Q&A with Ex-KISS Rocker FrehleyBy DARRYL STERDAN - Sun Media
Space Ace is in a good place these days.
KISS' high-flying former lead guitarist Ace Frehley is about to celebrate two milestones on Sept. 15 -- the release of Anomaly, his first CD in two decades; and the third anniversary of his hard-won sobriety.
"It's a real special day for me," admits the notorious 58-year-old guitar hero, whose last album was 1989's fittingly titled Trouble Walkin'.
"They both mean a lot to me -- the first album in 20 years, and three years free from alcohol and drugs. Those are two great accomplishments for me. And the fact they're happening on the same day makes it all the more special.
"But it wasn't something that we planned; it just turned out that way by accident.
"At the final marketing meeting, when we were deciding on a release date, they said, 'How about the 15th?' and I just said to myself, 'Man, how ironic.' "
Well, it may not be ironic. But it is an interesting coincidence -- as is the fact that Frehley's ex-partners in crime Paul Stanley and Gene Simmons also have a new KISS album titled Sonic Boom coming out this fall. And the fact that both CDs are self-produced guitar-rockers that aim to reconnect with the spirit and energy of the '70s and '80s.
Just before heading out to meet an engineer about his newest smoking guitar, a mellow and thoughtful Frehley took time to chat about his new album, his old bandmates and life with both feet back on planet Earth.
Congrats on being sober. Over the years, you must have had a million close calls and wakeup calls and interventions and ultimatums. What was different this time that it finally stuck?
It's been a struggle my whole life. I don't like to preach to people or tell them 'Don't drink,' because I don't think there's anything wrong with alcohol. I just got to the point where I was allergic to it. It made me crazy and made my life unmanageable. For me, it just didn't work anymore.
What impact has sobriety had on your music?
Years ago, I always thought that I needed something extra to be more creative or to perform onstage. And that's really just your brain telling you something that isn't so. I actually do everything better now; I perform better, I play better, I write better songs. I'm more focused. This is the first album I've ever produced on my own. And achieving everything I've achieved in the last three years gives me the strength to stay on the right path and move forward.
Were you nervous at first to be touring and recording sober?
Of course. I was very nervous last year when I went on tour. But I got through it, and now it's not scary at all.
Let's talk about Anomaly. Are all the songs new or have you had some sitting around for years?
The oldest song on the record is a song called Sister. I wrote that in the early '90s. But the majority of them were written from 2004 on. And I think the last one I wrote was A Little Below the Angels. It's autobiographical.
A lot of the lyrics on this one seem confessional. Were those hard to write?
Not at all. One thing I learned in sobriety was that you're only as sick as your secrets. And when you get something out in the open, it's a very freeing, elating experience. Once you admit you've got a problem and do something about it, it's kind of like it's behind you. So I don't have a problem writing about my sobriety. It's actually therapy for me (laughs).
Musically, the album has a very old-school feel. Was that something that you were consciously chasing, or is that just the way everything comes out with you?
That was by design. Getting ready for this record, I read a lot of what the fans said. Invariably, most people still cite my first solo album when I was a member of KISS as their favourite Ace record. So I wanted to try to recapture some of the flavour on that record.
Have you heard the new KISS album?
I've only heard one song. I think it was Modern Day Delilah. It's a good song. But I remember reading that Paul and Gene were saying this new album would kind of capture the feeling of the '70s. I didn't get that. To me it sounded more like they picked up where they left off with Crazy Nights and stuff like that in the '80s. But Paul's a great songwriter, and Tommy's a great guitarist.
Do you ever get used to seeing Tommy Thayer onstage wearing your old outfit and makeup and basically impersonating you?
Well, I don't ever go there. I've never seen them in concert with Tommy. When it first happened, in a way I was relieved that somebody was taking over my part who I at least knew and liked. But by the same token, it was a little bittersweet. And then I started reading comments that the fans are writing, and it seems a lot of fans are really upset about it. And that upsets me because I want the fans to be happy. A lot of them think Paul and Gene should have got new makeup for Tommy instead of having him wear mine. It's not my decision to make, but I think maybe it wasn't the best decision.
You're turning 60 in a couple of years. How's your health after all the abuse over the decades?
I'm healthier than I've been in a long while. I just had a complete checkup and knock on wood, everything seems to be OK. I'm really lucky; I have a lot of friends my age or even younger who abused their bodies over the years and got hepatitis and permanent damage. But my doctor told me my liver's intact -- I don't know about my brain (laughs).
It's just amazing you're alive at all, isn't it?
Yeah, it pretty much is a miracle. There were plenty of times I didn't think I was gonna make it. And not only because of overdoses. I've been in crazy car crashes and compromising positions; I've been in jail and had guns put to my head. It's been a crazy road. But it makes right now, this time, for me, much sweeter -- because I've seen both sides of the tracks.
