(UPDATE: Monday, November 10):\u00a0<\/strong>Ace Frehley\u2019s cause of death was revealed on Monday, November 10, less than one month after he died on October 16. He died from \u201cblunt trauma to the head due to a fall,\u201d according to TMZ<\/a>.<\/p>\n (ORIGINAL STORY):\u00a0<\/strong>Ace Frehley<\/a>, the iconic founding lead guitarist of the legendary rock band Kiss, has died at age 74 on Thursday, October 16, 2025. Best known for his melodic yet explosive guitar solos, Frehley fell critically ill and was on life support following a brain bleed sustained after a fall in his studio several weeks before his passing.<\/p>\n His family confirmed the news in a statement. \u201cWe are completely devastated and heartbroken. In 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. We cherish all of his finest memories, his laughter, and celebrate his strengths and kindness that he bestowed upon others. The 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 Known for his onstage persona as \u201cThe Spaceman\u201d or \u201cSpace Ace,\u201d Frehley helped shape Kiss\u2019s hard-rock sound and larger-than-life \u201cshock rock\u201d image through his elaborate stage shows, electrifying guitar effects, silver face paint, and futuristic costumes. In addition to embodying Kiss\u2019s theatrical aesthetic, he wrote or co-wrote several Kiss classics, including \u201cShock Me,\u201d \u201cCold Gin,\u201d \u201cParasite,\u201d and \u201cRocket Ride.\u201d<\/p>\n The guitarist suffered a brain bleed when he took a fall in his studio a couple of weeks ago, thus forcing him to cancel his upcoming tour dates. The accident was announced on Instagram<\/a>, which insisted that Frehley was fine, though he had to cancel tour dates in an effort to heal. The following week, Frehley canceled the remainder of his tour.<\/p>\n Kiss: Ace Frehley, Peter Criss, Paul Stanley, Gene Simmons, circa early 1980s. (Everett Collection)<\/p>\n<\/div>\n Born Paul Daniel Frehley on April 27, 1951, in The Bronx, New York City, to a homemaker and an electrical engineer. He earned the \u201cAce\u201d in high school because he \u201calways came through for his buddies,\u201d earning the reputation of being \u201can ace.\u201d<\/p>\n In 1972, Frehley came across an ad in the Village Voice<\/a> placed by Gene Simmons<\/a>, Paul Stanley<\/a>, and Peter Criss, who were looking for a \u201clead guitarist with flash and ability.\u201d During the audition, Frehely made an impression. \u201cHe\u2019s a weird guy,\u201d lead singer Gene Simmons recalled<\/a>. \u201cHe\u2019s got one orange sneaker, one red, pigeon-toed, and then he dug in [on the guitar]. Paul and I looked at each other like, \u2018Wow.’\u201d<\/p>\n Before his solo debut, Kiss released seven studio albums. Their 1975 live album Alive!<\/em> catapulted them to superstardom, turning \u201cRock and Roll All Nite\u201d into an anthem. Follow-ups like Destroyer<\/em> (1976) and Love Gun<\/em> (1977) went platinum, cementing the band\u2019s reputation for theatrical stage shows and their comic book-esque personas. By the time each member released their own solo record, Kiss had already become a global phenomenon.<\/p>\n Kiss became TV sensations in the 1970s with appearances on shows like The Midnight Special<\/em>, The Paul Lynde Halloween Special<\/em>, and Don Kirshner\u2019s Rock Concert<\/em>, where their explosive performances introduced their theatrical style to mainstream audiences. They later starred in the 1978 made-for-TV movie Kiss Meets the Phantom of the Park<\/em>, which became a cult favorite and cemented their status as pop-culture icons beyond the music world.<\/p>\n In 1978, Frehley released his first solo album, a self-titled debut that produced the Top 20 single \u201cNew York Groove.\u201d After leaving Kiss in 1982, Frehley formed Frehley\u2019s Comet, releasing a self-titled album in 1987. Frehley rejoined Kiss in 1996 for their highly publicized Alive\/Worldwide Reunion Tour. He remained with the band through their Farewell Tour in 2002 before departing again to focus on his solo career.<\/p>\n On December 7, 2025, Kiss and Ace Frehley were going to be among the recipients to be celebrated at the 48th Annual Kennedy Center Honors.<\/p>\n More Headlines:<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n