Ace Frehley, the original guitarist for the iconic rock band KISS, has died at the age of 74, his family said in a statement on 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.”
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. Known by fans as “Space Ace” or “Spaceman,” Frehley was with the band until 1982 before launching his own band Frehley’s Comet. He also had solo hits like “New York Groove” and “Rock Soldiers.”
Frehley rejoined KISS during their 1996 reunion tour and remained with the band until 2002.
The guitarist spent many of his later years living in San Diego, where he occasionally booked his solo band and once even put in an appearance at a memorial show at the Casbah for Steve Rodriguez, the bassist of the San Diego band The Dragons, sitting in onstage at one point.
In 2020, Frehley got in legal hot water when his ex-girlfriend applied for a restraining order, which was denied. Following the decision, Frehley told NBC 7 in an exclusive interview that he felt vindicated by the judge’s decision. The couple dated for 11 years and were living together in a Rancho Santa Fe mansion prior to the court appearance.
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 is the first founding member of KISS to pass away.
“We are devastated by the passing of Ace Frehley,” KISS band members Simmons and Stanley said in a joint statement. “He was an essential and irreplaceable rock soldier during some of the most formative foundational chapters of the band and its history. 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.”
Frehley and his bandmates were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2014.
The Associated Press contributed to this report