Ace Frehley Biography 

Paul Daniel Frehley (also known as Ace) is an American guitar player who is best known as one of the founding members of the rock group KISS. Following his departure from KISS, Frehley pursued a mildly successful solo career. 

Frehley was born on April 27, 1950 in the Bronx, New York ; the third and final child in the Frehley household. His entire family was musically inclined, so naturally Frehley began playing musical instruments at a young age. He was given his first electric guitar as a Christmas present in 1964 which he claims kept him out of the streets and away from drugs as a teenager. Instead, he was locked away practicing in his room and listening to early influences like Pete Townsend and Jeff Beck. 

In high school, Frehley began playing with a band known as Cathedral. When they began receiving some paying gigs Frehley decided to drop out of school to pursue his career in music. Thanks to his family members and girlfriend at the time, Frehley returned to school and received his diploma. Following high school he held a string of odd jobs including furniture deliverer, liquor store delivery boy, and mail carrier. 

While not working through his series of odd jobs, Frehley played in a variety of bands in the early 1970’s hoping to achieve success. In 1973, Frehley’s best friend, Bob McAdams, found an ad in the paper seeking a lead guitarist for an unnamed band. Bob and Ace went to the audition together with Ace playing for Paul Stanley, Gene Simmons, and Peter Criss.