Ace Frehley, original lead guitarist and founding member of the rock band KISS, has died. He was 74 years old.
The musician’s family confirmed the heartbreaking news in a statement released Thursday.
“We are completely devastated and heartbroken. In his final moments, we were fortunate to be able to surround him with loving, caring and peaceful words, thoughts, prayers and intentions as he left this world,” the statement said.
“We will cherish all of his fondest memories, his laughter, and celebrate his strength and kindness that he gave to others. The magnitude of his death is epic and beyond comprehension. Ace’s memory will live on forever as we reflect on all of his amazing accomplishments in life!”
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 warrior in the most formative cornerstone of the band and its history,” they said.
“He is and will always be a part of the KISS legacy. Our thoughts are with everyone who loved him, including (estranged wife) Janet, (daughter) Monique, and his fans around the world.”
Fraley’s official cause of death has not yet been announced. He reportedly suffered a brain hemorrhage in a fall in the studio several weeks before his death, and was in the hospital on life support as of Thursday afternoon.
A statement was posted on his official Instagram on September 25th, confirming that the “Cold Gin” rocker “suffered a minor fall” inside the studio, which resulted in him being taken to the hospital.
Part of the message read: “He is doing well, but against his wishes, doctors are insisting that he refrain from traveling at this time.” “Ace looks forward to continuing touring and finishing work on his next album, Origins Vol. 4.”
Another Instagram post shared on Oct. 6 revealed that Frehley had “made the difficult decision” to cancel the remainder of his 2025 tour dates, citing “ongoing medical issues.”
Frehley (real name: Paul Daniel Frehley) grew up in the Bronx, New York, and was introduced to music by his family at an early age. He taught himself to play guitar, influenced by bands and artists like BB King, Jimi Hendrix, Led Zeppelin, and the Rolling Stones.
“I’m always happy when people say I’ve influenced them. If I had known that I would influence thousands of guitarists, I would have practiced more. It makes me laugh, but that’s the truth,” he told Guitar World in 2024, noting that he had “never” taken lessons and that his “sense of melody” came from singing in church choirs.
“I never expected to become such an iconic guitarist that so many people listen to. So many players have come up to me and said, ‘You’re the reason I play guitar,’ but I always think, ‘Wow…'”
In 1973, Frehley got his big break as one of the four founding members of KISS, along with Simmons, Stanley, and Peter Criss. He served as lead guitarist and sometimes contributed as lead vocalist on songs such as “Shock Me,” “Into the Void,” and “2,000 Man.”
The musician, known for his “smoking” guitar and stage effects, invented the “Spaceman” (also known as “Space Ace”) persona, which included the now iconic silver metallic face makeup, black and silver glam-rock jumpsuit, and platform boots.
Frehley left KISS in 1982 and later formed his own band, Frehley’s Comet. His latest solo album “10,000 Volts” was released in February 2023.
Frehley’s relationship with KISS was turbulent after his departure, but he rejoined the band in 1996 and went on a reunion tour that lasted until 2002.
Since then, he has only teamed up with Simmons a few times, including for The Children Matter benefit for Hurricane Harvey victims in St. Paul, Minnesota in 2017. At the time, Simmons was playing with a solo band and asked Frehley to perform at a charity concert.
Frehley surprised fans once again in January 2018 when he and Simmons attended an intimate “Vault Experience” at the Capitol Records Building in Hollywood, California. The two performed an impromptu performance together during the intimate event.
“I’d love to invite Ace on stage, but we don’t have anything planned. He just happened to be passing by,” Simmons said at the time, and the crowd cheered at the reunion as Frehley added, “It’s going to be a great day…Thank you for coming.”
KISS took its final bow as a band in December 2024, playing two consecutive shows at Madison Square Garden in New York City.
The performance was part of the group’s End of the Road World Tour and featured OG members Simmons and Stanley, as well as Tommy Thayer and Eric Singer on lead guitar and drums, respectively.
“The band is thrilled to play its final show at MSG since its inception in New York City over 50 years ago,” they said in a statement at the time. “We are grateful for the long legacy of our fans, the KISS Army, and are excited to celebrate through these activities.”
Simmons and Stanley personally invited Frehley and Chris to participate in some form of final farewell tour, but both declined.
