Original KISS singer and lead guitarist Ace Frehley has died at age 74 after suffering a recent fall that reportedly led to a brain bleed.
The Bronx native had been hospitalized and placed on life support, though his family made the difficult decision to turn off his ventilator on Thursday, according to TMZ.
Frehley died in Morristown, N.J. surrounded by loved ones, according to his agent. His “completely devastated and heartbroken” family said in a statement that they’ll remember his laughter and kindness.
Late last month, a spokesperson for Frehley told fans on social media that he suffered a “minor fall” that would cause him to miss an upcoming performance, but indicated the rocker was on the mend. The remainder of his appearances for 2025 were canceled in the following days amid “ongoing medical issues.”
Frehley founded KISS with rhythm guitarist Paul Stanley, bass player Gene Simmons and drummer Peter Criss in New York City in 1973. The glam rock band quickly became known for their elaborate makeup, live pyrotechnics and comic book-style characters. Frehley sported silver stars around his eyes and was known as “Space Ace” and “Spaceman.”
As a singer and songwriter, he was responsible for KISS hits including 1974’s “Cold Gin” and 1978’s “Shock Me.”
Amid substance abuse issues and creative differences, Frehley left the group in 1982 and later embarked on a solo career. He became known for his covers of songs like “Into the Night” and “New York Groove.”
Frehley reunited with his KISS bandmates in 1996, sticking around for another six years. In 2014, he and the rest of the group were inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame. In August of this year, President Trump announced KISS as one of the latest Kennedy Center Honorees, the ceremony for which is set for December.
Frehley’s death is the first among the four founding members of the rock band.
“We are devastated by the passing of Ace Frehley,” Simmons and Stanley said in a joint statement. “He was an essential and irreplaceable rock soldier during some of the most formative foundational chapters of the band and its history. He is and will always be a part of KISS’s legacy.”
Criss also mourned his former bandmate, whom he said he was with at the time of his death.
“As a founding member of the rock group KISS and in Ace’s solo career, Ace influenced and touch the hearts of millions of people,” Criss wrote his website. “His legacy will live on in the music industry and in the hearts of the KISS Army.”
Frehley is survived by his wife Jeanette and daughter Monique.
With News Wire Services
Originally Published: October 16, 2025 at 5:53 PM EDT
