ACE FREHLEY - "It's Really Disheartening For People To Continue To Call Me A Loser Just Because I Made Some Mistakes In The Past"
September 27, 2014, 10 years ago
Original KISS guitarist Ace Frehley is featured in a new interview for the October issue of Metropolis Nights magazine. An excerpt from the interview with celebrity journalist Chaunce Hayden is available below:
Frehley: "Many of my critics now look foolish. That includes Paul (Stanley) and Gene (Simmons) and whoever else is on the bandwagon. They like to call me a drunk and a drug addict and everything else under the sun. The fact is I'm now enjoying eight years of sobriety as of yesterday. I continue to follow that road and put one foot in front of the other. One day at a time I get through it. It's really disheartening for people to continue to badger me and call me a loser just because I made some mistakes in the past. We should put that to bed. That's ancient history at this juncture. My body of work has stood the test of time and I know what I'm capable of doing. One thing Paul and Gene can never say about me is that in concert I always came through and delivered."
Frehley recently announced the first leg of US tour dates in continued support of his new album, Space Invader. Dates include:
November
14 - Sugar Loaf, NY - Sugar Loaf PAC
15 - Greensburg, PA - Palace Theatre
17 - Durham, NC - Carolina Theatre
18 - Annapolis, MD - Ram's Head
20 - Huntington, NY - Paramount
21 - Uncasville, CT - Wolf Den
22 - Atlantic City, NJ - Music Box @ Borgata
24 - New York, NY - BB King's
25 - New York, NY - BB King's
26 - Glenside, PA - Keswick Theatre
Frehley recently announced his touring lineup for the first leg of tour dates, his first US shows in four years.
Frehley comments: "I can't wait to hit the road again with this new lineup. I'll be performing Ace classics as well as songs off my new CD Space Invader for the enjoyment of the fans. Let There Be Rock!"
The 2014 Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame inductee has tapped none other than Richie Scarlet, who rode shotgun performing rhythm guitar and vocal duties on Ace’s Trouble Walking platter in 1989, and will do so again on stage. Ritchie toured with Ace in 1984 and 1985 and periodically from 1989 through 1995 and was also known for touring with Sebastian Bach.
On bass and vocals Chris Wyse from Queens, NY will man the post. Previously recording with Ozzy Osbourne and playing on Mick Jagger's 2001 solo album, Chris is well known as the bass player from The Cult since 2006. Chris can also be heard on Frehley's new release, Space Invader, on select tracks. He also covers bass duties in his current band, Owl.
Finally, Scot Coogan will be behind the drum kit for Frehley's upcoming tour. An Ace Frehley touring band veteran in his own right, Scott was also a member of Nikki Sixx’s Brides Of Destruction recording and touring band in 2004 and Lita Ford’s touring drummer in 2012.
Ace is confirmed to appear at this year’s Chiller Theatre toy, model and film expo at the Sheraton Parsippany in Parsippany, NJ, which runs from October 24th - 26th. Other appearances include Lita Ford, Lizzy Borden, academy award winner Tatum O'Neal and many many more. Go to this location for a full list of guests scheduled to appear.
In other news, a double gatefold 180 gram LP version of Space Invader will be released on October 28th. The LP purchase includes a free MP3 version of the album and can be pre-ordered here.
Ace made history with Space Invader, which debuted at #9 on the Top 200 Chart in its first week of release. The LP scored the highest charting position of any KISS solo album ever, and marks Frehley's first return to the Top 10 since KISS's 1998 Pyscho Circus reunion album. Internationally, Space Invader has debuted #1 on the Independent Chart and #16 on the Top 200 Chart in Canada, Top 40 in Switzerland and Sweden, and hit a historic benchmark for the first time ever as a solo artist in Germany.
Frehley stopped by The Tonight Show prior to his album release to sit in with legendary house band The Roots to perform his classic hit "New York Groove." Watch below:
