ACE FREHLEY
Ace Frehley (born Paul Daniel Frehley; April 27, 1951) is an American musician, singer and songwriter best known as the former lead guitarist and founding member of the rock band Kiss. He invented the persona of the “Spaceman” or “Space Ace” and played with the group from its inception in 1973 until his departure in 1982. After leaving Kiss, Frehley embarked on a solo career, which was put on hold when he rejoined Kiss in 1996 for a highly successful reunion tour. His second tenure with Kiss lasted until 2002, when he left at the conclusion of what was originally purported to be the band’s Farewell Tour. His most recent solo album, Origins, Vol. 1, was released on April 15, 2016. Guitar World magazine ranked him as the 14th Greatest Metal Guitarist of All Time. (More from Wikipedia)
In 1982, the Plasmatics toured as the opening act for KISS; at the conclusion of the tour, the band’s relationship with Capitol Records was frayed to the breaking point, so KISS frontman Gene Simmons approached Wendy O. Williams and Rod Swenson about recording their next album without the Plasmatics name. The result was released as a solo album by Wendy O. Williams called W.O.W. (1984) – with the album’s name taken from Williams’ initials – though the band’s website says that W.O.W. is still regarded as a Plasmatics album. Three members of KISS played on the album, Ace Frehley, Paul Stanley and Gene Simmons, with the latter credited as Reginald Van Helsing; Simmons also produced the album.
(December 2013)
