Ace Frehley, co-founder and lead guitarist in Kiss, died October 16. He was 74 and suffered a mind bleed after taking a fall at his dwelling studio.

Born Paul Daniel Frehley on April 27, 1951, he was the youngest of three kids to oldsters who performed piano and inspired the youngsters to additionally play devices. He acquired an electrical guitar as a Christmas current in 1964. Self-taught, his childhood have been spent listening to Jimi Hendrix, Albert Lee, Buddy Man, Jeff Beck, B.B. King, Led Zeppelin, the Rolling Stones, and The Who.

Frehley spent the early ’70s in native bands earlier than a buddy noticed an advert for a lead guitarist in The Village Voice, which in late 1972 led to auditioning for the opposite three members of what would change into Kiss. A devotee of the Les Paul, his enjoying on the group’s albums by way of the ’70s has had a profound affect on each era of rock guitarists since.

Frehley’s most-recent interview with VG appeared within the April ’24 challenge, discussing his newest solo album, 10,000 Volts. A full memorial will seem within the January ’26 challenge. – Ward Meeker

This text initially appeared in VG’s December 2025 challenge. All copyrights are by the creator and Classic Guitar journal. Unauthorized replication or use is strictly prohibited.