KISS is preparing to play its last-ever show this Saturday, December 2, at Madison Square Garden in New York, but fans of the band who are hoping that the group’s original guitarist, Ace Frehley, might appear at the concert likely will be disappointed. Frehley was interviewed Monday on the Ozzy’s Boneyard SiriusXM radio channel, and was asked if there was any chance that he’d show up at the gig, to which he flatly answered, “No.”
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Frehley explained that months ago his ex-bandmates Paul Stanley and Gene Simmons said in the press that they had invited him and founding KISS drummer Peter Criss to play at the band’s final show, which he alleges wasn’t true.
“I never got a phone call. Peter never got a phone call,” Frehley maintained. “They just said that to sell tickets.”
The 72-year-old guitarist then brought up the negative comments Stanley made about Criss and him in an interview with Ultimate Classic Rock last month in which he reported that the two former band members wouldn’t be playing with KISS at the final show.
“[W]hen people asked him, ‘[Are] Peter and Ace gonna perform at the Garden?’ he said… we would mar the show if we got up and played,” Frehley noted. “Which is really insulting.”
Having said that, Frehley sent out a positive message to his former bandmates, while pointing out that he doesn’t take what Stanley comments to heart.
“I wish KISS … all the best on their final shows,” he said. “We say things sometimes in the heat of passion or sometimes our memory [fails us]. But I love those guys. We’re all getting old, our memory isn’t what it used to be, so I just let it roll off my back.”
Meanwhile, the main reason for Frehley’s interview with Ozzy’s Boneyard was that he’s just announced plans to release a new solo album titled 10,000 Volts, which is due out on February 23, 2024. Frehley co-wrote and co-produced the new record with Steve Brown, lead guitarist of the New Jersey glam-metal band Trixter.
“[I]t came out way better than I anticipated,” Frehley told Ozzy’s Boneyard. “I think it’s gonna go down in history as probably one of my best records to date.”
As for how he thinks his ex-bandmates will react to the album, Frehley said, “I know Gene’s gonna really like it and tell the press he does like it. I have no idea what Paul Stanley’s gonna say. He usually holds back on any deep praise for me, and he always has, because he’s jealous of me.”
Coinciding with the album announcement, Frehley has released 10,000 Volts’ title track as the lead single. You can check out a companion music video for the song at Frehley’s official YouTube channel. 10,000 Volts can be pre-ordered here.
Asked whether he has plans to tour behind the album, Frehley told Ozzy’s Boneyard, “Absolutely but nothing’s planned right now until after the holidays.” Frehley does currently have three confirmed solo shows, all set to take place in January 2024. Visit AceFrehley.com for more info.
(Featured Image by Hannah Foslien/Getty Images for The Children Matter)
