Ace Frehley, original KISS lead guitarist, dead at 74

Frehley, a member of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame with his former bandmates, died peacefully surrounded by family in Morristown following a recent fall, according to his agent.

Ace Frehley, the original lead guitarist and founding member of the glam rock band KISS who captivated audiences with his elaborate makeup and smoke-filled guitar, died Thursday. He was 74.

Frehley died peacefully surrounded by family in Morristown following a recent fall, according to his agent.

Family members said in a statement that they are “completely devastated and heartbroken” but will cherish his laughter and celebrate the kindness he bestowed upon others.

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.

KISS’ original lineup included Frehley, singer-guitarist Paul Stanley, tongue-wagging bassist Gene Simmons and drummer Peter Criss. Frehley’s is the first death among the four founding members.

Band members took on the personas of comic book-style characters — Frehley was known as “Space Ace” and “The Spaceman.” The New York-born entertainer and Rock & Roll Hall of Famer often experimented with pyrotechnics, making his guitars glow, emit smoke and shoot rockets from the headstock.

“We are devastated by the passing of Ace Frehley,” 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.”

Born Paul Daniel Frehley, he grew up in a musical family and began playing guitar at age 13. Before joining Kiss, he played in local bands around New York City and was a roadie for Jimi Hendrix at age 18.