Paul Stanley discussed his plans to pay tribute to the late Ace Frehley at this weekend’s Kiss Kruise: Land-Locked in Vegas and explained his initial reaction to Ace’s solo work, speaking with Ultimate Classic Rock.
Stanley was asked about Ace’s 1978 solo album and what songs from his catalog stand out to him as the most meaningful. He also reflected on Ace’s role in the band’s early years.
“Ace is at the foundation of this band — that can never be overlooked or overstated,” Stanley said. “There would be no Kiss today without Ace having been there.”
“I’m the first person to say that we never could’ve started Kiss without Ace — or Peter (Criss), for that matter. They were instrumental in the foundation of what we built, during and afterwards. The four of us were a combustive force, and that’s part of what made us what we were.”
Stanley then explained his concerns about how the solo album would turn out. “I don’t know if I’ll be performing it, but I think ‘Shock Me’ (from 1977’s Love Gun) was a really great song. And later on, I remember the first time I heard his solo album (Ace Frehley, 1978) and, frankly, I was scared to hear it because he wasn’t somebody who committed himself to things without being pushed.”
“And yet he came in with this album, and it was great. The first song I heard was ‘Rip It Out,’ and I was like, ‘Wow, this is a surprise.’ It was great. So when I think of Ace, I think of ‘Shock Me,’ and from the solo album, ‘Rip It Out.'”
Stanley’s remarks came as Kiss prepares to honor Frehley’s legacy at the upcoming cruise event in Las Vegas. The tribute marks an important moment for the band to celebrate their guitarist’s contribution to their history.
Frehley’s self-titled album was released on September 18, 1978, alongside three other solo albums from Kiss members. It became the most successful of the four, earning Platinum certification on October 2, 1978, after selling one million copies. The album’s biggest hit was “New York Groove,” a cover originally written by Russ Ballard that reached number 13 on the US Billboard chart. It was the only solo album from the group’s concurrent solo release to produce a hit single.
Frehley had threatened to leave Kiss, leading the band’s management to suggest that the members record separate albums to take a break from each other. Stanley’s worry about the album reflected uncertainty over whether Frehley would commit fully to the project. Before “Shock Me,” Frehley had avoided taking lead vocal duties on Kiss songs, despite writing popular tracks like “Cold Gin” and “Parasite.”
Frehley died at age 74 after suffering an accidental fall that caused blunt trauma injuries to his head. The Kiss Kruise event on November 13-15 at Virgin Hotels in Las Vegas will serve as a major tribute to the guitarist. The cruise will feature Kiss members and guest performers including Night Ranger, Bruce Kulick, Slaughter, Faster Pussycat, Keel, Kuarantine, the Rock and Roll Over Kiss Tribute Band, and School of Rock.
