Born Paul Frehley on April 27, 1951, in the Bronx, New York, Frehley began playing guitar when he received an electric six-string for his 14th birthday in 1965. Already a big fan of the Rolling Stones, he was blown away when he caught a multi-band live show in N.Y.C. in early 1967, featuring both the Who and Cream, among others, which solidified his desire to pursue rock guitar more seriously (and put a promising art career on the back burner). Frehley began playing in local bands soon after, adding both Led Zeppelin and Jimi Hendrix to his influences -- and around this time, adopted the nickname "Ace." Although none of the bands he played with had taken off, he answered an ad in a local paper for a new hard rock, theatrically based group in early 1973.
A few weeks after his initial tryout, Frehley was hired as the lead guitarist for the new quartet, joining bassist/singer Gene Simmons, rhythm guitarist/singer Paul Stanley, and drummer Peter Criss to form the band Kiss. By year's end, the greasepaint- and costume-wearing band was signed to Casablanca Records, and by 1978, had become one of the world's top hard rock bands. A string of platinum albums and sold-out tours lasted from 1975 until 1979, until the trappings of fame threatened to break up the band. Frehley's best friend in the band, Criss, left Kiss in 1980, as the group unsuccessfully experimented with non-metal styles. Ace Frehley's use of alcohol and drugs increased due to his ever-increasing unhappiness in the band, and, by 1982, he'd exited Kiss.
Within a year or two after his split from Kiss, Ace began putting his own solo band together, Frehley's Comet. The band played local N.Y.C. clubs, but failed to issue a record until 1987's self-titled debut for Megaforce Records. Instead of following the heavy metal direction of his exceptional 1978 solo album, Frehley's Comet tried to keep pace with the current pop-metal movement (Mötley Crüe, etc.), issuing two other albums (and a live EP) by 1989. Around this time, Frehley put his old art talents to use once again through computer graphics, with a few of his images even being featured in an art exhibit. Despite mudslinging in the press between Simmons/Stanley and Frehley in the early '90s, all four original Kiss members made up in time to reunite for a 1995 taping of MTV Unplugged. The taping was such a success that it led to a full-blown reunion of the original lineup, resulting in the massively successful 1996-1997 Alive Worldwide Tour.
Frehley continued as a member of Kiss until the end of their Farewell Tour (lasting longer than fellow original member Peter Criss, who dropped out in 2001). Live appearances, including gigs at the massive Rocklahoma festival, kept Ace busy until 2009, when he released the album Anomaly on his own label, Bronx Born Records. In 2011 he published No Regrets, a detailed and frank memoir that recounted, among other things, his aforementioned struggles with alcohol and cocaine addiction. In 2013 he celebrated seven years of sobriety and spent much of that year appearing at horror, sci-fi, and pop culture conventions.
The following April, after a long wait, Kiss was inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame, before August brought the release of Space Invader, a solo album that took a heavier approach than Anomaly. Released in 2016, Origins, Vol. 1 was an all-covers album featuring songs from Ace's favorite bands, up to and including Kiss, with new versions of "Parasite" and "Cold Gin" sitting next to songs from Thin Lizzy and Cream. The following year, Frehley joined Kiss bassist/vocalist Simmons on-stage at a Hurricane Harvey benefit for the Children Matter organization in St. Paul, Minnesota. It was the first time the former bandmates had performed together in over 16 years. In 2018 Frehley issued his eighth solo long payer, Spaceman, which featured a power pop cover of Eddie Money's "I Wanna Go Back" and the rowdy single "Rockin' with the Boys," the latter of which was written during Kiss' '70s heyday.
In the fall of 2018, Frehley revealed that he was changing his entire solo backing band from guitarist Richie Scarlet, bassist Chris Wyse and drummer Scot Coogan to Gene Simmons‘ solo band members consisting of Philip Shouse on guitar/vocals, Ryan Cook on guitar/vocals, Jeremy Asbrock on guitar/vocals, and Christopher Williams on drums.
He then released a second covers album, Origins, Vol. 2, in September 2020.
Biography by Greg Prato
Website: http://www.acefrehley.com
Ace Frehley (1978)
Frehley's Comet (1987)
Second Sighting (1988)
Trouble Walkin' (1989)
Anomaly (2009)
Space Invader (2014)
Origins Vol. 1 (2016)
Spaceman (2018)
Origins Vol. 2 (2020)
10,000 Volts (2024)
Five Card Stud
Ace Frehley Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
With a deck in my hand
I'm the best at playing the game
I'm known throughout the land
At the tables you'll find me
A stack of chips by my side
Poker Gin or 21
Just cut the pack
I'll take the one-eyed Jack
There's no holding back
I call your bluff
It ain't no crime
Winning all the time
The money's on the line
I play for blood
I'm the five card stud
Don't try to con me
Let's get it understood
You'll never get one past me
I know every trick in the book
I'll play you double or nothing
If you think you're so good
Lets go for broke
Afraid you're gonna choke
Got one slim hope
That ain't enough
Well you're outta luck
Lost your bottom buck
I hit a royal flush
And I smell blood
I'm the five card stud
The lyrics to Ace Frehley's "Five Card Stud" depict the story of someone who was born into a family that specialized in gambling, the "car shark." This person has grown up to become a master at playing card games such as poker, gin, and 21. They are well-known for their winning streaks and often have a stack of chips by their side. This person takes pride in winning with a winning hand, and they know exactly how to call out someone's bluff. In their eyes, it is not a crime to win all the time, even if it means putting a significant amount of money on the line. They play for blood, and they are the five card stud.
The singer's experience and knowledge stem from growing up around card games, and they understand the tricks and cons that can be played. The singer has confidence in their abilities and is willing to put it all on the line to win. The singer warns others not to try to con them, as they know all the tricks in the book. This person is so confident in their abilities that they challenge anyone who thinks they are up to the task to a game of double or nothing. The final stanza in the lyrics reveals the singer's triumph over an opponent who lost their bottom buck to the singer's royal flush. The singer smells blood, and they are the five card stud.
Line by Line Meaning
I was born the son of a car shark
I come from a family of hustlers who thrive off of gambling and making a profit.
With a deck in my hand
I've been playing card games since I was young and am highly skilled with a deck of cards.
I'm the best at playing the game
I am confident in my abilities and believe that I am unbeatable.
I'm known throughout the land
My reputation precedes me, and everyone knows that I am a formidable opponent at any card game.
At the tables you'll find me
I spend a lot of my time gambling, and I am always seeking out new opponents to beat.
A stack of chips by my side
I am a successful gambler and always have a large pile of chips in front of me.
Poker Gin or 21
I am skilled in many different card games and am willing to play any game to win.
A winning hand is my pride
I take pride in my victories and the fact that I am able to win consistently.
Just cut the pack
Let's get started with the game by shuffling and cutting the cards.
I'll take the one-eyed Jack
I will always choose the cards that will give me the best advantage in a game.
There's no holding back
I am an aggressive gambler and will not hesitate to take risks to win big.
I call your bluff
I challenge you to prove that you have the cards you claim to have and that you are not lying to me.
It ain't no crime
Winning at gambling is not a shameful or illegal act.
Winning all the time
My abilities as a gambler are so great that I am consistently successful in winning games.
The money's on the line
The stakes are high, and whoever wins will take home a lot of money.
I play for blood
I am completely invested in the game, and I am willing to do whatever it takes to win.
I'm the five card stud
I am a master at the traditional poker game Five Card Stud and consider it my signature game.
Don't try to con me
I am aware of the different methods people use to cheat, and I won't let anyone try to deceive me.
Let's get it understood
I want to make sure that there is no confusion or deceit in our game and that everything is fair and straightforward.
You'll never get one past me
I am too experienced and alert to allow anyone to cheat or sneak a win past me.
I know every trick in the book
I have accumulated a lot of knowledge and experience about card games over time, and I am familiar with all the common tricks and strategies people use to win.
I'll play you double or nothing
If you're willing, I am willing to double the stakes of our game to make it more interesting and more exciting.
If you think you're so good
I am willing to take on any opponent, no matter how skilled, and believe that I will come out on top.
Let's go for broke
Instead of playing it safe, I want to put everything on the line and risk losing everything to have a shot at winning big.
Afraid you're gonna choke
I sense that you are not as confident as you portray and may not be able to handle the pressure of this high-stakes game.
Got one slim hope
You are holding on to the small chance that you will be able to win despite the odds not being in your favor.
That ain't enough
Your slim chance of winning is not enough to scare me or shake my confidence.
Well, you're outta luck
You have lost the game and therefore lost all of your money.
Lost your bottom buck
You've lost all your money due to your poor luck and skill as a gambler.
I hit a royal flush
My luck was particularly good and I acquired a winning hand that is rare and hard to achieve.
And I smell blood
I have emerged victorious from this game and can sense that my opponent is defeated and in distress.
Lyrics © BMG RIGHTS MANAGEMENT US, LLC
Written by: ACE FREHLEY, MARC SCHUMANN
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind