NEWSRock Legends Unite: KISS Founding Members Bid Farewell to Ace Frehley at Emotional Memorial
Rock legends Kiss bid farewell to member Ace Frehley at an emotional memorial service.
Nov. 9 2025, Published 11:20 a.m. ET
Gene Simmons, Paul Stanley, and Peter Criss, the original members of the iconic rock band KISS, reunited to honor their late bandmate Ace Frehley during a heartfelt memorial service in the Bronx, New York City. Their gathering, shared by longtime friend Eddie Trunk on Instagram, marked a poignant farewell to the legendary guitarist.
“It has been an emotional couple of days to say the least saying farewell to a rock icon and long-time friend,” Trunk posted alongside a memorial prayer card that read, “In Loving Memory of Paul ‘Ace’ D. Frehley.” He added that the services were attended by a close-knit group of family and friends, including the surviving original members of KISS.
Eddie Trunk paid tribute to Ace Frehley through an Instagram post.
The last public appearance of Simmons, Stanley, Criss and Frehley together took place at the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony in 2014. The quartet formed KISS in 1973, with numerous reunions over the years, despite Criss departing in 1980 and Frehley leaving in 1982. Frehley eventually returned to the group for a reunion tour from 1996 to 2002.
Reflecting on the complex relationships within the band, Frehley had addressed misconceptions in an interview with "Guitarist" earlier this year. “A lot of the misconceptions were created by Paul and Gene,” he stated. “They still say in interviews that they fired me, but I was never fired from KISS. I hate when I hear that. And they say that both times I was fired. I quit both times.”
Ace Frehley clarified that he quit as the guitarist of Kiss and was never fired.
Frehley’s relationship with Criss also evolved over the years. Both musicians participated in KISS’ Alive/Worldwide reunion tour in the late 1990s, overcoming previous differences. Though Frehley collaborated with Simmons on various projects, including a benefit concert in 2017, he and Criss chose not to join Simmons and Stanley for the final shows of KISS’s End of the Road World Tour in December 2024.
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Ace Frehley was placed on life support before passing away on October 16, 2025.
Frehley passed away on October 16 at the age of 74 after reportedly being placed on life support. Shortly after his death, Simmons and Stanley mourned their fellow rocker, stating, “He was an essential and irreplaceable rock soldier during some of the most formative foundational chapters of the band and its history.”
“He is and will always be a part of KISS’s legacy,” they added.
Ace Frehley canceled his tours after he suffered a brain bleed.
A few weeks prior, Frehley suffered a brain bleed after a fall in his studio. In a September 25 message shared on his Instagram, it was noted, “He is fine, but against his wishes, his doctor insists that he refrain from travel at this time.” On October 6, a statement confirmed that Frehley would be canceling the remainder of his 10,000 Volts Tour due to ongoing medical issues.
