When you think of the term ‘rock and roll’ what comes to your mind?
For me it has always been the catchy song “Rock and Roll All Nite” by the theatrical and striking band KISS. The blast off riff that lifts us after the count in from the drums, that my friends, that was all Ace. Frehley was in fact one major guitar hero. Frehley inspired many of our favorite guitarists.Just to name a few: Tom Morello and John 5.
Photo by Mark Wiess
Growing up my father would have VH1 on in the living room as he was doing housework. I remember seeing a glimpse of KISS on the screen. Being so young I was taken aback by the site of their theatrics and the epic makeup. KISS were that band that pulled you into the whirlpool, not just the look but the catchy sound of their music. Ace seemed to be the one I really gravitated towards, his voice was very unique as it was on a bit of a higher register compared to the others. His look as the Spaceman was beautiful, the shimmer of silver, the bold electric look of his garb. I was HOOKED. This news saddens me as a woman who grew into a pretty big KISS fan. Though I never saw “Space Ace” with the KISS touring line up, I saw him open for Alice Cooper. He was, how can I say this without being clique, out of this world. His vocals were still on point just as well as his guitar playing that we know him for. Hearing the songs from his KISS days healed something in me that was missing from seeing the touring KISS lineup. I remember the roar of the crowd as he began his rendition of “New York Groove.” That day I remember seeing not just the Alice Cooper makeup but also all the Spaceman paint on people of all ages. It’s sad to see another legend pass but I’m so grateful to have seen him at least once in my lifetime.
Thank you Ace.