KISS rockers Gene Simmons and Paul Stanley are paying tribute to their former bandmate Ace Frehley after the guitarist died<\/a> Thursday at the age of 74.<\/p>\n After Frehley died following a recent fall at home, the musician\u2019s fellow KISS founders<\/a> released a joint statement praising him as an \u201cessential and irreplaceable rock soldier.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cI am devastated by the passing of Ace Frehley,\u201d Simmons and Stanley wrote in their joint statement<\/a>. \u201cHe was an essential and irreplaceable rock soldier during some of the most formative foundational chapters of the band and its history.\u201d<\/p>\n They continued, \u201cHe is and will always be a part of KISS\u2019s legacy. My thoughts are with Jeanette, Monique and all those who loved him, including our fans around the world.\u201d<\/p>\n Frehley co-founded the \u201cRock and Roll All Nite\u201d band alongside Simmons, Stanley and Peter Criss back in 1973. The guitarist would go on to play on KISS\u2019 first nine albums before leaving the band in 1982. Almost two decades later, Frehley reunited with the band for their album Psycho Circus, <\/em>but he made his exit once again four years later, in 2002. In 2014, KISS was inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame, and in 2018, Frehley played with the group<\/a> on the KISS Kruise.<\/p>\n During the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame induction, Simmons praised Frehley\u2019s \u201ciconic guitar playing,\u201d saying that it had \u201cbeen imitated, but never duplicated, by generations of guitar players around the world.\u201d<\/p>\n Thursday, Frehley\u2019s family announced that he had died in New Jersey while surrounded by family. \u201cWe are completely devastated and heartbroken,\u201d they said in a statement. \u201cIn his last moments, we were fortunate enough to have been able to surround him with loving, caring, peaceful words, thoughts, prayers and intentions as he left this earth.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cWe cherish all of his finest memories, his laughter, and celebrate his strengths and kindness that he bestowed upon others,\u201d the family continued. \u201cThe magnitude of his passing is of epic proportions, and beyond comprehension. Reflecting on all of his incredible life achievements, Ace\u2019s memory will continue to live on forever!\u201d<\/p>\n<\/div>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/popculture.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/5\/2025\/10\/kiss-in-concert.jpg?w=1024\")