Ace Frehley's heartbreaking admission on longevity months before death
KISS guitarist Ace Frehley said in a interview before his death at the age of 74 that a psychic had predicted he would live a long life just like his parents as he had 'good genes'
Ace Frehley made a heartbreaking admission about his longevity just months before his death.
The guitarist, who was one of the founding members of glam rock band KISS, passed away aged 74 in Morristown, New Jersey, on Thursday following a recent fall. His family said they were "completely devastated and heartbroken" but vowed to cherish the memories they have of him.
Since this death, an interview in which the guitarist said he would consider joining KISS for a final tour resurfaced. In another interview from 2014, he also spoke about the challenges musicians suffering from depression, alcoholism and drug addiction due to high-pressure situations.
In March this year, the rock star was interviewed by The Aquarian and revealed he thought he would live a long life before he had "good genes," just like his parents. "Luckily, I have good genes," he told the publication. "My dad lived to be 96 and my mom lived to be 86, but her older sister lived to be 99.
"I mean, we have longevity in the family on both sides. I just spoke to a psychic. She goes, 'Ace, you’re going to live to be a hundred.' So I said, 'No problem.'" Ace sadly passed away this week, surrounded by his family.
Born Paul Daniel Frehley, he grew up in a musical family and began playing guitar at age 13. Before joining KISS, he played in local bands around New York City and was a roadie for Jimi Hendrix at age 18.
KISS was especially popular in the mid-1970s, selling tens of millions of albums and licensing its iconic look to become a marketing marvel. Beth was its biggest commercial hit in the US, peaking at No. 7 on the Billboard Top 100 in 1976.
The band, whose hits included Rock and Roll All Nite and I Was Made for Lovin' You, was known for its theatrical stage shows, with fire and fake blood spewing from the mouths of band members dressed in body armor, platform boots, wigs and signature black-and-white face paint.
Its original lineup included Ace, singer-guitarist Paul Stanley, tongue-wagging bassist Gene Simmons and drummer Peter Criss. Ace's is the first death among the four founding members.
Band members took on the personas of comic book-style characters - Ace was known as Space Ace and The Spaceman. The New York-born entertainer and Rock & Roll Hall of Famer often experimented with pyrotechnics, making his guitars glow, emit smoke and shoot rockets from the headstock.
"We are devastated by the passing of Ace Frehley," Gene and Paul 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."
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