Ace designed the
KISS logo in 1973.
Ace was born
Paul Daniel Frehley on April 22, 1951 in Brooklyn, New York, USA.
Ace joined the
band after answering an ad in The Village Voice asking for a "lead guitarist
with flash and ability".
Ace recorded an
album for RCA Records with his band Millemo in 1971 that has never
been released.
Ace cites Jimi
Hendrix, Jeff Beck, Cream
and The Who as his biggest influences.
Ace's wife, Jeanette,
whom he married in May of 1976, co-wrote 'Speedin' Back To My Baby' with him.
Anton Fig and
Will Lee, later of the David Letterman show's CBS Orchestra, played drums
and bass on the album, respectively. Anton Fig would also work with Ace on
some future KISS albums as well as Frehley's
Comet a decade later.
"Snow Blind,"
"Ozone," and "Wiped-Out" were written about Ace's favorite
past times at this period in his life, drugs and booze. His dependancy on
these things almost killed him several times, including in a car accident
that he would write about on his very next solo album in 1987 ("Rock
Soldiers").
Eddie Kramer produced
Ace Frehley as Ace was pleased with Kramer's work on Alive!, Rock and Roll
Over, Love Gun, and Alive II. Kramer also produced KISS' original
demo tape that got them their record deal with Casablanca Records in 1973.
Ace Frehley's
solo album was recorded at his own new home studio, "The Mansion"
in Sharon, Connecticut, USA.
Ace's album reached
# 26 on Billboard's album charts-second in position only to Gene's. Eventually
Ace's solo disc became the best seller of the four.
"New York
Groove" is a cover of the 1975 U.K. hit by the group, Hello. This
was the only track to receive any airplay out of the four KISS solo albums.
Ace's solo album
helped him overcome his fear of singing hence his vocals became more evident
on the next 3 albums Kiss albums.
Ace's next solo
effort wouldn't come to light until 1987's Frehley's
Comet.
Ace continued to
play much of the material from this album when touring with Frehley's
Comet. Some of this live material showed up on the 'Live +1' EP and
the two compilations released after KISS' reunion.
