Ace Frehley, celebrated musician and founding guitarist of the iconic rock band KISS, passed away on Thursday at the age of 74 in Morristown, New Jersey. Reports indicate that the artist suffered a severe brain bleed following a fall in his home studio several weeks prior. He was hospitalized and placed on life support before his family made the decision to withdraw life-sustaining measures.
In an interview with The Aquarian conducted in March 2025, Frehley reflected on his career, personal resilience, and optimism regarding his future. He remarked on the longevity within his family, noting, “Luckily, I have good genes. My dad lived to be 96 and my mom lived to be 86, but her older sister lived to be 99. I mean, we have longevity in the family on both sides.” Frehley also mentioned that a psychic had recently predicted he would “live to be a hundred,” a statement that has since drawn public attention following his passing.
During the same interview, the musician expressed gratitude for his recovery from a serious arm injury sustained in a fall approximately two and a half years earlier. “It’s been a struggle because I landed on my right arm, and that’s the arm that I strum with when I play guitar,” he said. “So it feels great to get up onstage because I wasn’t sure if it was ever going to get back to the way it used to be.”
Frehley, born Paul Frehley in 1951, co-founded KISS in 1973 alongside Gene Simmons, Paul Stanley, and Peter Criss. The group became internationally renowned for its theatrical stage performances, elaborate costumes, and distinctive character personas — Simmons as “The Demon,” Stanley as “The Starchild,” Frehley as “The Spaceman,” and Criss as “The Catman.” Their visual and musical innovation helped define a generation of rock performance art and earned KISS a place in the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in 2014.
After departing the band in 1982, Frehley formed Frehley’s Comet, releasing multiple albums and continuing to tour as a solo artist. Throughout his career, he remained an influential figure in the rock genre, widely respected for his technical skill, creativity, and contributions to the evolution of modern guitar music.
In his final interview, Frehley reflected on his enduring impact, stating, “I think it’s going to live on for hundreds of years. I do what I do very well, and I have the respect of my peers.”
Funeral arrangements and official family statements have not yet been publicly released.#newsafro_
