Guitarist and vocalist Jeremy Asbrock has opened up about his final conversation with late Ace Frehley, offering a deeply personal glimpse into the last moments he shared with the legendary musician.
Speaking during a recent appearance on the Metal Mayhem ROC podcast, Asbrock recalled that he spoke with Frehley just 12 hours before the fall that would ultimately lead to his passing. The call came after Frehley had already experienced an earlier fall, prompting Asbrock to check in on his longtime bandmate.
“Okay, this is pretty heavy, but it’s still a story that I like to tell. I talked to him on the phone 12 hours before he fell. This was after his first fall and I was just checking in because I had not talked to him since. You know he was doing good,” he said (as transcribed by Alternative Nation).
According to Asbrock, the brief conversation carried a positive tone. Frehley spoke about attending an AA meeting later that evening and appeared to be in good spirits as the two wrapped up their call.
“He was going to an AA meeting that night and just like, ‘Okay, well cool, man. I’ll see you next weekend.’ We got off the phone and he messaged me immediately. He said, ‘Man, thanks for the call. It really lifted my spirits.’ I said, ‘Of course, man. I love you.’ Then he messaged me back, you know, love you too, brother. That was the last thing I ever said to Ace. I love you.”
Reflecting on the loss, Asbrock shared that while the circumstances remain heartbreaking, he finds comfort in knowing their final exchange was filled with genuine care and appreciation. He also admitted the experience changed how he approaches expressing emotions to those close to him.
“It made me not shy about telling people that more often because man, you never know when that’s the last time. I feel really good that the last thing I ever said to Ace and the last thing he ever heard me or read me say to him was, I love you.”
Frehley passed away on October 16, 2025. The Morris County Medical Examiner determined that his death resulted from blunt force trauma to the head following a fall, ruling it accidental. The report detailed contusions and fractures at the rear of his skull, as well as hemorrhages and a subdural hematoma. Additional injuries included bruising to his hip, thigh, and abdomen. Medical records also noted that Frehley had previously suffered a stroke.
Frehley played on some of KISS’s most legendary albums, including Kiss (1974), Destroyer (1976), Love Gun (1977), and Dynasty (1979), writing and performing classics like “Shock Me,” “Rocket Ride,” and “Talk to Me.” His 1978 self-titled solo album, featuring the hit single “New York Groove,” remains a fan favorite.
In the wake of his passing, members of Frehley’s touring band have announced a special Australian run set for September 2026, honoring his legacy. The shows will feature material from his iconic 1978 solo album performed in full, alongside classic KISS tracks, songs from the FREHLEY’S COMET era, and deeper cuts for longtime fans. The lineup includes Asbrock alongside Philip Shouse, Ryan Spencer Cook, and Christopher Williams — the same musicians who previously toured Australia with Frehley in 2018 — now returning to celebrate the enduring influence of one of rock’s most distinctive guitarists.
Reeder, the visionary behind Metal Addicts, has transformed his lifelong passion for metal into a thriving online community for metal aficionados. As a fervent devotee of black metal, Reeder is captivated by its dark, atmospheric, and often unorthodox soundscapes.