Loudwire
KISS legend Ace Frehley was the latest guest on Full Metal Jackie’s weekend radio program. He discussed his latest solo album, Spaceman, and how he finds the inspiration to keep making new music. He looks back on the arduous process of splicing tape in the studio in the old days compared to the ease of home recordings today. He also explains that a college education may be obsolete and if you want to learn to play like him, you’re likely going to have to change the most basic thing you know about guitar playing. Check out the chat below.
The new album, Spaceman, is your eighth album. Lately, you’ve been releasing a lot of new music. What invigorates you to have the urge to make a new album?
If you look at the timeline, I got sober in 2006, and the last five years or six years, my creativity has just gone through the roof. I mean, it doesn’t hurt to have a record company writing checks to you, as well. [laughs] Yeah, I mean, I signed a record deal with eOne, and the first release was Spaceman. Then I did Origins Vol. 1. I’m sorry. The first release was Space Invader. We’re getting closer here, now. Then I did Origins Vol. 1. Now we have Spaceman, and I’m also contracted to do Origins Vol. 2. That also helped push me. I usually need deadlines, to get things finished, because I’ll spend weeks on one song.
Between your own albums and KISS, you’ve got a lifetime of recording experiences. Making this new album, what exhilarated you about being in the studio?
I work in my home studio, and I work at my own pace. I don’t have anybody looking over my shoulder. Pretty much, for the last three or four records I’ve done, I’ve produced myself. I work with an engineer. A lot of times, we record the songs with the click track and then add drums, later. It’s a really simple process, and I work at my own pace. I take a break when I want. I’ll run out in the backyard and cook some burgers on the grill, come back and do a guitar solo. When you work in a recording studio, you’re paying by the hour.
At your own leisure then.
On the same token, if I wake up at 3AM and I have this brilliant idea for a song, I can just go in and record. It’s wonderful, working that way.
And you’ve been recording albums for such a long time — the way of recording records is so different now. How do you feel looking back to when you did your first record to now, how do you feel about the technology that exists to allow you to record the way you can?
Well, I mean, the technology has made it so much easier, working with Pro Tools, which is the standard in the recording business, pretty much. I remember working with Eddie Kramer on my first solo album in 1978. We were editing a guitar solo on two-inch tape. We’re trying to get the edit right, and we’re slicing the tape with razor blades. We’re putting little pieces here and another little piece there. Then we have to tape it back together, run it, listen to it and go, “That’s a little long.” Then I start cutting quarter-inch pieces of tape, to get the end of the note right. I mean, that took forever. Today, I’ll do three or four takes of a solo and then, usually, piece it together with Pro Tools, but it’s done with the click of a mouse.
It’s pretty amazing. Looking back you have to laugh at how you had to used to do it.
There’s something about an analog tape that does sound a little warmer. You know what? They’ve really improved the technology [with] Pro Tools. You can buy plug-ins that really emulate the sound of tape. They even have a picture of a tape recorder running, so you can get in that mindset.
What I try to do is, even though I’m recording digitally, I use old amplifiers, old microphones, old preamps, racks of different, old preamps, which give you that warm sound. They have tubes in them. I try to use amps with tubes, old Marshall, old Fender, reverbs and the old tweed amps with the Jensen speakers that break up just the way you want it. That’s how I achieve more of a vintage sound on my records.
You’re one of those musicians whose style is instantly recognizable. What aspect of the way you play do you think – are singularly unique to you?