Over the past few days, countless tributes from fans and fellow rockers have been made for legendary KISS guitarist Ace “Spaceman” Frehley (who passed away on Oct. 16, 2025 at the age of 74 from a fall at home). One of the most heartfelt thus far surely comes from Frehley’s initial replacement in KISS – Vinnie Vincent – who recently shared an emotional tribute to Frehley that includes a recollection of the pair’s first meeting.
What Vinnie Vincent Said About Ace Frehley
Yesterday (Oct. 18), Vincent – who placed on 1982’s Creatures of the Night and 1983’s Lick It Up – honored Frehley on social media, beginning:
ACE FREHLEY. GONE TOO SOON. THE LOSS OF A LOVED ONE. I WANTED TO SAY THE RIGHT WORDS THAT COULD DESCRIBE THE LOSS OF A LOVED ONE but nothing I could muster would begin to comfort the millions of fans who idolized worshiped and adored Ace, the man and the legend, and make their pain go away.
Vincent then reminiscences about “strangely replacing Ace in Kiss, a band who’s music [he] knew little about, aside from a few radio singles, and had no fan interest in, aside from the magnitude of their massive success, yet [he] wanted it more than life itself.”
After clarifying that his favorite artists as an adolescent included the Beatles, Led Zeppelin, Jeff Beck and Mahavishnu Orchestra, he speaks about the “twist of irony” in taking over for Frehley in “an ‘odd couple gone beserk sitcom’ like setting, writing songs and rehearsing with the revamped Kiss with Eric Carr on drums and being served contracts to sign as Ace’s replacement….. wondering in disbelief, how the hell in the world did this happen?”
Later, he details his “one and only encounter” with Frehley, which took place in 1982 “at the video shoot for I LOVE IT LOUD.” He continues: “In utter disbelief, the band who’s records I was unfamiliar with were recording a song Gene and I wrote and here I was, the new kid watching the magical persona Ace on stage rocking out to a song I wrote??? Surreal? Way past that.”
From there, Vincent explains:
I remember knocking on Aces door to his dressing room to introduce myself and say hi. I was nervous meeting the bigger than life legend himself. I was green, lost for words and overwhelmed by Ace’s presence and the magnitude of fame Ace achieved in his amazing career. Yet in my one and only fleeting encounter with him I read a person who lost their heart. His only words to me were “hey kid. good luck. you’re gonna need it.” He was more right than he could have imagined. We shook hands and wished each other luck and said goodbye.
Those are the only words I ever shared with Ace from 1982 until we met again in 2022 for a memorable music performance weekend in Nashville. During those years I never heard from Ace, we never crossed paths. Not unusual for me as I’m not a social person. But Suddenly it all changed in 2022. Ace and I shared a belated moment of bonding that felt good. Real good. No pretense. We liked each other!!! We came full circle from our beginning handshake in 1982 to meeting up for a very special Kiss legacy show in Nashville. It was a weekend I will forever remember fondly shared with Bruce Kulick, Ace, Peter Criss and myself as band members coming together for the first time in support of our individual legacy as we gave tribute to the band we were historically intertwined: the greatest band in the world, known as KISS. The band who’s sum was greater than its parts.
Reflecting further on Frehley’s overarching legacy as a “legend,” Vincent says that Frehley was “all encompassing and all consuming, embracing the heart soul and mind of their individual audience.” Beyond that, Vincent elaborates, Frehley was “everlasting, emoting the same fan pride, well being and warmth to the person they have touched thru their artistry thru the passage of time.”
Finally, Vincent concludes:
Ace’s journey here is complete. He has walked through the portal into eternity. A door we all walk thru at some point. But what he leaves for all of us here are the images, the recordings, the performances, the happy memories of Ace the person, the man, the musical works and a magic character persona that was loved by everyone, young and old alike and a stage presence that will live forever. I’m forever proud and grateful to have shared the same Kiss “forever legacy” as Ace….we were one fucking hell of a great band.
Cheers, my friend. You will be sorely missed by everyone and by me. I will hurt tomorrow and always as I am hurting now. Love light and peace, VINNIE VINCENT/
You can see Vincent’s entire post below:
READ MORE: Top 10 Ace Frehley KISS Songs
Other Tributes to Ace Frehley
Naturally, many other rockers have paid their respects to Frehley since his passing.
For instance, Tool frontman Maynard James Keenan shared a photo of himself as a kid wearing Frehley’s iconic Spaceman makeup while captioning: “Godspeed, Ace.” Similarly, Poison’s Bret Michaels tweeted a heartfelt passage: “@ace_frehley 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. All my love and respect, from my family and myself – may you rest in peace!!! #AceFrehley.”
Canadian prog rock powerhouse Rush specifically mentioned how “stunned and saddened” they are by Frehley’s death, adding:
Back in 1974, as the opening act for KISS, Alex, Neil and myself spent many a night hanging out together in his hotel room after shows, doing whatever nonsense we could think of, just to make him break out his inimitable and infectious laugh. He was an undeniable character and an authentic rock star. RIP Ace .. thanks for welcoming us newbies into the rock and roll world.
In addition to Vincent, several other KISS guitarists reflected on Frehley, too.
In particular, Bruce Kulick (who was in the band between 1984 and 1996) remarked:
The news of Ace’s passing is devastating to the world of rock. It has deeply affected me as well. He was one of a kind. And truly an iconic guitar player. His undeniable role in the creation and success of KISS cannot be forgotten. Not only was he loved by all, he influenced millions of guitarists around the world. RIP
Likewise, Tommy Thayer (who joined in 2002 and remained through the end of KISS’ 2023 tour) put it simply and eloquently: “A legend who will never be forgotten. He inspired generations of guitarists, myself included, to chase greatness. It’s been an honor to walk in his footsteps. His legacy will live forever. Rest in peace, Ace.”
You can see those tributes below:
More About Ace Frehley’s Death
As Loudwire wrote when the news broke, Frehley canceled his remaining 2025 tour dates earlier in October, citing undefined “ongoing medical issues” related to the aforementioned fall at home. On Oct. 16 (and shortly before his death was confirmed), it was reported that he’d suffered a brain bleed and was on life support.
His family quickly released a statement about Frehley’s passing, too:
We 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’s memory will continue to live on forever!
Of course, everyone at Loudwire shares our condolences with Frehley’s friends and family.
35 Photos of Ace Frehley Through The Years
Gallery Credit: Rob Carroll
