The Dead Daisies guitarist Doug Aldrich recently explained why his audition to replace Ace Frehley in KISS failed. He shared details about the experience in an interview with Backstage Pass Rock News.
When asked about his early career audition for KISS, Aldrich provided insight into what happened during the process and why he wasn’t selected for the role.
“They didn’t offer me enough money, so I said no. [Laughs] I was just a kid then,” Aldrich said. “I moved out to Los Angeles, and there was all kinds of wackiness happening, and KISS was looking for a replacement for Ace [Frehley], and they were working on a record, and the drummer Eric Carr, his girlfriend had actually seen me play at a club.”
The guitarist explained how the opportunity came about through a chance encounter at a Hollywood club.
“And I had just gotten a band together, looked in the newspaper, joined a band. We were playing in Hollywood, and this girl said her boyfriend’s Eric Carr, and that she thinks I should meet Eric,” he continued. “And then Eric came a couple, it was like the next week or two weeks later, I can’t remember, we played again. And she brought him, and I met him, and then I went down and jammed with the guys at his recording studio.”
Aldrich reflected on his immaturity at the time and how it may have affected his chances with the band.
“And I went and played with them live a couple times, and it was pretty surreal for an 18-year-old kid to be like, you know, I was 18 going on, I mean, my maturity level was probably 10. Like, so, you know, I went down and played with them a couple times, and I think we sounded cool, but I was just a kid. I couldn’t hang out with those guys,” he said.
The guitarist now understands that personal chemistry is crucial in band dynamics.
“And I’ve actually figured out now that if I had been more of a cool hangout, they might have said, okay, let’s go, you know? But that’s a very important part of getting a gig or being invited to jam with a band and then having them maybe say, hey, I like that guy. Because if you’re a cool hangout, it’s like a cool hang, and you get on good, and you can laugh and, you know, get on the same wavelength, then that’s half the battle. And then if you can play, that’s the other half,” Aldrich explained.
“But you know, I think that everything works out for a reason, and I got, I really, it really inspired me to try and do better, to, to be better, the best I could be,” he concluded.
The 1982 audition experience provided Aldrich with valuable insights into the music industry. It also highlighted the importance of both musical ability and personal chemistry in securing major band positions.
Ultimate Classic Rock reported that the audition took place at the Record Plant studio. There, Aldrich had the surreal experience of meeting Gene Simmons and Paul Stanley without their iconic makeup. The young guitarist was asked to play solos on in-progress tracks, including what would become “War Machine” from KISS’s 1982 album “Creatures of the Night.”
During the sessions, KISS Asylum documented that Gene Simmons tested Aldrich’s musical knowledge by asking him about major scales. “Hey Doug do you ever play major scales?” Simmons inquired, highlighting the technical expectations the band had for their potential new guitarist.
Despite his strong musical performance, Far Out Magazine revealed that Eric Carr later called Aldrich to deliver the news. While he had done great, the band needed someone “with a little more under their belt.” This feedback emphasized that KISS was looking for not just talent, but also experience and maturity that the 18-year-old Aldrich had yet to develop.
The audition ultimately went to Vinnie Vincent, who became KISS’s lead guitarist for the “Creatures of the Night” and “Lick It Up” albums. Aldrich’s experience with KISS became a formative moment that motivated him to improve his craft. This eventually led to successful stints with renowned bands including Dio, Whitesnake, and currently The Dead Daisies.
