History of Ace Frehley in Timeline

Ace Frehley is an American musician, best known as the original lead guitarist and a founding member of the rock band Kiss. He created the "Spaceman" persona and performed with Kiss from 1973 to 1982. After departing Kiss, Frehley formed Frehley's Comet and later pursued a solo career. He rejoined Kiss for a reunion tour in 1996, marking a significant moment in the band's history.

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Full Timeline Career & Achievements

1980: Departure of Peter Criss from Kiss

In 1980, Peter Criss departed from Kiss. This departure marked the last time that the original four members of Kiss performed together live, until Ace Frehley rejoined in 1996.

1989: Release of Trouble Walkin'

In 1989, Ace Frehley released the album Trouble Walkin'.

1996: Rejoined Kiss for Reunion Tour

In 1996, Ace Frehley rejoined Kiss for a successful reunion tour, marking the first time the original four members performed live together since Peter Criss' departure in 1980.

1996: Departure of Bruce Kulick from Kiss

In 1996, Bruce Kulick departed from Kiss. 2018 was Kulick's first time performing with the band live since his departure.

1996: Frehley Discusses His Unorthodox Guitar Playing

In a 1996 interview with Guitar World, Ace Frehley discussed his unorthodox guitar playing style, noting he had never taken a guitar lesson and sometimes fretted chords with his thumb on the neck.

2001: Departure from Kiss after "Farewell Tour"

After completing the "Farewell Tour" with Kiss in late 2001, Ace Frehley left the band and resumed his solo career.

2002: Final Performance with Kiss

After the end of the 2002 Winter Olympics, Ace Frehley performed one last time with Kiss.

2002: Last performance with Kiss before reunion

In 2002, Ace Frehley had last performed with Kiss for the closing ceremonies of the 2002 Winter Olympics before his October 2018 reunion with Kiss on the Kiss Kruise.

May 25, 2006: Performance at VH1 Rock Honors

On May 25, 2006, Ace Frehley performed Kiss' "God of Thunder" with Rob Zombie, Slash, Gilby Clarke, Scott Ian, and Tommy Lee at the VH1 Rock Honors in Las Vegas, Nevada, United States.

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2009: Release of Anomaly

In 2009, Ace Frehley released the album Anomaly.

2009: Frehley's Self-Description as an "Anomaly"

In a 2009 interview with Rock N Roll Experience Magazine, Ace Frehley described himself as an "anomaly," emphasizing his status as an unschooled musician who became one of the most famous guitar players.

November 1, 2011: Release of No Regrets – A Rock 'N' Roll Memoir

On November 1, 2011, Ace Frehley released his autobiography, No Regrets – A Rock 'N' Roll Memoir, co-authored by Joe Layden and John Ostrosky.

No Regrets: A Rock 'n' Roll Memoir

Check it on Amazon

October 2018: Reunion Performance on Kiss Kruise

In October 2018, Ace Frehley and Bruce Kulick reunited with Kiss on the Kiss Kruise, performing "2,000 Man", "New York Groove", "Nothin' to Lose", and "Rock and Roll All Nite".

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January 31, 2019: Start of Kiss' Final Tour

On January 31, 2019, Kiss' final tour began in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada, without Ace Frehley's participation.

December 15, 2020: Announcement of Kiss Biopic

On December 15, 2020, it was announced that a Kiss biopic was in development, aiming for release around the band's final concert.

June 11, 2021: Premiere of Biography: Kisstory at Tribeca Film Festival

On June 11, 2021, Biography: Kisstory, a two-part documentary on Kiss, premiered at the Tribeca Film Festival, followed by an exclusive live performance.

May 2022: Frehley and Criss Perform at Creatures Fest

In May 2022, Ace Frehley and Peter Criss performed at the "Creatures Fest" fan convention in Nashville, Tennessee. Bruce Kulick and Vinnie Vincent also participated in the event.

June 2022: Simmons' and Stanley's Failed attempt to invite Frehley to make guest appearances with Kiss

In June 2022, Gene Simmons and Paul Stanley reportedly met with Ace Frehley to try to convince him to make guest appearances with the band during their final tour. Frehley declined due to disagreements regarding his makeup and Tommy Thayer's encore performances.

June 2022: Simmons Claims Frehley and Criss Refused to Participate in Documentary

In June 2022, Gene Simmons claimed that Ace Frehley and Peter Criss declined to participate in the Biography: Kisstory documentary because they wanted complete control over the edit, which was not possible.

June 2022: Simmons Discusses Frehley and Criss' Health

In June 2022, Gene Simmons discussed Ace Frehley and Peter Criss' health, stating they were not in shape to participate in the documentary. He also mentioned their performance at the "Creatures Fest" convention in May 2022.

2024: Release of 10,000 Volts

In 2024, Ace Frehley released 10,000 Volts, which debuted at No. 72 on the Billboard 200 with first week sales of 13,000 units and topped both the Billboard Hard Music and Rock Album Charts.

2024: Planned Release of Kiss Biopic

In 2024, the Kiss biopic titled Shout it Out Loud is expected to be released on Netflix. The film focuses on the band's formative years, made in cooperation with Gene Simmons and Paul Stanley.

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