Founding Kiss guitarist Ace Frehley posted a scathing Facebook message to Gene Simmons on Tuesday, alleging that Simmons’ statements about Frehley’s alcohol abuse over the years cost him millions and that Simmons had groped his wife. After the allegations, he included a threat: “Without a complete and heartfelt apology, an offer to give me my old job back and removing Tommy [Thayer, guitarist] from the throne I created, the shit will hit the fan and they’ll [sic] be no stopping it. It’s on!!!” He concluded the post with an image of him pointing at a camera emblazoned with the words, “The gloves are off!!”
The post is an apparent response to an interview Gene Simmons gave Guitar World, in which Simmons said he was not sure yet if he would invite Frehley and original drummer Peter Criss on the group’s upcoming End of the Road Tour. “Ace and Peter have gotten three chances,” Simmons said, according to Blabbermouth. “They were in and out of the band — fired — three times. For drugs, alcohol, bad behavior, being unprofessional … they weren’t carrying their load. … So the short answer to your question is we’d love to have Ace and Peter join us here and there. And if they don’t, it’s not going to be because of us. But they’re never going to be in Kiss again.”
Regarding his last statement, that they’d never be full members, Simmons added, “Three times is the charm; ‘I promise I’ll pull out’ doesn’t work. It’s the boy who cried wolf: ‘Oh, I’ve been straight for a million years.’ Terrific! Have a good life! … Would we welcome Ace or Peter to jump up onstage for a song or two? Of course. Could we depend on either Ace of Peter to do a full set night after night? Not on your fucking life.”
In his response, Frehley corrected Simmons by saying that he was never fired three times; he quit twice “because you and Paul were control freaks, untrustworthy and were too difficult to work with.” And he wrote that he is 12 years sober and that he’s hurt by Simmons’ remarks about his past demons.
The most damning turn, though, was when Frehley accused Simmons of sexual misconduct toward his wife. “The icing on the cake was when you groped my wife and propositioned her in Los Angeles at the Capitol Records building behind my back, when I was trying to help you out at one of your ‘Vault Experiences,’” he wrote, referring to Simmons’ high-priced box set, which included a visit to the purchaser’s house for the right price. “I only found out about [the proposition] several weeks later. She was planning on pursuing a suit against you, but I told her to call it off!!!”
Frehley claimed that he’d become the most successful solo artist to emerge from Kiss, and that he’d attempted to extend an olive branch to his former bandmates by asking them to guest on his solo records. He claimed he also had given each of them a Gibson Les Paul. But things are different now. “Today’s comments have made me realize you’re just an asshole and a sex addict who’s being sued by multiple women, and you’re just trying to sweep it all under the carpet!”
Regarding the lawsuits, Frehley may be referring to one filed by an anonymous on-air personality in California who claimed Simmons made “several aggressive, unwanted sexual advances” toward her in 2017; Simmons settled it out of court.
Simmons played bass and co-wrote the song “Without You I’m Nothing” on Frehley’s 2018 album Spaceman, and also co-wrote the LP’s “Your Wish Is My Command.” Paul Stanley, meanwhile, appeared on Frehley’s 2015 covers album, Origins, Vol. 1, singing a rendition of Free’s “Fire and Water.”
Kiss will kick off their End of the Road Tour – with longtime members Thayer and drummer Eric Singer in the lineup – with a gig in Vancouver on January 31st; they’ll return to North America for another leg of dates in the fall. Next month, the band will perform a special, invite-only show at Los Angeles’ Whisky a Go Go for Sirius XM; it will be broadcast on Howard Stern’s channel on February 15th at 9 p.m. ET.
Read Ace Frehley’s full response to Gene Simmons:
My Reaction to Gene’s Post Today
…Gene, your memory is really incorrect!…I was NEVER FIRED from KISS, I quit twice (not 3-times) of my own free will, because you and Paul are control freaks, untrustworthy and were too difficult to work with!
…Your slanderous remarks about my bad habits over the years has cost me millions of dollars and now that I’m over 12-years sober you’re still saying I can’t be trusted to play a whole nights show! Well that’s exactly what I’ve been doing for the last 12-years with different configurations of “The Ace Frehley Band” to you and Paul’s dismay!
…I’m also the most successful solo artist to come out of the original KISS lineup , and proud of it!…You and Paul have tried to derail my solo career multiple times over the years unsuccessfully.
…I’ve tried to be nice and friendly by inviting you and Paul to perform on my past albums for eOne Music, give each of you guys one of my prized Gibson Les Paul 59′ models, but today’s comments have made me realize you’re just an asshole and a sex addict who’s being sued by multiple Women, and you’re just trying to sweep it all under the carpet!
…The icing on the cake was when you groped my wife and propositioned her in Los Angeles at the Capitol Records building behind my back, when I was trying to help you out at one of your “Vault Experiences” which I only found out about several weeks later…she was planning on pursuing a suit against you, but I told her to call it off!!!
…Well now the gloves are off after your terrible comments today and I’m thinking that this really may be “The End Of The Road Tour” for you guys!!!
….Without a complete and heartfelt apology, an offer to give me my old job back, and removing Tommy from the Throne that I created… THE SHIT WILL HIT THE FAN AND THEY’LL BE NO STOPPING IT-IT’S ON!!!