Justin Hawkins recently discussed a tense moment with late rock legend Ace Frehley during the 2024 Monsters Of Rock Cruise. He explained the circumstances behind his onstage roast in an interview shared on Justin Hawkins Rides Again.
Hawkins clarified that his comments about Frehley were meant in jest, though they initially sparked concern from those in Frehley’s circle. According to Hawkins, he was approached by some of Frehley’s people who questioned whether there was a problem between them.
“I think a couple of Ace’s people were furious and asked me if we had a problem, but the way they asked me was kind of like oh my god, I started to wonder if we did have a problem,” Hawkins explained. “I thought I was going to get thrown overboard just for having a bit of wig-based amusement fun.”
Rather than escalating the situation, Frehley’s team directed Hawkins to speak directly with the guitarist. Hawkins took the opportunity to clarify his intentions. He discovered that Frehley himself was more understanding about the wig joke than expected.
“I went over and sat down with Ace Frehley, and I said to him I didn’t realize it was such a touchy subject really,” Hawkins said. “When it came to talking about the wig, he was laughing about it and he said to me, you know, it’s just easier when you have a wig, you know, you don’t have to maintain the illusion of lustrous hair and you can just rock up and put something on your head and you’re off.”
Hawkins noted that the real issue may have stemmed from his earlier comment about Frehley making The Darkness late for their performance. Despite the initial tension, the two musicians had a positive conversation. Hawkins reflected on how much had changed since their previous meeting years earlier.
“I had a lovely conversation with him and it was a good moment,” Hawkins concluded. “The really fun thing about the encounter on the boat was that he and I had met and he had no recollection of it.”
The 2024 Monsters of Rock Cruise brought together legendary rock musicians for what was meant to be a celebratory event. However, the encounter between Hawkins and Frehley became one of the cruise’s most talked-about moments.
Hawkins insulted Frehley by calling him a derogatory name onstage, which initially created tension between the two musicians during the event. The incident involved Hawkins taking public shots at the former KISS guitarist during their appearances on the cruise.
The Darkness frontman said about Ace, “You’ve noticed I wear a watch on stage. Some of you think, ‘Oh, that means he’s not 100% in it. He has to sort of regard the time ‘cause he just wants to get back and eat the prawn sandwiches in the dressing room.’ There’s a bit of truth in that, but I think the important thing about rock and roll is punctuality!”
He then said, “I’m not gonna mention any names, but somebody overran, and thus we were late coming on stage. I apologize to all of you. But in fairness, the artist that overran – I’m not gonna name any names, okay? I won’t name any names.”
“But I think some of their rider requirements were a little bit difficult to source in the middle of the f**king Caribbean. One of those being wig adhesive! I’m talking about Ace Frehley. Sorry, guys,” the singer said. “I don’t give a f**k if you’re the biggest rock star in the world. If you make The Darkness late, you are a c**t. So, we’re gonna play our entire set, and you guys are gonna f**king love it.”
The reconciliation between the two musicians reflects the camaraderie that often exists within the rock community, despite occasional public conflicts. KISS in UK noted that Frehley was reported to have forgiven Hawkins for the comment and looked toward reconciliation after the event. The initial tension was merely a moment of misunderstanding rather than a lasting feud.
Hawkins’s account of the encounter reveals the human side of rock and roll. Egos can clash, but mutual respect ultimately prevails. The Darkness frontman’s willingness to approach Frehley directly and explain his intentions, combined with Frehley’s openness to dialogue, transformed what could have been a lasting conflict into a meaningful connection between two generations of rock musicians.
