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)
Hide Your Heart
Ace Frehley Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
She could see him coming like a hundred other liars, it was no big deal
Rosa had streets
She was his possession like a jewel on his crown, Johnny better run, better run
Better hide your heart, better hold on tight
Say your prayers, 'cause there's trouble tonight
When pride and love battle with desire
The ride was over but the story doesn't end, he took her heart
She looked him in the eye and said they couldn't meet again
You could see the trouble start
The word went out that Rosa's messin' with someone, it was on the street
Tito looked for Johnny with a vengeance and a gun
Johnny better run, better run
Better hide your heart, better hold on tight
Say your prayers, 'cause there's trouble tonight
When pride and love battle with desire
Better hide your heart, 'cause you're playing with fire
Johnny's holdin' Rosa on a rooftop in the night, as time stood still
They couldn't hear him coming 'til he had them both in sight
You could feel a chill
A shot ran out like thunder and the blood was on her hands, with nothing won
When someone lies dying, lovers finally understand
Better hide your heart, better hold on tight
Say your prayers, 'cause there's trouble tonight
When pride and love battle with desire
Better hide your heart, 'cause you're playing with fire
The lyrics to Ace Frehley's song "Hide Your Heart" tell a story of love, desire, and danger. The song recounts the tale of Johnny and Rosa, who meet on a streetcar named Desire. They are immediately drawn to each other, but Rosa is already someone's possession, and their love affair is destined to end in tragedy.
The chorus of the song warns listeners to "better hide your heart," as the consequences of love and desire can lead to trouble and danger. The lyrics emphasize the importance of protecting oneself and being cautious when it comes to matters of the heart.
The story unfolds in a series of scenes, with Johnny taking Rosa's heart and sparking jealousy and violence among those around them. The final scene takes place on a rooftop in the night, with a shot ringing out and blood on Rosa's hands. The lyrics suggest that the dangers of love and desire can lead to devastating consequences, and not just for those involved in the affair.
Overall, "Hide Your Heart" is a cautionary tale about the powerful forces of love and desire and the potential danger they can bring.
Line by Line Meaning
Johnny saw her riding on a street car named Desire, his fate was sealed
Johnny saw Rosa riding on a streetcar called Desire and was smitten with her, though his destiny would soon be determined.
She could see him coming like a hundred other liars, it was no big deal
Rosa could see that Johnny was like countless other deceivers who had come to her, and she wasn't particularly impressed.
She was his possession like a jewel on his crown, Johnny better run, better run
To Johnny, Rosa was like a priceless gem he had to have, but it would be wise for him to escape before he inevitably falls into trouble.
Better hide your heart, better hold on tight
Say your prayers, 'cause there's trouble tonight
When pride and love battle with desire
Better hide your heart, 'cause you're playing with fire
When one's ego and passion conflict, it's best to guard one's heart, as pursuing one's desires could lead to dangerous and risky consequences.
The ride was over but the story doesn't end, he took her heart
She looked him in the eye and said they couldn't meet again
You could see the trouble start
The word went out that Rosa's messin' with someone, it was on the street
Tito looked for Johnny with a vengeance and a gun
Johnny better run, better run
After the fling had ended, Johnny had taken Rosa's heart. She told him it was over, but suspicion had already arisen. Now, Tito was looking for Johnny with rage and weapons, and the latter must flee to save his own life.
Johnny's holdin' Rosa on a rooftop in the night, as time stood still
They couldn't hear him coming 'til he had them both in sight
You could feel a chill
A shot ran out like thunder and the blood was on her hands, with nothing won
When someone lies dying, lovers finally understand
Johnny and Rosa find themselves alone in a creepy silent night on a rooftop. Unbeknownst to them, someone is stealthily approaching them. Suddenly, a gunshot echoes, and Rosa is now responsible for someone's death. Lovers finally comprehend the gravity of their actions when a life is destroyed.
Lyrics © RESERVOIR MEDIA MANAGEMENT INC
Written by: DESMOND CHILD, HOLLY KNIGHT, PAUL STANLEY
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind