Paul Daniel “Ace” Frehley, founding guitarist for the American rock band KISS, has died aged 74, his family announced in a statement reported in US media.
Frehley died surrounded by family, who said they were “completely devastated and heartbroken”.
“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,” the statement said.
The guitarist was known for his “Spaceman” persona, from the days when KISS was founded with the original line-up of Paul Stanley on vocals and rhythm guitar, Gene Simmons on vocals and bass guitar, Frehley, on lead guitar and vocals and Peter Criss on drums and vocals.
They applied black and white face paint to create four enduring characters – Demon, Starchild, Spaceman and Catman.
“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!” the family said.
In a joint statement, Stanley and Simmons said, “We are devastated by the passing of Ace Frehley. 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.”
Rock star Alice Cooper also paid tribute to Frehley, calling him “one of the pioneers – one of the great guitar players out there”.
“I did more tours with him than anybody else, as far as opening for us, for quite a long time, so we became quite good friends.
“He always brought it every night. He did it every night. And it’s just hard to see somebody like that go. Ace was an ACE.”
Kiss first formed in 1973. The band produced hits such as Rock and Roll All Nite and God of Thunder.
Known for wearing big wigs, black leather, glitter, platform shoes – and making a lot of noise – the band had sold 100 million records by 2024. Frehley often played a guitar that emitted smoke.
In 1983, they appeared without face paint for the first time and enjoyed something of a resurgence. This was known as their “unmasking”.
They later re-masked in the late 1990s.
In 1982, Frehley quit the group, which continued with different musicians. He returned for the band’s 1996 reunion tour and stayed on until 2002. The original members were inducted into the Rock n Roll Hall of Fame in 2014.
Frehley was born in the Bronx, New York, and was given his first guitar as a Christmas present when he was 13. He later left high school to pursue music.
“I’m a high school drop out but here I am a millionaire and I never even took a guitar lesson in my life,” he told Metal Express radio in 2020.
In 2024, the band sold its back catalogue of songs to a Swedish music investor for a figure thought to be upwards of $300m (£237m).
Stockholm-based Pophouse Entertainment also bought the group’s brand, likeness and intellectual property.
The sale marked the band’s retirement from live performances, but Frehley continued to perform, releasing eight solo albums.
In September this year he announced that he would have to cancel his performance at the Antelope Valley Fair in Lancaster, California after falling in his studio and being taken to hospital.
“He is fine, but against his wishes, his doctor insists that he refrain from travel at this time,” representatives said in a statement at the time.
He later cancelled the remainder of his tour dates due to “ongoing medical issues”.
The BBC has reached out to the band’s representatives.
Frehley is survived by his wife Jeanette and his daughter, Monique.
