Ace Frehley, the founding guitarist of Kiss known for his “Spaceman” persona and electrifying stage presence, died Thursday, October 16, 2025, at a hospital in Morristown, New Jersey. He was 74 years old.
Frehley’s family confirmed his death in a statement, expressing their profound grief while celebrating his legacy.
His death came weeks after a fall in his recording studio that resulted in serious injuries. According to TMZ, which cited anonymous sources, Frehley had suffered a brain bleed from the fall and had been on life support for some time. An Instagram post from Frehley’s account on September 26 initially described the incident as a minor fall requiring hospitalization, with doctors advising him against travel despite his wishes to continue performing.
The guitarist was forced to cancel upcoming concert dates, and on October 6, his team announced the cancellation of all remaining 2025 tour dates due to ongoing medical issues. The statement posted to his official Instagram account indicated Frehley had made the difficult decision to step back from performing entirely.
Born Paul Daniel Frehley in New York City in 1951, Frehley co-founded Kiss in 1973 alongside singer Gene Simmons, guitarist Paul Stanley, and drummer Peter Criss. The band revolutionized rock music with their theatrical performances featuring elaborate face paint, pyrotechnics, and distinct character personas. Frehley adopted the Spaceman character, later known as Space Ace, and became known for his smoking Les Paul guitar and rocket-shooting headstock.
Despite never taking a formal guitar lesson, Frehley became one of rock’s most influential guitarists. In a 2009 interview, he described himself as an anomaly and an unschooled musician who couldn’t read music but achieved worldwide fame nonetheless. His guitar work helped define arena rock, with his solos and riffs inspiring countless musicians to pick up the instrument.
Frehley played on Kiss’ first nine albums before leaving the band in 1982, struggling with the group’s increasingly commercial direction and his own substance abuse issues. He later reflected that remaining with the band might have led him to contemplate suicide, noting he walked away from a $15 million contract at the time.
When Kiss released simultaneous solo albums in 1978, Frehley’s sold the most copies, driven by his cover of “New York Groove,” which peaked at number 13 on the Billboard Hot 100 and became his signature song. Following his departure from Kiss, he formed Frehley’s Comet in 1984, which released two studio albums before he returned to solo work under his own name.
Frehley rejoined Kiss for their highly successful 1996 reunion tour and stayed with the band until 2002. However, he did not participate in their final farewell tour in 2022 and 2023. The original Kiss lineup was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2014.
Simmons and Stanley released a joint statement expressing their devastation at Frehley’s passing. They described him as an essential and irreplaceable rock soldier during the band’s most formative chapters, emphasizing that he would always be part of Kiss’ legacy. Their thoughts extended to Frehley’s wife Jeanette, daughter Monique, and fans worldwide.
Drummer Peter Criss wrote on social media that he was shocked by the news, noting Frehley’s influence on millions of people throughout his career with Kiss and as a solo artist. Criss requested privacy for Frehley’s family during their time of grief.
Paul Stanley shared a personal memory on social media, recalling hearing deep and fiery guitar playing from the hotel room next door in 1974 at the Hyatt on Sunset Boulevard in Los Angeles, wishing that the guitarist was in the band before realizing it was Frehley.
Pearl Jam guitarist Mike McCready paid tribute, explaining how learning about Frehley through a friend’s Kiss lunchbox in 1977 changed his life at age 11. McCready described studying Frehley’s solos endlessly over the years and considering him both a hero and friend. He noted that playing with Frehley at Madison Square Garden was a dream come true and that he would not have picked up a guitar without Kiss’ influence.
Rage Against the Machine’s Tom Morello described Frehley as his first guitar hero, praising the legendary Space Ace for inspiring generations with his timeless riffs and solos, billowing smoke from his Les Paul, and unforgettable stage presence. Poison frontman Bret Michaels thanked Frehley for years of great music and his lead guitar work on “Nothing But A Good Time.”
The Kennedy Center, which had planned to honor Kiss at its December honors event, released a statement expressing sadness at Frehley’s passing, noting he would not live to attend the ceremony. Rush also paid tribute on social media, recalling time spent with Frehley in 1974 when they opened for Kiss, describing him as an undeniable character and authentic rock star.
Frehley is survived by his wife Jeanette and daughter Monique. His family emphasized that the magnitude of his passing was of epic proportions and beyond comprehension, while expressing confidence that his memory would live on forever through his incredible life achievements.
