Ace Frehley, the original guitarist for the iconic rock band KISS, has died at the age of 74, his family said in a statement Thursday.
“We are completely devastated and heartbroken,” the statement read. “In his last moments, we were fortunate enough to have been able to surround him with loving, caring, peaceful words, thoughts, prayers and intentions as he left this earth.
“We cherish all of his finest memories, his laughter, and celebrate his strengths and kindness that he bestowed upon others. The magnitude of his passing is of epic proportions, and beyond comprehension. Reflecting on all of his incredible life achievements, Ace’s memory will continue to live on forever!”
A cause of death was not immediately revealed.
Frehley suffered a fall in the studio in September and was forced to cancel his performance in California.
“Ace had a minor fall in his studio, resulting in a trip to the hospital,” read a statement posted to his official Instagram account at the time. “He is fine, but against his wishes, his doctor insists that he refrain from travel at this time.”
A subsequent statement posted Oct. 6 said, “Due to some ongoing medical issues, Ace has made the difficult decision to cancel the remainder of his 2025 dates.”
KISS band members Simmons and Stanley said in a joint statement they were “devastated by Frehley’s passing.
“He was an essential and irreplaceable rock soldier during some of the most formative foundational chapters of the band and its history,” the statement read. “He is and will always be a part of Kiss’s legacy. Our thoughts are with Jeanette, Monique and all those who loved him, including our fans around the world.”
Simmons also posted on X, saying, “Our hearts are broken. Ace has passed on. No one can touch Ace’s legacy. I know he loved the fans. He told me many times. Sadder still, Ace didn’t live long enough to be honored at the Kennedy Ctr Honors event in Dec. Ace was the eternal rock soldier. Long may his legacy live on!
Our hearts are broken. Ace has passed on. No one can touch Ace’s legacy. I know he loved the fans. He told me many times. Sadder still, Ace didn’t live long enough to be honored at the Kennedy Ctr Honors event in Dec. Ace was the eternal rock soldier. Long may his legacy live on!
— Gene Simmons (@genesimmons) October 16, 2025
Frehley — born Paul Daniel Frehley in the Bronx, New York on April 27, 1951 — became one of the founding members of KISS in 1973 alongside Gene Simmons, Paul Stanley and Peter Criss.
KISS, whose hits include “Rock and Roll All Nite” and “Detroit Rock City,” was known for its intense stage shows, which included fireworks, smoke and eruptions of fake blood performed by band members in black-and-white painted faces, platform boots and black wigs.
Frehley, known by fans as “Space Ace” or “Spaceman,” was with KISS until 1982 before launching his own band Frehley’s Comet.
Frehley rejoined KISS during their 1996 reunion tour and remained with the band until 2002.
He also had solo hits during his career like “New York Groove” and “Rock Soldiers.” His solo album “10,000 Volts” released last year topped Billboard’s hard music and rock album charts.
Frehley and his KISS bandmates were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2014. The band was announced as nominees for Kennedy Center Honors by President Donald Trump in August.
The Associated Press contributed to this report