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)
Ozone
Ace Frehley Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Feelin' high and dry and I really like to fly
I'm your kinda guy, girl, I'm not too shy
And I want you to fly, so, I think you oughta try
I'm your kinda guy and I'm not too shy
Feelin' high and dry and I want you to be mine
So, I think it's time, girl, to start feeling fine
Feeling good all the time, so, I think you oughta try
Ozone, ozone, ozone, ozone
Now, I'm the kinda guy who likes getting high
Getting high and dry and I do it all the time
If you think it's a crime and you don't wanna try
Something that'll make you high, then I think I'll say goodbye
'Cos I'm the kind of guy who likes getting high
Getting high and dry and I do it all the time
Now, I'm much too high, I am high and dry
And I'm feelin' fine, I'm feelin' good all of the time
The lyrics to Ace Frehley's "Ozone" seem to be all about getting high and feeling good. Frehley sings about his own desire to feel high and dry, with a particular emphasis on flying. He encourages the girl he is singing to to try Ozone, which clearly refers to some sort of drug or substance that will get her high. Frehley doesn't seem to be very shy about his drug use, as he emphasizes that he likes getting high all the time. However, he also recognizes that not everyone is comfortable with the idea of using drugs, and suggests that if the girl isn't interested in feeling high, then it's time for him to say goodbye.
While the lyrics themselves aren't particularly deep or complex, they do capture a certain spirit of the 80s, when drug use was much more common and widely accepted than it is today. Frehley's use of the word "Ozone" seems particularly interesting, as it suggests a certain mystique or exoticism around the idea of getting high. Overall, "Ozone" is a song that celebrates the idea of feeling good and getting high, without necessarily delving into the deeper issues and repercussions of drug use.
Line by Line Meaning
I'm the kind of guy who likes feelin' high
I enjoy being under the influence of drugs.
Feelin' high and dry and I really like to fly
I like to feel the effects of drugs while feeling alert and in control of myself.
I'm your kinda guy, girl, I'm not too shy
I'm confident and outgoing.
And I want you to fly, so, I think you oughta try
I want you to experience the same feelings of drug-induced euphoria that I enjoy.
Ozone, ozone, ozone, ozone
Repeatedly chanting the word 'ozone' is either a reference to a drug, or simply a catchy phrase that has no deeper meaning.
I'm your kinda guy and I'm not too shy
Repetition of earlier lines reinforces my confidence and outgoing nature.
Feelin' high and dry and I want you to be mine
I want to be in a relationship with you while still enjoying drug use.
So, I think it's time, girl, to start feeling fine
I want you to try drugs with me and experience the same feelings of euphoria.
Feeling good all the time, so, I think you oughta try
Repetition of earlier lines reinforces my desire for you to try drugs with me.
Now, I'm the kinda guy who likes getting high
Repetition of earlier lines further reinforces my love of drugs.
Getting high and dry and I do it all the time
I use drugs frequently and enjoy feeling alert while under the influence.
If you think it's a crime and you don't wanna try
If you're against drug use or unwilling to try it, then we're not compatible and I will move on.
Something that'll make you high, then I think I'll say goodbye
If you're not willing to try drugs, then I'm not interested in pursuing a relationship with you.
'Cos I'm the kind of guy who likes getting high
Reinforcement of earlier lines yet again underscores my love of drugs.
Getting high and dry and I do it all the time
Further repetition of earlier lines confirms my frequent drug use.
Now, I'm much too high, I am high and dry
I'm currently under the influence of drugs and feeling alert.
And I'm feelin' fine, I'm feelin' good all of the time
I feel euphoric while under the influence of drugs and want to continue feeling this way.
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: ACE FREHLEY
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind