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)
Sister
Ace Frehley Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
My friends been asking 'cause they've heard a lot
About the way that she makes me feel, oh yeah
She's not my sister, but she's very real
Look out!
I can't change (can't change) my ways (my ways)
Call her my sister 'cause we're very close
And you can find her when you need her most
So many times I feel like a shot, oh yeah
Few people know what she's really got, trust me
I can't change (can't change) my ways (my ways)
I can't change
Or rearrange (rearrange) my days (my days)
I can't change
Call her my sister, but don't you be fooled, listen
'Cause she can take you around the world, yes she can
I can't change (can't change) my ways (my ways)
I can't change
Or rearrange (rearrange) my days (my days)
I can't change
I can't change (can't change) my ways (my ways)
I can't change
Or rearrange (rearrange) my days (my days)
I can't change
Don't want to
be without her, don't want to let her go
Seems like she's always there, but you never know
When she'll leave, and I'll be left alone, oh no
I can't change, I'm just flesh and bone
Ace Frehley's "Sister" is a song about a woman who is referred to as a sister, but isn't actually related to the singer. He mentions that his friends have been asking about her because of the way she makes him feel. The lyrics suggest that she is a close friend who offers emotional support and companionship. The singer acknowledges that he can't change his feelings towards her and that he doesn't want to be without her.
The lyrics also suggest that this woman has a mysterious and intriguing quality about her that few people truly understand. The line "Few people know what she's really got, trust me" implies that there is more to her than meets the eye. The repeated phrase "I can't change" suggests that the singer knows he is helpless in his attachment to this woman.
Line by Line Meaning
Call her sister but she's really not
I refer to her as my sister, but she's not actually my sibling.
My friends been asking 'cause they've heard a lot
My friends are curious about my relationship with her due to the rumors they've heard.
About the way that she makes me feel, oh yeah
People are interested in how she affects me emotionally.
She's not my sister, but she's very real
Although I call her my sister, she's a real person in my life.
Look out!
An exclamation to get attention or warn of possible danger.
I can't change (can't change) my ways (my ways)
I am unable to alter my habits or behavior.
Call her my sister 'cause we're very close
I call her my sister because we have a strong, close relationship.
And you can find her when you need her most
She's reliable and always there when you need her.
So many times I feel like a shot, oh yeah
I often feel like I've been wounded, both physically and emotionally.
Few people know what she's really got, trust me
Not many people understand her true personality and qualities, but I do.
Call her my sister, but don't you be fooled, listen
Even though I call her my sister, don't be misled by her title and listen to what I have to say about her.
'Cause she can take you around the world, yes she can
She's adventurous and can take you on trips and adventures around the world.
Or rearrange (rearrange) my days (my days)
I can't change or adjust how I plan my days.
I can't change
Repeated statement that I can't change or modify certain aspects of my life.
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Written by: KARL COCHRAN, PAUL FREHLEY
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind