Kiss Guitarist and Spaceman Ace Frehley Dead at 74

Photo Credit: Ace Frehley by Christopher F. Allin / CC by 4.0

Ace Frehley, the Spaceman and lead guitarist of Kiss, has passed away after a recent fall at his home. He was 74.

Kiss guitarist Ace Frehley, the group’s Spaceman known for his silver face paint, passed away on Thursday, October 16, at his home in Morristown, New Jersey. He was 74 years old.

Frehley’s rep, Lori Lousarian, attributed his death to a “recent fall at his home,” though a specific cause of death has not been immediately revealed.

Frehley played with Kiss from their inception in 1973 and during their peak until 1982, and then again during their reunion era in the 1990s. Though he was not a primary songwriter in the band, his songs include fan favorites like “Cold Gin,” “Parasite,” “Shock Me,” and “Talk to Me.” His guitar skills and classic rock demeanor made him an idol for a generation of musicians.

“We are completely devastated and heartbroken,” said Frehley’s family 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. The magnitude of his passing is of epic proportions, and beyond comprehension. Reflecting on all of his incredible life achievements, Ace’s memory will continue to live on forever.”

Alongside Gene Simmons, Paul Stanley, and Peter Criss, Frehley was inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in 2014.

“We are devastated by the passing of Ace Frehley,” said Simmons and Stanley 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. He is and will always be a part of Kiss’ legacy. Our thoughts are with [Frehley’s wife] Jeanette, [his daughter] Monique, and all those who loved him, including our fans around the world.”

Frehley cancelled a concert at the Antelope Valley Fair in Lancaster, California late last month after he suffered a separate fall at his home that had him taken to the hospital. A note released at the time revealed that he was fine, but that “against his wishes, his doctor insists that he refrain from travel at this time.” Early this month, he cancelled the remaining 2025 dates he had scheduled due to “ongoing medical issues.”

After Kiss experienced a meteoric rise to fame in the ‘70s and early ‘80s, Ace Frehley decided he’d had enough. “I believed that if I stayed in that group, I would have committed suicide,” he told Rolling Stone. “I mean, I walked out on a $15 million contract. […] And my attorney was looking at me like, ‘What are you, crazy?’”

Frehley formed the band Frehley’s Comet in the ‘80s, and released two albums that remained relatively low key. But a brief reunion with Kiss in 1995 led to a massive reunion tour the following year. The band released new music in 1998, on which Frehley played just a single track. He left the band again in 2002 after concluding a farewell tour.

In the last two decades, Frehley toured a lot as a solo artist and played plenty of Kiss classics in his sets. His most recent show took place in September in Providence, Rhode Island, at the Uptown Theater.

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