Ace Frehley health struggles explored as KISS co-founder cancels tour over medical issues

Co-founder and lead guitarist of the iconic rock band KISS, Ace Frehley, is now forced to cancel all his upcoming tours and performances due to a fall in the studio that left him hospitalized. Space Ace, or The Spaceman as he's fondly known by his fans, took to Instagram to share the news:

Due to some ongoing medical issues, Ace has made the difficult decision to cancel the remainder of his 2025 dates.

The Spaceman was on tour promoting his solo album 10,000 Volts, his first after 2018's Spaceman, and had several shows lined up in October and November.

The news comes on the heels of the rocker 'pausing' his tour midway to assess his injury, which occurred on September 26. His camp shared the following update at the time,

Ace's Fall from Grace

Ace Frehley has been no stranger to sobriety issues. The guitarist has openly admitted to his struggles with alcohol and has confessed to putting his former colleagues "through hell". In his appearance on the Juliet: Unfiltered podcast, Frehley disclosed (sic):

I think Paul and Gene, when I left the group the last time and I was strung out on drugs and alcohol, they probably thought I was just going to fade away and maybe OD or disappear. But what happened was I got sober, and I came back stronger and bigger than ever.

Space Ace even had no qualms in accepting that his issues 'contributed' to the 'toxicity' within the band (sic),

I put those guys through hell – if I do say so myself – but, I mean, I get it. I mean, today I have no tolerance for being around drunk people. But it took a while for me to understand.

After he departed the band he co-founded with Gene Simmons, Paul Stanley, and Peter Criss, Ace Frehley went on to form his own ensemble called Frehley's Comet before eventually moving on to his solo career. The Spaceman rejoined KISS in 1996 and remained with the band for the next six years.

No Stranger to Falling Down

Ace Frehley was no stranger to tripping on stage - deliberate or otherwise. The strummer's high-heeled boots were often a reason for his falls onstage, but bandmates Paul Stanley and Gene Simmons would usually 'play over him' to make it look like a planned act.

In an interview with MusicRadar earlier this year, Ace Frehley was quoted as saying,

I used to fall a lot in those boots. If nobody realized I’d fallen, I play on my knees and get back up. It was just part of the show!

However, only after he began doing the act deliberately did it begin affecting him physically. Continued from his MusicRadar interview,

Trending

I would drop to my knees, and the weight of the Les Paul really killed them. During the Reunion Tour, I ended up chipping a bone in my knee, and the doctor said, ‘Listen, you gotta stop doing that, or you'll end up in a wheelchair.’

It is unclear at the moment as to the timeline of his recovery.

×

Was this article helpful?

Thank You for feedback