It could be argued that Ace Frehley was the most influential guitarist of the ’70s. When Kiss hit its commercial peak, there was no rock band more entrenched in the minds of America’s youth. Frehley teamed up with Paul Stanley, Gene Simmons and Peter Criss to form Kiss in New York City in 1973; they donned outrageous makeup and costumes and assumed comic-book hero personas. Though Criss wore the feline face paint, it’s Frehley who seems to have had nine lives. After leaving Kiss in 1982, Frehley embarked on a solo career, releasing three albums and compiling a laundry list of troubles that included drug and alcohol addiction, bankruptcy and high-speed car chases with the police. The now sober Frehley is set to release Anomaly, his first solo album in two decades. Read our Q&A with him.
Ace Frehley: At one time, the Rolling Stones were the essence of what a real rock ‘n’ roll band should be: swagger, great licks, controversy and confidence. Keith Richards was a big influence on me, and on the 1979 Kiss album Dynasty, I paid respect to Keith and Mick by covering their song “2000 Man.” It became a signature song for me, and some fans to this day think it was a song I wrote! When I see those guys still touring and going strong, it inspires me to get it together and tour. The Stones still got a few years on me!! Video after the jump.
