Tommy Thayer’s Favorite Ace Frehley Solo

Ace Frehley has become a prominent musician, especially following his tenure with the internationally famous hard rock band KISS. He contributed to the band primarily as the lead guitarist and attracted the audience with his guitar solos. His interest in guitar started as a child since his family was interested in music. After receiving an electric guitar as a Christmas gift, he taught himself without receiving any professional education.

The guitarist has now become an inspiration for the upcoming musicians with the techniques he created, influenced by icons like Jimi Hendrix, Pete Townshend, and Jeff Beck. He has influenced guitarists with his power chords and minor pentatonic scale used in his sound. His distinctive solos made the KISS songs unforgettable for the fans and the other rockers. Tommy Thayer was one of those impressed by him, and he was primarily fascinated with his solo in ‘Got To Choose.’

Tommy Thayer Was Impressed By Ace Frehley’s Solo In ‘Got To Choose’

When Tommy Thayer was a kid, KISS released its second studio album ‘Hotter Than Hell’ in 1974. The album included the songs like ‘Parasite’ and ‘Goin’ Blind’ and was darker with its sound and lyrics than the previous one. Ace Frehley contributed to the songs with his lead guitar and as the writer. His guitar solo on ‘Strange Ways’ has been accepted as one of his bests; however, ‘Got To Choose’ had a special place in Thayer’s heart.

In a previous interview with Music Radar, Thayer revealed that ‘Got To Choose’ was one of his favorite tracks from KISS. He stated that the band’s earlier records inspired him to play guitar when he was around 13 and 14. The rocker said that he liked Paul Stanley’s singing style in the songs like ‘Goin’ Blind’ and ‘Parasite’ and characterized them as ‘timeless.’

He mentioned that Gene Simmons and Paul Stanley created these timeless songs influenced by Led Zeppelin and Humble Pie. Also, Frehley’s solos were the other point that made the songs like ‘Got To Choose‘ unforgettable and permanent in the rock scene.

Ace Frehley said the following about the track:

“‘Got To Choose’ is one of my favorite old KISS songs. Those first three studio records and then KISS ‘Alive!,’ to me, that’s the template. That is what got me going in the first place, playing guitar, and when I was 13 and 14, discovering KISS and other bands at the time.

It was a really important time in my life, so if you go back to those records, I could tell you a song like ‘100,000 Years,’ ‘Black Diamond,’ ‘Got To Choose,’ ‘Hotter Than Hell,’ ‘Comin’ Home,’ ‘Rock Bottom,’ and one of my favorites, which is really obscure, I love the attitude and the way Paul sings it is ‘Anything For My Baby.’ ‘Goin’ Blind,’ ‘Parasite,’ ‘Watchin’ You,’ I think those songs are timeless.

Gene and Paul wrote them, and their influences back then were Zeppelin, and Humble Pie, stuff like that was just timeless, solid rock and roll stuff. Real catchy and great parts, great guitar solos. Ace did a great job back then, and it was solid.”

You can check out the song below.