Frehley’s former KISS bandmates Paul Stanley and Gene Simmons also released a joint statement to Page Six on Thursday.
“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,” they shared.
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“He is and will always be a part of KISS’s legacy. Our thoughts are with [his estranged wife] Jeanette, [daughter] Monique and all those who loved him, including our fans around the world.”
Frehley’s official cause of death has yet to be released. He had reportedly been hospitalized on life support as of Thursday afternoon, after falling in his studio and suffering a brain bleed just a few weeks before his death.
A statement was posted via his official Instagram on Sept. 25, confirming the “Cold Gin” rocker “had a minor fall” in his studio that resulted in a trip to the hospital.
“He is fine, but against his wishes, his doctor insists that he refrain from travel at this time,” the message read in part. “Ace looks forward to continuing on his tour and finishing work on his next album, ‘Origins
Another Instagram post, shared on Oct. 6, revealed that Frehley “made the difficult decision” to cancel the remainder of his 2025 tour dates due to “some ongoing medical issues.”
Frehley (real name: Paul Daniel Frehley) grew up in the Bronx, New York, where he was introduced to music at an early age by his family. He taught himself guitar after being influenced by bands and artists like B.B. King, Jimi Hendrix, Led Zeppelin and the Rolling Stones.
“I’m always flattered when people tell me I influenced them. If I knew I was gonna influence thousands of guitar players, I woulda practiced more. I laugh, but that’s the truth,” he told Guitar World in 2024, noting that he had “never” taken a lesson and that his “sense of melody” came from singing in the church choir.
“I didn’t know I would become this iconic guitar player that so many people would listen to. I’ve had so many players come up to me and say, ‘You are the reason I play guitar,’ and I’m always like, ‘Wow…’”
In 1973, Frehley got his big break as one of the four founding members of KISS, alongside Simmons, Stanley and Peter Criss. He served as the lead guitarist and occasionally contributed as a lead vocalist for songs like “Shock Me,” “Into the Void” and “2,000 Man.”
The musician — known for his “smoking” guitar and stage effects — invented the persona of “The Spaceman” (aka “Space Ace”), which included his now-iconic silver metallic face makeup, a black-and-silver glam rock jumpsuit and platform boots.
Frehley departed KISS in 1982 and later created his own band, Frehley’s Comet. His most recent solo album, titled “10,000 Volts,” was released in February 2023.
While Frehley had a rocky relationship with KISS after his exit, he rejoined the band in 1996 for a reunion tour that lasted until 2002.
He’s only teamed up with Simmons a few times since then, including The Children Matter benefit for victims of Hurricane Harvey in St Paul, Minnesota, in 2017. At the time, Simmons was performing with his solo band and asked Frehley to take part in the charity concert.
Frehley surprised fans again in January 2018 by joining Simmons at his intimate “Vault experience” at the Capitol Records building in Hollywood, Calif. The two gave an impromptu performance together during the intimate event.
“I’d like to invite Ace on stage. Nothing is planned, he just happened to come by,” Simmons said at the time, with Frehley adding, “It’s going to be a great day … thank you for coming,” as the crowd erupted into cheers over the reunion.
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KISS took their final bow as a band with two back-to-back shows at Madison Square Garden in New York City in December 2024.
The performances were part of the group’s End of the Road World Tour, which featured OG members Simmons and Stanley, along with Tommy Thayer and Eric Singer on lead guitar and drums, respectively.
“We’re thrilled to be doing our final shows at MSG since the band originated in New York City over 50 years ago,” they shared in a statement at the time. “We are thankful for our long legacy of fans, the KISS Army, and excited to be celebrating through these activations.”
While Simmons and Stanley personally invited Frehley and Criss to join their final farewell tour in some capacity, both declined
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- Keithclo7116 hours agoVery sad news. It’s not an exaggeration to say he influenced a generation of guitar players. Perhaps not the most technically savvy, but made music that he felt and was felt. Growing up in the 70s, I’m reminded at this time of the year of all the Halloweens where we dressed up as Kiss. I was usuall…See moreReply197Share
- R J15 hours agoCompletely agree, he was no Randy Rhoads but he was absolutely perfect for that band. So many genx rockers grew up on a heavy dose of KISS. KISS Alive II was one of my first albums. I still throw it on every now and again. The outro on Detroit rock city is one my all time favorites. Reply85Share3 replies
- Matthew Costello15 hours agoNo mention here that Ace Frehley’s solo album outsold the others 3 original members – much to the suprise of the controlling members, Paul Stanley and gene Simmons. Also no mention that the single, “New York Groove, ” was a big hit reaching number nine on the charts. Ace was always underrated!Reply96Share
- Olddude6615 hours agoI so agree…..Reply18Share
