Slash paid tribute to Ace Frehley, the legendary KISS guitarist, who passed away in October at the age of 74. The Guns N’ Roses guitarist called Frehley one of the last great rock guitar icons from the 1970s.
“I couldn’t stand KISS when I was a kid,” Slash admitted. “The theatrics just didn’t work for me. I didn’t buy into it.” However, their friendship blossomed in the early 2000s after Slash left Guns N’ Roses. They recorded music together and shared the stage at various shows.
“As I grew older, I started to appreciate KISS’s music and Ace’s talent,” Slash said. “When I finally met him and played with him, we became friends. I’ve recorded with him a couple of times and performed on stage with him. He’s the real deal, one of the great rock guitar heroes from the ’70s. It’s sad that he’s gone. I’m still trying to process it.”
Guns N’ Roses emerged from the Los Angeles underground scene in the mid-1980s, while KISS had already changed their image and lineup. The two bands almost crossed paths when Guns N’ Roses was set to open for Frehley’s Comet, but those shows never happened.
Paul Stanley once mentioned in his autobiography that he discovered Slash through his mother, who made clothes for David Bowie. KISS even considered the young guitarist when Frehley left, but his age held him back.
After leaving KISS, Frehley continued to record and tour, bridging different eras of rock music. Many guitarists, including Tom Morello, Mike McCready, and John 5, praised Frehley’s influence on their playing after his passing.
