KISS co-founder Gene Simmons paid an emotional tribute to his longtime bandmate Ace Frehley during his performance with the GENE SIMMONS BAND at the Love Ride charity motorcycle event on November 9 in Castaic, California. The 34th edition of the Harley-Davidson–powered benefit took place at Castaic Lake, drawing thousands of bikers and rock fans together for a day of music and remembrance.
Before launching into the KISS classic “Cold Gin”, Simmons took a moment to reflect on the loss of his friend and former bandmate. Addressing the crowd, Gene said (as transcribed by Blabbermouth): “ I wanna take a moment just to tell you that somebody I’ve known for many decades who started the band with us, a guy named Ace Frehley…”
After some fans in the audience started screaming out Ace‘s name, Simmons continued: “Very sad. Paul [Stanley, KISS frontman] and myself and Peter Criss [original KISS drummer], we went to Ace‘s funeral. He sadly passed. And the saddest part of all, besides the pain and suffering to his friends, family, his daughter, his wife, his whole family, is that Ace didn’t live long enough to be with us on December 6th when the president and everybody’s gonna get up there and honor KISS in entering the Kennedy Center Honors. And the first person who’s gonna walk out there and talk about how KISS changed his life is [country star] Garth Brooks, who’s gonna host a little bit. Then he’s gonna play ‘Shout It Out Loud’ and knock it out of the park. And in Ace‘s memory, we’re gonna make sure one of the four chairs is empty with Ace‘s name, because he deserves to be there in spirit, even if he can’t be there physically.”
Simmons then introduced the next song with a touching reminder of Ace’s creative legacy: “So, one day Ace walked in. The very first song he ever wrote we’re gonna do now. It’s called ‘Cold Gin’.”
According to Billboard, Ace Frehley will be one of only three people to receive a Kennedy Center Honor posthumously, following Glenn Frey of the Eagles and Phil Lesh of the GRATEFUL DEAD, who both received the distinction after their deaths.
When news of Ace’s passing broke, Gene shared a heartfelt statement on social media: “Our hearts are broken. Ace has passed on. No one can touch Ace’s legacy. I know he loved the fans. He told me many times. Sadder still, Ace didn’t live long enough to be honored at the Kennedy Ctr Honors event in December. Ace was the eternal rock soldier. Long may his legacy live on!”
Born Paul Daniel Frehley, the legendary KISS guitarist died on October 16 at his home in Morristown, New Jersey, as a result of blunt trauma injuries to the head following a fall, according to the Morris County Medical Examiner.
He was laid to rest on October 22 at Woodlawn Cemetery in the Bronx, New York — near where he grew up and beside his parents, per his wishes. A private memorial service took place the day before, on October 21, at the Sinatra Memorial Home in Yonkers.
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.
After leaving KISS in the early 1980s, Frehley continued a successful solo career with FREHLEY’S COMET and released a string of acclaimed albums, including Anomaly (2009) and 10,000 Volts (2024). He reunited with KISS for their 1996 reunion tour, thrilling fans worldwide and reaffirming his place as one of rock’s most influential guitarists.
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