Kiss Founding Guitarist Ace Frehley Dies at 74

Ace Frehley, the iconic founding lead guitarist of the legendary rock band Kiss, has died at age 74 on Thursday, October 16, 2025. Best known for his melodic yet explosive guitar solos, Frehley fell critically ill and was on life support following a brain bleed sustained after a fall in his studio several weeks before his passing.

His family confirmed the news in a statement. “We are completely devastated and heartbroken. 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!”

Known for his onstage persona as “The Spaceman” or “Space Ace,” Frehley helped shape Kiss’s hard-rock sound and larger-than-life “shock rock” image through his elaborate stage shows, electrifying guitar effects, silver face paint, and futuristic costumes. In addition to embodying Kiss’s theatrical aesthetic, he wrote or co-wrote several Kiss classics, including “Shock Me,” “Cold Gin,” “Parasite,” and “Rocket Ride.”

The guitarist suffered a brain bleed when he took a fall in his studio a couple of weeks ago, thus forcing him to cancel his upcoming tour dates. The accident was announced on Instagram, which insisted that Frehley was fine, though he had to cancel tour dates in an effort to heal. The following week, Frehley canceled the remainder of his tour.

Kiss: Ace Frehley, Peter Criss, Paul Stanley, Gene Simmons, circa early 1980s. (Everett Collection)

Born Paul Daniel Frehley on April 27, 1951, in The Bronx, New York City, to a homemaker and an electrical engineer. He earned the “Ace” in high school because he “always came through for his buddies,” earning the reputation of being “an ace.”

In 1972, Frehley came across an ad in the Village Voice placed by Gene Simmons, Paul Stanley, and Peter Criss, who were looking for a “lead guitarist with flash and ability.” During the audition, Frehely made an impression. “He’s a weird guy,” lead singer Gene Simmons recalled. “He’s got one orange sneaker, one red, pigeon-toed, and then he dug in [on the guitar]. Paul and I looked at each other like, ‘Wow.'”

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Before his solo debut, Kiss released seven studio albums. Their 1975 live album Alive! catapulted them to superstardom, turning “Rock and Roll All Nite” into an anthem. Follow-ups like Destroyer (1976) and Love Gun (1977) went platinum, cementing the band’s reputation for theatrical stage shows and their comic book-esque personas. By the time each member released their own solo record, Kiss had already become a global phenomenon.

Kiss became TV sensations in the 1970s with appearances on shows like The Midnight Special, The Paul Lynde Halloween Special, and Don Kirshner’s Rock Concert, where their explosive performances introduced their theatrical style to mainstream audiences. They later starred in the 1978 made-for-TV movie Kiss Meets the Phantom of the Park, which became a cult favorite and cemented their status as pop-culture icons beyond the music world.

In 1978, Frehley released his first solo album, a self-titled debut that produced the Top 20 single “New York Groove.” After leaving Kiss in 1982, Frehley formed Frehley’s Comet, releasing a self-titled album in 1987. Frehley rejoined Kiss in 1996 for their highly publicized Alive/Worldwide Reunion Tour. He remained with the band through their Farewell Tour in 2002 before departing again to focus on his solo career.

On December 7, 2025, Kiss and Ace Frehley were going to be among the recipients to be celebrated at the 48th Annual Kennedy Center Honors.