Ace Frehley, The Spaceman, Dead at 74
Ace Frehley, the original lead guitarist for KISS known for his persona, The Spaceman, died Thursday evening following a hospitalization for a brain bleed as a result of a fall he suffered in September, according to Rolling Stone. He was 74.
Reportedly, the 74-year-old Frehley had been on a ventilator for a while, which unfortunately has not led to any improvement in his condition, according to TMZ. His family took the rock legend off of life support.
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Frehley had been suffering from a brain bleed as a result of a fall at his studio on Sept. 25, which at the time was described as “minor.” The fall forced the cancelation of his upcoming tour dates. His social media team released this statement the day of his fall:
“Dear Rock Soldiers, [Frehley] had a minor fall in his studio, resulting in a trip to the hospital,” his team said in a statement. “He is fine, but against his wishes, his doctor insists that he refrain from travel at this time.”
A week later, his team stated the guitarist was suffering from complications as a result of the fall, so he made the decision to cancel the rest of his tour dates.
Frehley was a founding member of KISS, performing with the band from 1973 to 1982, before leaving due to creative differences and substance abuse issues. He rejoined his former bandmates in 1996 for their reunion tour, later leaving again in 2002.
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The guitarist helped create classic KISS songs, like “Rock and Roll All Nite,” “I Was made for Lovin’ You,” and “Detroit Rock City.”
Frehley, also known as Space Ace, went on to have a successful solo career following his time with KISS. His time as a solo artist may be best remembered for his cover of Russ Ballard’s and Hello’s “New York Groove,” which appeared on his self-titled debut solo album, while still a member of KISS.
He released 10 solo albums over the course of his career, including two under the moniker “Frehley’s Comet.” His latest release was 2024’s 10,000 Volts, with an 11th album, Origins Vol. 3 expected sometime this year.
