For many stars, Ace Frehley was truly out of this world.
Music superstars and other celebrities are paying tribute to the rock musician, best known for his role as the original lead guitarist in the glam rock band KISS. Frehley, aka “The Spaceman,” died on Oct. 16 at age 74 after a recent fall at his home.
In a statement shared with USA TODAY, Paul Stanley and Gene Simmons remembered their former bandmate as a “rock soldier.”
“We are devastated by the passing of Ace Frehley. He was an essential and irreplaceable rock soldier during some of the most formative foundational chapters of the band and its history,” the duo said. “He is and will always be a part of KISS’s legacy.
“Our thoughts are with Jeanette, Monique and all those who loved him, including our fans around the world.”
Here’s what other stars are saying about Frehley and his indelible musical legacy.
Bret Michaels thanks Ace Frehley for ‘the years of great music’
Soon after news of Frehley’s death became public, fellow rocker Bret Michaels took to social media to pay tribute to his friend.
“Ace, my brother, I surely cannot thank you enough for the years of great music, the many festivals we’ve done together and your lead guitar on Nothing But A Good Time,” Michaels captioned a photo of the two of them.
“All my love and respect, from my family and myself – may you rest in peace!!!”
Pearl Jam’s Mike McCready calls Ace Frehley ‘a hero of mine’
Pearl Jam guitarist Mike McCready shared a photo of himself with Frehley and Eddie Vedder, as well as a touching message for a friend he considered “a hero of mine,” in a post that was also shared on the band’s social media accounts.
“I heard about Ace Frehley‘s passing from Rick Friel who I played with in a band called Shadow. Rick was also the first guy on the bus in 1977 with a KISS lunchbox to tell me about Ace…just changed my life,” McCready wrote. “I got a guitar in 1978 to join Rick‘s band Warrior which turned into Shadow. We covered ‘C’mon and Love Me.'”
“All my friends have spent untold hours talking about KISS and buying KISS stuff. Ace was a hero of mine and also I would consider a friend. I studied his solos endlessly over the years,” he continued. “Just listen to ‘Alive’, I used his solo from ‘She’ as a template. Ace jammed on ‘Black Diamond’ with Pearl Jam at Madison Square Garden…a dream come true for me.”
McCready concluded the tribute by writing, “I would not have picked up a guitar without Ace and KISS’s influence. RIP it out Ace, you changed my life. Thank you.”
Kennedy Center, Rock & Roll Hall of Fame honor ‘one of the most recognizable and influential guitarists’
The Kennedy Center paid homage to Frehley, who was slated to be recognized alongside Stanley, Simmons and Peter Criss at the 48th Kennedy Center Honors later this year.
“We send our deepest condolences to his friends, his family, and millions of fans worldwide,” the Washington, D.C.-based cultural center wrote in a social media post. “We will be paying tribute to this ‘rock soldier,’ his work, and his legacy at our ceremony in December.”
Meanwhile, the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame shared an in memoriam that included a clip of Frehley’s speech at the 2014 induction ceremony.
The caption read, in part: “A crucial part of a band that inspired a generation of hard rockers to pick up instruments, “Space Ace” will be remembered as one of the most recognizable and influential guitarists of all time.”
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