaguely remember both. KISS and Star Wars are among my earliest memories.

Ten is probably old enough to develop a sense of taste. The six-seven-eight year olds would think anything with KISS in it was the best thing ever. I know someone who's a little bit older than me remembered loving the KISS movie when he saw it on tv when he was in the first grade. Then he finally saw it again on the Kissology DVDs and was horrified by just how bad it was. Told me that, for the longest time, he remembered it being the equal of Star Wars. Maybe he was thinking of the Star Wars Holiday Special. I also seem to recall an interview with Gene where he said that KISS Meets the Phantom was supposed to the band capturing some of the Star Wars magic that was in the air back in the late 1970s.

Being a huge KISS fan I always loved Ace. He usually had the right instincts, musically. When Gene wanted to do The Elder Ace was the one saying that it was a bad idea, and that album ultimately ended up being a part of the reason why he left the band (outvoted by Gene and Paul on everything as Eric didn't get a vote).

I got to see Ace live twice on solo tours (1990 and 1995), and I saw him 5 times with KISS during the Reunion era. He played better at his solo gigs.

A lot of people have called his last few tours the Weekend At Bernie's tours as Ace just wasn't Ace - he was just phoning it in. But prior to that you could usually count on an Ace Frehley solo show to be a good show. He was great the two times I saw him in that setting.

It's hard to believe that he's gone, though. Something so fluky as a fall and hitting his head - after going through car wrecks and other issues that's not the way I expected Ace to go out, but then that's Ace for you. You never knew for sure what was going to happen with him!