Ace Frehley calls Gene Simmons "an asshole and a sex addict," is still down to rejoin KISS
Ace Frehley played with KISS for the first time in 17 years this past fall, joining Gene Simmons and Paul Stanley for four songs on last year’s KISS Kruise. That doesn’t mean, however, that Frehley will join the band on its upcoming End Of The Road Tour. Neither he nor original drummer Peter Criss were invited on the trek, which, while not a huge surprise considering the band’s decades worth of mutual disdain, must still sting in light of it (allegedly) being KISS’ “final tour ever.” Fold in some new, dismissive comments from Simmons and, well, Ace isn’t having it.
In a recent interview with Guitar World (via Blabbermouth), Simmons decried Frehley and Criss for not “carrying their load,” definitively stating that “they’re never going to be in KISS again.” He did, however, invite them to join the band onstage “here and there.”
Ace and Peter have gotten three chances. 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.
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 or Peter to do a full set night after night? Not on your fucking life.
Harsh.
Well, it didn’t take long for Frehley to offer his own retort. In an open letter posted to his Facebook page, Frehley disputes Simmons’ version of events and accuses Simmons and Stanley of attempting to “derail my solo career multiple times over the years unsuccessfully.” He also calls Simmons “an asshole and a sex addict” before bringing up the fact that Simmons is being sued for sexual battery by an employee at one of his restaurants. Frehley also accuses Simmons of groping his wife, adding that the only reason she didn’t sue him is because Frehley asked her not to.
That said, Frehley would, um, still like to be in the band? Apparently? He writes, “Without a complete and heartfelt apology, an offer to give me my old job back, and removing Tommy [Thayer] from the Throne that I created… THE SHIT WILL HIT THE FAN AND THEY’LL BE NO STOPPING IT-IT’S ON!!!”
Something tells us that probably won’t be happening.