Losing a Childhood Hero is Never Easy:  Remembering Ace Frehley

I can’t believe I have to write this article. The guitarist from my favorite band of all time KISS, and who I even met in 2018, died on October 16. I read the news 23 minutes before I started writing this. I have nothing but grief. 

Paul Daniel Frehley, who was known as Ace Frehley and  co-founder of the band KISS, died on October 16, 2025. Frehley was known as the Spaceman with very recognizable silver eye makeup.  He will be remembered by many songs, including “New York Groove,” “Rock Soldiers,” and “Rip it Out.” Ace was a fan favorite throughout the years of the 70s and is one of mine as well. He was the most influential artist from that decade. He inspired generations of guitarists. 

I had the chance to meet him in 2018 at a KISS Expo in Parsippanny, New Jersey. Ace was known for his incredible riffs and KISS guitar solos he would do on stage and on their albums. His solo album released in 1978 was the biggest selling of the four solo albums. He was such a prolific guitarist with talent and a unique writing ability. I still can’t believe I have to write this article. It’s terribly sad.

Ace was not only just a big part of my childhood, but also my father’s. I discovered Ace on a KISS book my dad had called “Kiss and Sell” and was instantly interested in their makeup, especially Peter Criss, who is known as the Catman, with what I thought was “cute” makeup when I discovered it. Growing older, I really came to a liking of Ace and quickly became one of two of my favorite members including Catman. KISS is a part of my childhood and always will be. 

Some words from my dad on Ace: 

“KISS were living breathing superheroes. They could come to your town, you could maybe get their autograph, could go watch them perform and the music was the soundtrack to the performance. There’s nothing like that. And for a pre-adolescent kid, and for many pre-adolescent kids who loved superheroes, music, movie monsters, science fiction. KISS was all that encompassing. That’s powerful stuff.” 

This is a personal and very heartbreaking loss for me because as a kid KISS was and still is my favorite group. All my teachers knew me as the kid who liked KISS, no matter what grade it was. Ace just stood out for me. He had his flaws and expressed them. He was also very genuine. They all are really. I just really can’t express the importance Ace and KISS have in my life. He will be in my heart forever. I am still in denial about it no matter how long it’s been. I had another childhood hero die last year, Liam Payne from One Direction on the same day and it feels like pieces of my childhood and soul are sort of gone. I feel an emptiness. My dad feels that as well. I really loved Ace and always will. He will always be the Spaceman, and nothing will change that.