Ace Frehley: the lightning-fingered lead guitarist who helped launch KISS into the stratosphere as the Spaceman. With his shining silver makeup, smoking guitar and otherworldly chops, there was something positively “alien” about Space Ace. He was a force of nature whose image and talent defined not only the legacy of KISS, but the ethos of stadium rock ’n’ roll.
It’s an ethos he was born to embody. Sitting down with Guitar Center in 2014, he mused, “I remember maybe a half-dozen times playing in a huge arena, it would almost feel like lightning. It just feels like electricity’s going through my body. It’s a fantastic feeling—especially when I’m doing my guitar solo, alone on stage in front of an audience, and my guitar’s smokin’. I just kind of go away—I leave my body for a minute. It’s a great feeling. There’s nothing like it in the world.”
Pictured: Ace Frehley's Handprints on Guitar Center Hollywood's Rockwalk
Frehley performed on every KISS album from 1974–1981 and penned iconic tracks, including “Cold Gin” and “Shock Me.” The latter showcases both his sharp riff sense and interstellar soloing ability, rife with melodic brilliance from his signature big bends and ultrawide vibrato. In 1978, he embarked on a prolific solo career, releasing a total of eight albums under his own name—most recently, 2024’s 10,000 Volts—as well as two additional projects using the moniker Frehley’s Comet. In 1998, he also reunited with his KISS bandmates for the group’s Psycho Circus chapter.
Ace Frehley’s electrifying skills and larger-than-life stage presence have been massively influential on generations of young guitarists. Dimebag Darrell, Slash, John 5, Jerry Cantrell and Mike McCready are among the countless stars who’ve expressed admiration for Frehley’s contributions to the world of hard rock guitar.
Pictured: Ace Frehley Speaking at Dimebag Darrell's RockWalk Induction (Credit: Robert Knight)
On July 25, 1995, Ace Frehley was inducted to Guitar Center’s Rockwalk, where he joined the immortal ranks of music’s greatest legends. It wouldn’t be his only time spent at the Rockwalk: In 2007, he spoke at Dimebag Darrell’s induction ceremony, honoring the late Pantera shredder. Thank you, Ace, for the decades of guitar heroism and endless inspiration.