Ace Frehley, a former KISS guitarist who has been sober since 2006, talked about his choice to ultimately give up alcohol almost 20 years ago in a recent interview with Dave Cohen on “Guitar Tales”. He started drinking when he was thirteen years old, and he had struggled with addiction since the 1970s until he was convinced to quit after speaking with his daughter.
Ace stated, “I can go out and people can have one or two cocktails,” according to BLABBERMOUTH.NET’s transcription. “I’m no longer bothered by it. It would have upset me during my first or second year sober, but these days I don’t really feel cravings.
“After 17 years of staring at myself in the mirror, seeing pictures of myself from 20 years ago when I was swollen from drinking also gives me the fortitude and willpower to avoid all that crap. I pay attention to my sponsor. I attend meetings. If something is upsetting me, I will share it in a meeting and then move on. You don’t need to take a medicine or drink to get rid of that resentment; you just let it roll off your back and it disappears.
Frehley claims that his drinking issue was first exacerbated by his occasionally tense relationship with fellow KISS co-founders Paul Stanley and Gene Simmons.
“I had really big resentments against Paul and Gene when I quit the band the first time and even the second time,” he said. “They used to claim that I was fired, which is utter nonsense. On both occasions, I departed on my own initiative, and they would continue to spread the utterly false rumor that I was dismissed.
“There was always a jealousy there,” Frehley explained when asked why he believes Stanley and Simmons were always so ready to minimize his contributions to the band. ‘New York Groove’ from my solo album being the most successful of the four. I used to attract the most attractive women. However, I refrained from pursuing movie stars because doing so would just make everything more complicated.
It’s twice as complicated because you’re a celebrity and there’s another celebrity there. Therefore, I fail to see why Gene went out with Diana Ross and Cher. If you want to go do anything, it just got more difficult. Gene, however, doesn’t go out. He’s essentially in the hotel, then. He also told me that he dislikes taking holidays. It’s been more than 15 years since he last took a vacation. However, each person is unique.
Paul and Gene “dragged my reputation through the mud on several occasions,” Ace continued. “Even recently,” he remarked. When tickets for [KISS’s farewell gig at] Madison Square Garden [in New York City] went on sale more than a year ago, they announced to everyone that I, Bruce Kulick, Peter [Criss], and everyone else who had ever been a part of KISS were invited. I was one of the original members.
“And they were telling the fans that we were going to Madison Square Garden, and then Paul went on ‘Howard Stern [Show]’ and said, ‘Well, if Peter and I got up on stage, you might as well call the band PISS,’ which really annoyed me.”
Frehley told SiriusXM’s “Trunk Nation With Eddie Trunk” five years ago about the phone conversation that ultimately caused him to give up alcohol: “My daughter Monique called me; at the time, she was residing in Florida. Many alcoholics tell of their “lightbulb moment”… I got a call from Monique saying, “Dad, I heard you been drinking again.” I respond, “Yeah, but you know, I haven’t done anything else wrong.” I have not yet consumed any Coca-Cola or taken any medicines. “Dad, it’s time to stop,” she says.
“You should call your sponsor and ask them to take you to a meeting tonight,” she says. I looked terrible when I looked in the mirror. ‘All right, honey, I’ll call Jimmy,’ I simply told her. Immediately following dinner, he arrived to pick me up and escorted me to my first meeting. He acts as my earthly guardian angel. Many of them are floating about me. Someone has to be assisting me after ten auto accidents.”
Ace paraphrased an Abraham Lincoln quotation when host Eddie Trunk mentioned that some people still believed he was “loaded,” adding, “If you want to find the bad in people, and look for the bad in people, you surely will.” He went on: “There are always those who want to see the best in someone and those who want to see someone fail. I constantly make an effort to see the positive aspects of individuals. Instead of being half empty, the glass is half full.
“Every time I perform a concert I usually have meet-and-greets after the show,” he stated. “At least one individual approaches me and says, ‘I’ve been sober for two years,’ ‘I’ve been sober for five years,’,” Because I’m a powerful role model, I’m assisting others in leading longer and more productive lives. “Go figure.”