| Hit Parader June 1987 Ace Frehley: Back on Track Former Kiss Guitarist Casts Aside Problems to Release Frehley's Comet Ace Frehley is rock and roll's mystery man. In the five years since the Space Ace departed from Kiss, the rumor mills have constantly spoken both of his recording plans and his personal problems. Yet despite the continued interest in his life, Frehley has remained strangely absent from the rock front lines. Finally, it seems that all the talk concerning Ace's musical aspirations has borne fruite -- a new album featuring some of his hottest guitar licks ever. No, the tracks may not possess the instant magic of his classic work with Kiss. But, as Ace is the first to admit, he still knows how to rock and roll with the best of `em."Playing guitar and making good music isn't something you forget overnight," he said with a characteristic cackle. "I just pick up the thing and start to play. Usually, what comes out is pretty interesting. I think I understand street-level rock and roll fairly well; that's what I played with Kiss and what I'm still playing today. It's been a long time since the last album for me, and having this one out feels great. The best part so far is that all the old Kiss fans seem to be out there supporting me. I'd like to take this opportunity to say thanks." Frehley's 1981 departure from Kiss remains one of the most traumatic musical moments fro that group's army of fans. To many, Ace's burning lead lines and charismatic stage presence represented the heart and soul of Kiss. But his often unpredictable on-and-off-stage-demeanor, and the fact that the rigors of the road has begun to take their toll on him, helped force the separation. While he once may have been bitten about his sudden fall from grace, the intervening years have softened Frehley's views of life with, and without, Kiss. "When I first left the band, I was in pretty bad shape physically," he admitted. "I guess I didn't really realize how bad off I was, so I was a little pissed off at what happened. It seemed that the fun had gone out of Kiss. Gene (Simmons) and Paul (Stanley) were going in one direction musically, and I guess I was going in the other. It all started to go down hill for me when Peter (Criss) left. We were very close, and once he left, the chemistry in the group changed." "Those guys are still like brothers to me," he added. "They always will be. When you realize what we went throguh and what we accomplished together, it's impossible to be bitter. It hurt me a little when they took the makeup off, because to me that was a big part of what Kiss was about. After that it wasn't the same. They became just another very good hard rock band -- and to me it was a little sad. I'll always wish them the best, though, and I hope they do the same for me." Judging by the results on Ace's new album, he isn't in need of any good wishes to insure his success. Backed by a top-notch band featuring the likes of Anton Fig (better known as the drummer for the David Letterman TV band), Frehley proves on tacks such as Rock Soldiers and Breakout that he hasn't lost the loose vocal style and unique guitar stylings that first made him a star over a decade ago. "I've been working on material for the last couple of years," Ace explained. "I have a studio in the basement of my home, and I seem to spend an awful lot of time down there. Gradually I got together a bunch of songs that I liked and, in fact, I did a couple of showcase gigs a few years ago. But the stuff I was doing then didn't get me the record deal I wanted, so I kept working. When I started coming up with this stuff, I knew I had something good." "It feels so great to be able to let people hear what I've been doing -- and it will be even more fun to go on tour and play for them. That'll be happening soon, I promise, and I can't wait to say hello to everyone." |