In a new interview with Greg Prato for VintageRock.com, original KISS guitarist Ace Frehley discusses his new solo album, Spaceman, and more. Read a couple of excerpts from the chat below:

Q: Do you own your make-up design and license it to the band for Tommy Thayer to use, or does KISS own it?

A: "My attorney told me that I licensed it to them. That’s all I can say. They may deny it, but he told me, 'You didn’t sell it to them.' But what are the ins and outs of the licensing deal, I’m not 100% sure of. I think I licensed it to them for perpetuity...does that mean forever, or something? There are all these legal terms that I’m not always so familiar with, or understand the complete meaning. But I definitely didn’t sell it to them. Peter sold his make-up to Paul and Gene, but I didn’t."

Q: Is it possible that if you are asked to participate in KISS’ End of the Road tour, that it could conflict with a solo tour?

A: "Getting involved with KISS on the road would take precedence over what I’m doing with my band. But the only way I would seriously consider it is if I took back my make-up and costume and my character - which I designed. Tommy Thayer is not a bad guitar player, but he basically just mimics everything I wrote, and tries to imitate my persona. He’s been doing it for 15 years. But the reality is I’m the original guy. And nobody can really copy the way I play guitar."

Read the full interview at VintageRock.com.

The promoters of both the New Jersey and Indianapolis KISS Expos have combined forces to bring you the NJ KISS Expo 2018, taking place December 7th - 9th at the Hilton Parsippany in Parsippany, NJ.

After the incredible success of the recent three-day Indianapolis KISS Expo Event, this expanded formula is now being moved to New Jersey. Three days means three times the amount of guests, dealers, parties and fans. Included will be a spectacular KISS Christmas party with Ace Frehley and friends that you will not want to miss. Organizers are still putting the event together, but rest assured, there are some major surprises to come.

For the first time ever, Ace Frehley will perform his classic KISS solo album at the KISS Christmas party at the NJ KISS Expo 2018. In between, Ace will tell stories about each song - the meaning and creation of each piece. An unbelievable event you do not want to miss.

Further details at njkissexpo.com.

Spaceman, Frehley’s eighth solo LP, features nine new original tracks, plus a cover of Eddie Money’s “I Wanna Go Back,” a ripping power pop makeover of the original.

In addition to Ace's distinctive guitar sound on each track, Ace played bass on all of the songs on Spaceman except for two.  The listener might recognize the mighty dinosaur growl of a bass tone belonging to Gene Simmons on the album opener, “Without You I’m Nothing,” which Gene also co-wrote,  and "Your Wish Is My Command." Both songs were recorded at Frehley’s home studio in Rancho Santa Fe, California.

Ace’s reconnection with Simmons and fellow KISS vocalist-guitarist Paul Stanley (who joined Ace on a cover of Free’s “Fire and Water” for 2016’s covers LP Origins, Vol. 1) might be chalked up to the fact that Frehley has been sober for more than a decade (he celebrates 12 years of sobriety in September). Ace’s clean living no doubt has a lot to do with his productive streak, which began with the release of his top 20 Anomaly album in 2009.

Spaceman (a title suggested by Simmons, himself) serves as the first collection of all new Frehley-penned material since 2014’s Space Invader, which debuted at #9 on the Top 200 Chart. The LP scored the highest charting position of any former or current KISS band member ever and marked Frehley's first return to the Top 10 since KISS's 1998 Psycho Circus reunion album.

Widely known as the original “Space Ace" and founding guitarist for 16 cumulative years (over 2 tenures) of the multi-platinum selling rock band KISS, Frehley is demonstrably the most popular original member. In addition to having the best-selling solo album career (vintage or current) among the original foursome, Frehley’s self-titled Ace Frehley, released in 1978, went on to sell over one million copies, producing the only Top 40 single, “New York Groove”, from any of the legendary KISS solo albums (peaking at #13).

Tracklisting:

"Without You I'm Nothing"
"Rockin' With The Boys"
"Your Wish Is My Command"
"Bronx Boy"
"Pursuit Of Rock And Roll"
"I Wanna Go Back"
"Mission To Mars"
"Off My Back"
"Quantum Flux"

"Rockin' With The Boys" video:

"Bronx Boy":