Ace Frehley Says Kiss Fell Apart ‘After Becoming Rich’

Ace Frehley, the original guitarist for Kiss, believes that the band’s skyrocketing success ultimately led to its fragmentation.

Frehley was a formative member of the iconic rock band from 1973 to 1982, a period that saw Kiss rise to global fame and release many of their most commercially successful albums. However, his exit in 1982 stemmed from mounting tensions within the group, fueled by both creative disagreements and personality conflicts.

During a recent appearance on the Guitar Tales podcast, Frehley reminisced about his history with the band.

“We created something that will endure way after we’re all dead and buried,” Frehley reflected. “I try to let the negative stuff go and focus on the positive memories. We had a lot of fun. We used to really be very closely knit. And we’d have weekly band meetings and get the stuff off our chest that was bothering us.”

However, according to Frehley, dynamics shifted dramatically once the band achieved significant financial success.

“Once we became rich, we all became millionaires, everybody started going their own way,” he admitted. “Everybody had their own limo. Everybody had their own bodyguard. So, you know, nothing can last forever.”

Reflecting further on the band’s early days, Frehley recalled a time when the members had to juggle multiple jobs to make ends meet.

“Paul [Stanley] worked in a sandwich shop. I delivered liquor. I was a postman for six months. We did all sorts of jobs before we started making the big bucks,” Frehley noted. “In the early days, me and Gene [Simmons] used to room together in a Holiday Inn. And then after ‘Alive’ hit we each had our own suites. That’s when the band started, you know, everybody was going in their own direction. And it was kind of the beginning of the end.”

Frehley did eventually return to the band for a second stint from 1996 to 2002. Despite ongoing fan speculation that he might make a guest appearance, the guitarist did not participate in any of Kiss’ concerts during their 2023 farewell tour.