Background and career
Paul Daniel "Ace" Frehley (, FRAY-lee; April 27, 1951 – October 16, 2025) was an American musician. He was the original lead guitarist, an occasional vocalist, and a founding member of the hard rock band Kiss. He invented the persona of the Spaceman (a.k.a. Space Ace) and originally played with the group from its inception in 1973 until his departure in 1982, before later rejoining in 1996 until his final departure in 2002. After leaving Kiss in 1982, Frehley formed his own band, Frehley's Comet, and released two albums with the group. He subsequently embarked on a solo career, which was put on hold when he rejoined Kiss in 1996 for a reunion tour. Frehley's second tenure with Kiss lasted until 2002, when he left at the conclusion of what was originally intended to be the band's farewell tour. Frehley's solo releases were commercially successful, with his 1978 debut studio album achieving platinum status. His most recent solo studio album, 10,000 Volts, was released in 2024. Frehley died in October 2025 after complications from a fall at his home. Frehley was noted for his aggressive, atmospheric, and melodic guitar playing, and for the use of many "special effects" guitars, including a Gibson Les Paul guitar that emitted smoke from its DiMarzio neck humbucker pickup and produced spinning pyrotechnics and a custom Les Paul that emitted light based on the tempo of a song. Frehley was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2014 as a member of Kiss. Guitar World magazine ranked him among the greatest metal guitarists of all time.
Paul Daniel Frehley was born on April 27, 1951, in The Bronx, New York City, the youngest of three children of Esther Anna (Hecht) and Carl Daniel 'Friebely' Frehley, an electrical engineer. His father, the son of Dutch immigrants, was from Pennsylvania. His mother was originally from North Carolina and of German and Cherokee descent.
The Frehleys were a musical family, and when he received an electric guitar as a Christmas present in 1964, Paul immersed himself in learning the instrument. "I never went to music school; I never took a guitar lesson, but everybody in my family plays an instrument. My mother and father both played piano, his father was the church organist, and my brother and sister both played piano and acoustic guitar." He was always surrounded by music, and started playing guitar at age 13. Jimi Hendrix, Albert Lee, Buddy Guy, Jeff Beck, B. B. King, Led Zeppelin, the Rolling Stones and The Who were his main influences. Frehley had a troubled childhood. He joined a local street gang at age 13, although his interest in the gang waned as his interest in music grew. He was expelled from several high schools before eventually dropping out altogether. During that time he gained the nickname "Ace" because his friends believed that he was "a real ace" with his ability to get dates. Even though he dropped out of high school after his band Cathedral started getting gigs, his girlfriend and family convinced him to return to school, finish and get his diploma, which he did. He described watching The Who and Cream live as a teenager as confirming his love of music as a professional pursuit, which he claimed "saved" him by deterring him from gang life.
Frehley began playing in local bands during high school. At age 18, he worked as a roadie for Jimi Hendrix.
Frehley's earliest bands included the Outrage, the Four Roses, King Kong, Honey (a cover band), the Magic People, and Molimo, who signed with and recorded for RCA Records. When Frehley's later band, Cathedral, began getting paying gigs, he dropped out of high school, later returning to earn his diploma. After graduation, Frehley held a string of short-term jobs, including mail carrier, furniture deliverer, messenger, taxi driver, and liquor store delivery person.
Frehley spent the early 1970s in a series of local bands including one called Molimo who recorded half an album for RCA in 1971. In late 1972, his friend, Chris Cassone, spotted an advertisement for a lead guitarist in The Village Voice and showed the ad to Frehley. Frehley went to 10 East 23rd Street above the Live Bait Bar and auditioned for Paul Stanley (rhythm guitar), Gene Simmons (bass guitar), and Peter Criss (drums). Frehley showed up wearing one red and one orange sneaker and was less than impressive visually, but the band liked what they heard from his playing. About three weeks later the band named Frehley as their lead guitarist. By January 1973 the band came up with the name Kiss. Frehley designed the band's double-lightning-bolt logo, which was polished up by Stanley. The band quickly decided to paint their faces for live performances and Frehley decided to start painting silver stars on his eyes. When the group eventually decided to adopt stage personas to match their makeup and costumes, Frehley became Space Ace. Later his stage persona was also known as The Spaceman. Frehley stated that this persona was inspired by his interest in science fiction and space travel.
