Ben Smith | VH1

It’s not uncommon to hear fans opine that the best Kiss album isn’t a Kiss album at all, but is actually the 1978 solo album from their extraterrestrial former-lead guitarist Ace Frehley. So it was welcome news when Ace let it be known that he was looking back to that first solo album while putting together his latest, entitled Space Invader, which came out last week. From the thick, memorable guitar riffs to the spacey artwork courtesy of Ken Kelly, who painted the cover of Kiss’ landmark Destroyer album, there’s plenty for Kiss and Ace Frehley fans to get excited about. And that’s a nice change of pace considering all the drama that surrounded past and present members when they were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. But the affable and good-natured Bronx native remains reflective about the incident, as you’ll read below, and is excited to be taking his new album on the road. So let’s turn things over to him or as his former-bandmate Paul Stanley would say “ACE FREHLEY, LEAD GUITAR!! COME ON!!!”

VH1: What are your feeling now about the events surrounding Kiss’ induction into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame?

Ace Frehley: The rock and roll hall of fame was an exciting experience. We could’ve been inducted 15 years earlier you know, but we finally got inducted this year in April. I know there was a little controversy going on preceding the event. Originally we were asked to perform and at the last minute Paul and Gene decided they didn’t want to perform with me and Peter(founding Kiss drummer Peter Criss). Me and Peter were up for it. The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame was insisting that only the four original members perform and you know, Paul and Gene opted not to do it, after 40 years they couldn’t give the fans 15 minutes. Go figure. I think they’re going to regret that decision.

Tell us about your new album Space Invader.

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Ultimate Guitar

Sound: Ace Frehley is one of the most iconic ’70s guitar players. As the lead guitarist in KISS, he captivated audiences with his stage presence, his array of smoking and rocket-shooting Les Pauls, and to a lesser extent it seems, his guitar solos. Though many probably know him better by his character name, the Spaceman, Frehley became one of the world’s most recognizable guitar heroes. And despite his average at best musical skill, he influenced hordes of young, would-be guitar players across the world, most famously Dimebag Darrell. On a personal note, his guitar solo in the live version of “Deuce” is one of the principle reasons why I started playing. As a testament to his popularity among guitar players, his signature Les Paul model was one of the best-selling Gibson signature models in the company’s history (although the guitar was so visually stunning it may not have needed much help).

However, pretty much all of Frehley‘s fame comes from his time in KISS. His solo career has been a far less illustrious endeavor. His previous solo albums are not bad by any stretch of the imagination, but when Frehley advertises this new album by effectively saying, “It’s just as good as my 1978 solo album” (which was written while he was still in KISS), it is easy to see that, well, he is no Paul McCartney.

Considering that Ace also continues to take shots at his former band/boast about his own music and KISS seems to be doing the same, it is definitely worth comparing “Space Invader” to KISS‘ newest album “Monster.” After listening to both albums, though withAce‘s album admittedly being the fresher in my mind, I have concluded that KISS and Aceneed each other, at least from a musical standpoint.

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Something Else
 

Through he’s long sported the makeup made famous by his predecessor, Eric Singer is careful to note that he and fellow late-comer Tommy Thayer aren’t trying to ignore what the departed Peter Criss and Ace Frehley built with Kiss. He says they’re simply trying to add to a legacy created along with remaining founders Paul Stanley and Gene Simmons.

“I think it’s pretty incredible what they built, what they created with those original guys,” Singer tells Nuvo. “And I’m thankful for that and I totally respect it. I think sometimes people think that somehow [we’re] trying to forget what started or what created it. And believe me, nobody is trying to forget that.”

Singer also notes that this current lineup, for all of its detractors, has been together longer than any other in the complicated history of Kiss. That period of peace, Singer adds, gives him a special perspective on what came before.

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