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)
Jumpin' Jack Flash
Ace Frehley Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
And I howled at the morning in the pouring rain
(But it's all right now) in fact, it's a gas
(But it's all right) I'm Jumpin' Jack Flash
It's a gas, gas, gas
I was raised by a toothless, bearded hag
(But it's all right now) in fact, it's a gas
(But it's all right) I'm Jumpin' Jack Flash
It's a gas, gas, gas
Jumpin' Jack Flash, it's a gas
Jumpin' Jack Flash, it's a gas
Jumpin' Jack Flash, it's a gas
Jumpin' Jack Flash, it's a gas
All right, here we go
I was drowned, I was washed up and left for dead
I looked down at my feet and I saw they bled, yeah
I frowned at the crumb on a crust of bread
I was crowned with a spike right through my head
(But it's all right now) in fact, it's a gas
(But it's all right) yeah, I'm Jumpin' Jack Flash
It's a motherfucking gas
Jumpin' Jack Flash, it's a gas
Jumpin' Jack Flash, it's a gas
Jumpin' Jack Flash, it's a gas
Jumpin' Jack Flash, it's a gas
Jumpin' Jack Flash, it's a gas
Jumpin' Jack Flash, it's a gas
Jumpin' Jack Flash, it's a gas
Jumpin' Jack Flash, it's a gas
It's a gas, yes it is motherfuckers
The lyrics to Ace Frehley's song Jumpin' Jack Flash are about a tough and wild life, one that involves constant battles and struggles. The opening lines, "I was born in a cross-fire hurricane, And I howled at the morning in the pouring rain," paint a picture of a hard life right from the beginning. The singer is howling at the morning, perhaps out of frustration or pain.
The second verse is equally rough, describing a childhood in which the singer was "raised by a toothless, bearded hag" and schooled by "a strap right across my back." Despite this troubled upbringing, the singer takes everything in stride, saying that "it's all right now" and that he's "Jumpin' Jack Flash."
Throughout the song, the chorus repeats the phrase "It's a gas," suggesting that even in the toughest moments, there is something thrilling and exciting about life. The final verse, in which the singer describes being "drowned, washed up and left for dead," adds a dark edge to the song. But even in this extreme scenario, the singer seems to find triumph in his ability to endure.
Overall, the lyrics to Jumpin' Jack Flash suggest a philosophy of resilience and grit. The life described here may be difficult, but it's also full of energy and excitement.
Line by Line Meaning
I was born in a cross-fire hurricane
I was born into a chaotic and difficult situation, like being in the middle of a storm.
And I howled at the morning in the pouring rain
I expressed my emotions loudly and passionately despite the adverse circumstances.
(But it's all right now) in fact, it's a gas
But now everything is okay and fun.
(But it's all right) I'm Jumpin' Jack Flash
But I am doing great like the mythical character of Jumpin' Jack Flash.
It's a gas, gas, gas
It's incredibly fun and exciting.
I was raised by a toothless, bearded hag
I was brought up in a strange or unconventional family environment.
I was schooled by a strap right across my back
I was punished physically during my education.
Jumpin' Jack Flash, it's a gas
Jumpin' Jack Flash continues to be a great source of joy.
All right, here we go
Let's get started!
I was drowned, I was washed up and left for dead
I experienced a situation where I nearly died or felt utterly defeated.
I looked down at my feet and I saw they bled, yeah
I realized that I was physically hurt and in pain as a result of that situation.
I frowned at the crumb on a crust of bread
I was displeased or unhappy with something that seemed small and insignificant.
I was crowned with a spike right through my head
I suffered an extremely painful and distressing experience.
(But it's all right) yeah, I'm Jumpin' Jack Flash
But I am still doing remarkably well regardless of my struggles.
It's a motherfucking gas
It's an incredibly, unbelievably fun and exciting experience.
Contributed by Noah G. Suggest a correction in the comments below.