Ace Frehly RIP

[JMacBass65]

Unlike many bands I have been exposed to over the years, I outgrew Kiss rather quickly. That said, they very much changed the trajectory of my life when two friends showed up at my door when I was 12, with Kiss Alive (and Aerosmith Rocks). RIP you effin legend!!

 

[rtslinger]

I just have no words

 

[KevInDaBassment]

Very sad to hear, not an immense KISS fan, but I've definitely put some wear on my LP's of Love Gun and Destroyer. Great guitarist and seemed like a true rock star...a fitting attribute for the Spaceman himself. RIP Ace

 

[Low Down Brown]

I've listened to KISS since my first moments on this earth. My older brother was a guitarist and KISS fanatic, so I was literally and figuratively rocking the cradle. So sad to see so many legends leaving for the beyond. Rock on, Ace.

 

[rtslinger]

From the article I read he fell and hit his head then never recovered.
Just like Rob Grill and Bob Saget.

Trunk said he was ok after the first fall, but he fell a second time and did not survive after the 2nd one he had been on life support and they decide to pull the plug. Sad Kiss fan from the first time I heard their first album when it came out. Deep grooves in that album, learning those songs listening over and over again.

 

[WI Short Scaler]

I've been a KISS fan since Christmas '78 when a very wonderful, now passed too, aunt gave me the Double Platinum LP as a gift. If you're familiar with the cover art there were no band pictures on it. It became a great story in our family that my aunt started me on the KISS train but she was horrified by what they looked like when she did actually see them.

In all the years since then I saw them 26 times live, collected a fair amount of merch, met some great people and have a lot of fun memories. My musical tasted expanded over the years as most of ours do. But KISS was always on my playlist. Ace's playing had a great swagger and feel that made the original KISS sound, and he influenced a lot of kids to pick up the guitar.



RIP Ace, thanks for the music.

 

[covermego]

Just so sad. RIP, good sir.
In 1974, I was living in Mountain Home, ID when I happened to tune into "The Mike Douglas Show". There, on the little black and white screen, in all their freakish glory, was this new band called "KISS". My friend and I Watched them perform "Firehouse", as Gene wagged that lizard tongue all over the place. We were mesmerized, but also slightly appalled! Every now and then, my friend and I would say "KISS---tongues wagging---FIYAAAA-HOUSE!!!--- more tongue wagging....... " and we'd laugh our patooties off. Kinda thought they'd come and go, given the weirdness of it all. Man, was I ever wrong........

 

[Clark W]

I'd heard Bob Babbit did some of the bass on Destroyer.

I wouldn't be surprised. We're talking about information that is over 45 yrs old, I was lucky to find as much of it as I did.

 

[lokerola]

RIP good sir, and thanks for all the ripping tunes.

 

[Pirate Captain]

I'd heard Bob Babbit did some of the bass on Destroyer.

unlikely...if that were true I can't imagine James Campion not putting it in his book

 

[Pacman]

unlikely...if that were true I can't imagine James Campion not putting it in his book

Well, Jimmy Haslip played on a Kiss record. With Gene in the room.

Not sure if that's in the book...

 

[2saddleslab]

Kiss came along a bit late for me and could never get past the costume & makeup schtick. Nothing about the band ever appealed to me.

Having said that, you can't deny the super loyal fan base, shear longevity [even with the stereotypical band drama], and marketing powerhouse that is Kiss.

RIP, AF.

 

[sleddogn]

in a world where everything seems less fun than of times past, they were fun live, very fun. The parking lot beforehand was people watching at it's best. I'm all for more fun it life, why not?

 

[FilterFunk]

Was never a fan of the band, but RIP to him. Mitch McConnell also apparently fell down again today. It’s on camera, and apparently he gets wheeled around in a wheelchair on the down low. Didn’t hear that until today. Yes, falls and seniors are bad news. Many a broken hip from a fall is the beginning of the end.

Absolutely, had a family friend die after falling off a short 2 step foldable step stool changing a lightbulb in his foyer. Healthy guy, but hit his head on the tile.

I'm 63 and in pretty good shape, but I go up and down stairs with the greatest of care. I'm careful doing anything that might cause a fall.

I was never into KISS, but I always admired the fact that they put in the work to give their fans what they wanted. RIP, Ace.

 

[Pirate Captain]

Well, Jimmy Haslip played on a Kiss record. With Gene in the room.

Not sure if that's in the book...

oh yeah...A LOT of people played on the records after Destroyer (heck, Peter Criss isn't even ON Unmasked, Ace is only on the cover of Creatures, and Gene was pretty checked out for most of the 80s)...I'm only talking about Destroyer...and James Campion's book on it (Shout it Out Loud) is EXHAUSTIVELY thorough, and I'm pretty sure if I saw Babbitt's name mentioned, I would have remembered it. Ezrin did, however, push Gene to punch way above his weight class especially on Detroit Rock City

 

[Fender_Bender]

I'm 63 and in pretty good shape, but I go up and down stairs with the greatest of care. I'm careful doing anything that might cause a fall.

I was never into KISS, but I always admired the fact that they put in the work to give their fans what they wanted. RIP, Ace.

I’m 60 and my balance is nothing like it was, so I always hold onto hand rails going down stairs now. Sometimes I’ll go down backwards while hanging onto the railing if it feels like a wacky or steep set of steps.
I fell down the last flight of stairs into my basement about 5 years ago and I reached for the railing and my entire arm went between the railing and the wall. It hurt like hell with stinging jolts of electricity down my arm and I was getting a little panicky when I couldn’t pull my arm out. I eventually did, because I had no choice, but my arm was screwed up for quite a while. Even had a nasty friction burn on the arm from the railing.

 

[ThudThudThud]

A friend of mine (very well respected musician with many A-list bands) reported Ace's death on his Facebook way before any news emerged. He quickly deleted his post, and later the news came out. I was almost thinking I'd imagined it until the real news broke.

 

[ThudThudThud]

I’m 60 and my balance is nothing like it was, so I always hold onto hand rails going down stairs now. Sometimes I’ll go down backwards while hanging onto the railing if it feels like a wacky or steep set of steps.
I fell down the last flight of stairs into my basement about 5 years ago and I reached for the railing and my entire arm went between the railing and the wall. It hurt like hell with stinging jolts of electricity down my arm and I was getting a little panicky when I couldn’t pull my arm out. I eventually did, because I had no choice, but my arm was screwed up for quite a while. Even had a nasty friction burn on the arm from the railing.

I'm 60 next weekend. I'm a tall lad, and not as fit as I once was. I'm scared to death of falling. Especially since I have polished concrete floors at home.
No stairs - my knee couldn't take it!