Bill Baker is a long time KISS and Ace Frehley fan who contributes frequently to KISSasylum.com. Bill is also the author of the 2008 book Ace Frehley – The Ultimate Fan Scrap Book. Bill recounts how he braved the rare November snowstorm to meet up with Ace at the Chiller Theater Convention along with members of the cast of the ’70’s sit-com What’s Happening….
By Bill Baker
New Jersey’s CHILLER THEATRE convention has been around for over 20 years. My friend Kevin created it and I’ve gone to every one. When my book came out 3 years ago, they were delivered to me on the Tuesday just before the convention. It was an odd coincidence that Ace was one of the guests at Chiller that year. I hadn’t seen or talked with Ace in 13 years at that point. I wanted to at least say hi to him and give him a book. It was all worked out with his manager Danny and I was cut into his huge line and it was like 13 years hadn’t gone by. We got some pictures together and I presented him with one ofmy books. He looked through it and seemed impressed. Although we’re not the buddies we once were, we are still friends and when I get a chance, I always say hello. I had last talked with him at the “Spooky Empire” convention in Florida last October, and I gave him some copies of paperwork that I thought he could use for his book.
My book is really my story with tons of photos, not a biography on him. His book is his story and I’m glad I didn’t try and do that because really he should be the one to tell his story.
Now, one year later that I last saw him and 3 years to the weekend that I gave him my book, he was once again a guest at Chiller. There was a crazy snowstorm that day and my wife Laure and I braved the weather to go. There were a number of guests I wanted to get autographs from and we were meeting some friends there so we really had to go. Later in the afternoon I ran into a longtime friend Johnny P. and he was working with the cast of “What’s Happening”. (Remember that show?) Johnny asked me, “Hey, what are you doing right now?” I told him we were just checking out the guests. He said “Why don’t you come with us, we’re going to take them down to Ace’s room for a picture, why don’t you come along?” Well, it sounded like a good idea to me, rather than just duck my head into his room to say hi, why not go in with these guys. So we all walked down to the room that Ace was in. On the way, I asked the actors Roger and Dwayne, “Hey, I’ve known Ace over 20 years and I haven’t seen him in a year, it would really give him a laugh if I walked in with you two.” They both said OK, they were up for a laugh. So in we go. Ace was busy with someone, signing some stuff and I positioned us right in front of his table. Me in between the two guys, and the actress that played Dee was standing there too. Ace looks up, does a double take, and says “Bill, is that you?” I said, “Hey Ace, what’s happening?” He laughed and then the cast got some photos with him. I said, “Hey, I wanted to get in this picture too!” I handed my camera to Ace’s friend Mike, and Johnny P. and I jumped in and got some pics with everyone. The cast left and I gave Ace a hug and told him it was good to see him. I said, “Hey I heard your book is out, and since I gave you one of mine, it would be nice to have one of yours!” John, his assistant (who I’ve also known for years) reached over and gave him one which he signed to me. We got some pictures together and while I was sitting there I told him that I saw the clip of him falling off the stage at B.B. Kings. Well, I had fallen off that very same spot. Only I wasn’t playing, I was taking pictures. It’s dark there and not marked. I fell on my ass and Ace told me that what saved him from being hurt was that the bottom of the guitar hit the floor first. Lucky he didn’t break anything. I shook his hand and said “Thanks!” and said goodbye.
A friend of my wife and I was recently killed on her motorcycle and she was only 47 years old. It has really made me value life and the friends I have in it. Ace and I didn’t have a falling out or anything like that, we just got involved in our own lives. I’m glad that we are still friends and that he personally gave me one of his books that looks like he did a really good job on. I’m honored to know that there is now two great books on Ace out there, and mine is one of them. Hey, I still have some available – make sure you get one before I’m sold out!
Bill Baker’s Ace Frehley book is available here at KISSmuseum.com