TRAGIC: Founding KISS Guitarist Dead at 74

Rock lost one of its loudest legends this week. Ace Frehley, the trailblazing guitarist who helped turn KISS into one of the most electrifying acts in music history, has died at the age of 74, his family confirmed Thursday.

Frehley passed away peacefully at his home in Morristown, New Jersey, surrounded by loved ones.

“We are completely devastated and heartbroken,” his statement said in a statement. “In his last moments, we were fortunate enough to have been able to surround him with loving, caring, peaceful words, thoughts, prayers and intentions as he left this earth. We cherish all of his finest memories, his laughter, and celebrate his strengths and kindness that he bestowed upon others.”

“We are devastated by the passing of Ace Frehley,” Gene Simmons, 76, and Paul Stanley, 73 said in a joint statement. “He was an essential and irreplaceable rock soldier during some of the most formative foundational chapters of the band and its history.”

HUNTINGTON, NY – JUL 2: Ace Frehley performs in concert at the Paramount on July 2, 2019 in Huntington, New York.

The longtime KISS members continued, “He is and will always be a part of KISS’s legacy,” before offering condolences to Frehley’s estranged wife Jeanette Trerotola, his daughter Monique Frehley, and “all those who loved him, including our fans around the world.”

The cause of death was reportedly related to complications from a fall in his studio last month that led to a brain bleed. Frehley had canceled several upcoming shows after the accident, citing “ongoing medical issues.” Sources close to the family said his condition deteriorated over the past week before life support was withdrawn Wednesday night.

Frehley’s death marks the first loss among the original four members of KISS, a band that not only redefined hard rock but changed how fans experienced live music altogether.

Born Paul Daniel Frehley on April 27, 1951, in the Bronx, Ace grew up in a working-class family with an early fascination for sci-fi and sound. He got his first guitar at age 13, and by the early ’70s, he was playing New York clubs where he answered a newspaper ad placed by Gene Simmons and Paul Stanley, who were forming a new group.

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In 1973, KISS was born — a band that blended shock, theater, and pure rock swagger. Frehley took on the “Spaceman” persona, complete with silver face paint, platform boots, and a Les Paul that looked like it came straight from another planet. His otherworldly solos and stage tricks, including smoking guitars and exploding amps, became the stuff of rock legend.

He succeeded. His unmistakable style shaped classics like “Shock Me,” “Cold Gin,” “Detroit Rock City,” and “Deuce.”

Frehley’s guitar work was only part of his legacy. In 1978, at the height of KISS-mania, each member released a solo album — but Ace’s was the breakout hit, thanks to his swaggering version of “New York Groove.” The song became a Top 20 hit and remains one of his signature anthems.

By the early 1980s, tensions inside KISS — and Frehley’s well-known battles with alcohol — led him to leave the band. He launched a solo project, Frehley’s Comet, and later returned for KISS’s 1996 reunion tour, where he was greeted by sold-out arenas and thunderous applause.

Though he left again in the early 2000s, Frehley continued touring and releasing solo records, remaining a fan favorite until his final days.

Frehley is survived by his wife, Jeanette; his daughter, Monique; his brother, Charles; his sister, Nancy Salvner; his nieces, Suncere Frehley and Julie Salvner; his nephews, Sky Frehley and Andrew Salvner; his sister-in-law, Michelanne; and his brother-in-law, Ron Salvner.