News Archive November 2009

Former KISS Guitarist Ace Frehley Likes Playing With The Full Deck Of Sobriety
From: The Capital Times
Posted: November 7, 2009

The release date in September of "Anomaly," Ace Frehley's first album in 20 years, coincides with the third anniversary of his sobriety.

The original KISS guitarist didn't plan it that way, he said recently in an interview from his home in Beverly Hills, but "it was a nice sentiment. It's something I've struggled with my whole life. There's been times in the past when I've had reasonable times of sobriety, but this is the longest time, three years."

Sobriety played a defining role in the album's development. He wrote many of the songs years ago, but couldn't get it together until about two years ago as his head started clearing.

"It enabled me to be more focused and more in touch with what I do," said Frehley, 58. "I think I wrote better songs and perform better."

So far, it looks like critics and fans agree. A couple of songs on "Anomaly" are hard to swallow, like the sappy and somewhat creepy, sobriety-inspired "A Little Below the Angels." In that track, Frehley's 29-year-old daughter imitates a little girl in a spoken word interlude, asking, "Daddy, have you ever seen an angel?"

"She kinda put that on," he admitted.

But in general the album is fresh and allows Frehley's guitar work to sparkle. It also comes in a nifty cardboard package that can be folded into a pyramid with space and lightning bolt-themed artwork that Frehley designed himself.

At his show this Saturday, Nov. 7 at the Majestic Theatre, he promises the smoking guitar trick he made famous as "The Spaceman" in KISS. He quit KISS twice — in 1982 and again in 2002 after a stint touring with them in the '90s — and he said he doesn't miss playing with them at all.

He's still on good terms with the band, though, which is now on a tour with Frehley's replacement, Tommy Thayer.

"He's a good guitar player," Frehley said of Thayer. "He pretty much copies me."

Along with the likes of Genesis, Red Hot Chili Peppers, LL Cool J and Jimmy Cliff, KISS is up for induction in the 2010 Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, and Frehley said he'll join them onstage if they get inducted. When asked if he's rooting for any other band besides KISS, he shrugged it off.

"I don't know who they are," he said. "I think it's a great honor, but I haven't thought too much about it. I hope we get inducted."

He takes the same relaxed attitude to his fans. If any rock star has experienced the full spectrum of fandom, it's Frehley with the still-strong KISS Army. He's seen it all.

"I've gotten gifts, crazy gifts, paintings. Somebody gave me a full-sized mannequin of myself. Great stuff," he said. "There's fans that'll come up to me and want my autograph, and their hands are shaking they're so nervous and excited. I prefer the ones that are a little bit more relaxed, because I'm pretty matter-of-fact about what I do and don't read too much into it and never take myself too seriously."

Frehley is acting the part of the fan in a few weeks when he performs at a tribute in Nashville for the late guitar legend and innovator Les Paul.

"He used to perform every week in a small club in New York, every Monday night. I was lucky enough to jam with him there," remembered Frehley. "He was just a really up kinda guy, always had a smile on his face. If I can be like him in my 80s and 90s, I'm not going to have any complaints."