hard rockkissace frehley
22:03 Saturday, 30 March 2024
The Metal Voice recently spoke to former KISS guitarist and solo artist Ace Frehley about his new album 10,000 Volts. Here are few excerpts from the chat which can be viewed below:
When asked if his new solo album after being released and the feedback he got did it embarrass Gene Simmon and Paul Stanley?
"I think I did (laughs). Honestly I didn't try to make a great record just to show them up. It was ironic that the album got finished mixed and mastered around the time they were retiring. Which I don't believe is going to happen. I'm sure they're going to reform in one way or another or with different people. I think Gene (Simmons) already put together a band and has some shows happening in South America. But be that as it may you know I wish them all the very best and any of their new Endeavors because we're all Brothers in rock and roll and you know we created something really special. And believe it or not even though we argue and disagree you know we're still all friends."
When asked about touring with Rush when they opened up for KISS in the 70’s:
"I would say more times than not every night while we were on the road, me and Peter and those three (Alex Lifeson, Geddy Lee and Neil Peart) guys would end up hanging out and doing stupid stuff. Alex used to put a bag over his head (with) a joint. Peter would get up and do his routine sometimes. I'd do some kind of silly routine. In those days when I was drinking I could rattle off 50 or 75 jokes nonstop one right after the other for some reason I can't remember them anymore. At one point in my life I wanted to be a standup comedian but it never panned out because I never had the time to do it."
When asked if he regretted quitting in the Creatures Of The Night era:
"I had already committed to leaving the group and I started looking for band members and stuff and jamming with other people. It was just too late I had already made the decision because you know I could never trust those guys. I don't know what hair brain scheme they come up with. I mean if I was still in the band I would have never agreed to do these avatars. Something maybe kids would enjoy but I don't think a long time kiss fan is going to enjoy that stuff. I wish them well like I said good luck but you know in my humble opinion I don't think it's going to be a successful endeavor."
Does Ace believe in aliens?
"Yeah. I've seen UFOs multiple times. They've already done polls and more than 50% of the population believes in aliens so I don't think it would be that big a shock. You know that whole thing about well if an alien ship landed somewhere and aliens walked out everyone you know would throw off the idea of religion. I don't buy that. You know God could have created aliens as well and on a different planet and they ended up making it here. It could have been the other way around. I mean for us to believe in a universe this size with billions maybe trillions of planets we're the only one that has life on it that's pretty ridiculous."
KISS’ Alive! album being touched up in the studio:
"A lot of it was touched up, 50% of it. At least 50% was re-sung and replayed. I mean and I remember (producer) Eddie Kramer had loops of tape going around microphone stands, going back into these two inch tape machines and each one had three faders and they were dedicated to crowd response. One was really crazy (crowd response) one was midway and one was more subtle. I mean if you listen closer to the album you can hear that it's faked. I didn't fake my live guitar solo that was real. I mean sometimes you sing off key a little in those days, we didn't have auto tune. So if Paul, Gene, Peter or myself sang something a little off, we'd re-sing it in the studio. We just wanted to put out the best product possible. Today in the studio that stuff like that is done without even a thought. So many groups today that are performing live and have backing tracks, not just Kiss, plenty of other groups and I don't want to name them because I know them and they're friends of mine. I rather not spill the beans I don't want to disappoint the fans but yeah I I there's a lot I know because I know everybody and I know engineers and guys who do sound for these bands and they tell me the real deal. It used to be like a big a big crime to do that I mean you remember when Milli Vanilli got like booed because they will found out they were lip synching. Things change over the years you know now it's accept it. I don't believe in having backup tracks because I'm too spontaneous."
Watch:
