Rock legend Ace Frehley has been sidelined after a fall in his studio led to a precautionary trip to hospital, forcing him to cancel his scheduled performance at the Antelope Valley Fair in Lancaster, California.
His team issued a statement to fans confirming the situation, “Ace had a minor fall in his studio, resulting in a trip to the hospital. He is fine, but against his wishes, his doctor insists that he refrain from travel at this time. As a result, he is forced to cancel his performance at the Antelope Valley Fair in Lancaster, California on Friday, September 26th. Please go to the fair to support his friends in Quiet Riot and Vixen, and Ace looks forward to continuing on his tour and finishing work on his next album, Origins Vol. 4.”
The next date on Frehley’s tour calendar is 10 October in Decatur, Illinois. No further cancellations have been announced, but the guitarist’s ability to resume touring depends on medical advice.
Paul Daniel “Ace” Frehley, born in 1951, first exploded into the public eye in 1973 as the original lead guitarist for KISS. Adopting the “Spaceman” persona, he helped define the band’s arena-filling sound with his flashy solos and sci-fi theatrics.
Among his standout contributions to KISS are “Shock Me” (the first KISS song he sang lead on, inspired by an on-stage electrocution), “Rocket Ride”, and enduring fan favourites like “Cold Gin”. His distinct, effects-driven style became a cornerstone of the band’s identity.
While still a member of KISS, Frehley released his self-titled solo debut in 1978. It produced the surprise smash “New York Groove,” which climbed charts worldwide and outshone the solo projects of his bandmates. The album went platinum, proving Frehley had star power in his own right.
After leaving KISS in 1982, Frehley launched Frehley’s Comet, a project that delivered melodic hard-rock staples like “Rock Soldiers” and “Into the Night.” The group’s 1987 self-titled debut led into further releases before morphing back into Frehley’s solo output with Trouble Walkin’ (1989). That record featured guest turns from former KISS drummer Peter Criss and members of Skid Row.
The 1996 KISS reunion brought Frehley back into the fold for a lucrative tour and new material, though by 2002 he had once again departed. His return to solo work yielded albums such as Anomaly (2009) and Space Invader (2014). The latter peaked at No. 9 on the US Billboard 200 – the highest chart position ever for a KISS-member solo album.
Frehley has since kept a steady output of solo work, most recently releasing 10,000 Volts in 2024, underscoring his continued relevance in the rock scene.
For now, Frehley’s immediate concern is recovery. While fans in California will miss out on his Lancaster performance, the Spaceman’s rock soldiers will be hoping his return in October goes ahead as planned.
Noise11 wishes Ace a speedy recovery.
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