Ace Frehley: The Spaceman of Hard Rock and Glam

Ace Frehley is the American guitarist and original "Spaceman" of the legendary rock band KISS. His blistering solos and iconic persona were central to the group's 1970s rise, and his 1978 solo album achieved platinum status, cementing his legacy as a rock and roll icon.

Early career

Born Paul Daniel Frehley in 1951 in The Bronx, New York, he began playing guitar as a teenager, influenced by artists like Jimi Hendrix and Eric Clapton. After answering a now-famous Village Voice ad in 1972, he auditioned for the nascent band Wicked Lester, which soon transformed into the hard rock and glam spectacle known as KISS, with Frehley adopting his cosmic "Space Ace" character.

Breakthrough

Frehley's breakthrough came as a core member of KISS during their mid-1970s commercial explosion. The band's theatrical live shows and a string of successful albums like Destroyer (1976) made them global superstars. His definitive moment arrived in 1978 when KISS released four simultaneous solo albums; Ace Frehley was the most successful, reaching platinum certification and spawning the hit single New York Groove.

Key tracks

Shock Me - This 1977 track from KISS's Love Gun album featured Frehley's first lead vocal and a signature talk-box guitar solo.

New York Groove - His 1978 cover became a top-20 single, defining the success of his platinum-selling solo debut.

Rip It Out - The opening track from his solo album showcased his raw, melodic hard rock songwriting and guitar work.

Cold Gin - An early KISS fan favorite written by Frehley, it became a staple of their live set and highlighted his blues-rock influence.

Rock Soldiers - The 1987 single marked his solo return after leaving KISS, narrating his real-life survival of a car accident.

After leaving KISS in 1982, Frehley launched a solo career, releasing albums like Frehley's Comet (1987) and Trouble Walkin' (1989). He rejoined KISS for a highly successful reunion tour in 1996, which revitalized the original lineup's legacy. Since his final departure from the band, he has continued a prolific solo output, including the 2014 album Space Invader which debuted at number 9 on the Billboard 200 chart.

Fans of Ace Frehley's brand of melodic hard rock and classic 1970s guitar work often appreciate the music of KISS for the shared foundational sound. The blues-rock swagger of Alice Cooper aligns with his theatrical rock approach. For the glam rock aesthetic and catchy riffs, listeners might enjoy Slade. The guitar-driven anthems of Cheap Trick also share a similar power-pop rock energy.

Ace Frehley's catalog, from his KISS classics to his solo hits, remains a fixture on classic rock and hard rock radio stations. His anthems are regularly featured across dedicated rock formats, from legacy FM stations to online rock radio streams focused on the 1970s and 1980s eras.

The music of Ace Frehley, the original Space Ace, can be heard on radio stations featured on our website. Listeners can discover his iconic guitar work and anthems through the classic rock and hard rock radio stations available on onairium.com.