Ace Frehley Preps First Solo Album in Five Years
Former Kiss guitarist Ace Frehley will get back in the groove on his first solo album in half a decade this summer. Space Invader, due out June 24th, will feature “at least” nine new songs, according to a statement, and a cover of the Steve Miller Band’s “The Joker.” It’s the first release under a record deal with eOne Music.
Read Rolling Stone’s Cover Story: Kiss Forever – 40 Years of Feuds and Fury
“I’m really excited about this record, because everybody that’s heard the tracks just says they think some of the tracks are even better than [Frehley’s 2009 LP] Anomaly, and even showing another side of me,” Frehley told Rolling Stone in an interview for the magazine’s current cover story. “There’s two songs I’m going to re-track, but I’m doing mostly overdubs,” he said at the time of the interview. “Most of the hard work is over.”
Frehley said that the album would feature collaborations with his girlfriend Rachael Gordon and told Rolling Stone that an album of covers and remakes would follow Space Invader. “That one will be a real treat for the fans, too,” Frehley said. “[I want to] get some celebrity guests to play on it, some of the covers and stuff, get Slash, Mike McCready, my buddy from Pearl Jam. You know. The list is endless.” Then, with a laugh, he added, “I might even get Gene [Simmons] to play bass on a track.”
Next month, Frehley will be inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, along with the other original members of Kiss. Due to contention between Frehley, original drummer Peter Criss and founders Gene Simmons and Paul Stanley, the quartet will not play together.
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Frehley will also be making an appearance at the Revolver Golden Gods Awards next month as a co-presenter of the Dimebag Darrell Best Guitarist Award, named after the late guitarist from Pantera. “It’s exciting to finally be part of the Golden Gods Awards and an honor to be part of any Dimebag memorial award,” Frehley said in a statement. “He was a friend, and I know everyone misses him, as do I.”