More Money, More Problems: Ace Frehley Recalls the Exact Moment KISS Started To Fall Apart

After entertaining fans for 50 years and releasing 20 studio albums, the iconic band KISS decided it was time to retire. Celebrating their history during the End of the Road World Tour, the band took fans on a journey through their rich career in music. Selling over 75 million albums worldwide the band landed in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and on VH1’s 100 Greatest Artists of Hard Rock. While the band solidified themselves as icons in music, Ace Frehley recently opened up about his time with the band, and the moment it all started to fall apart.

Initially part of KISS between 1973 and 1982, Frehley appeared to cherish his time with the band and the songs they produced. Speaking on the Guitar Tales podcast, the musician said, “We created something that will endure way after we’re all dead and buried. I try to let the negative stuff go and focus on the positive memories. We had a lot of fun. We used to really be very closely knit. And we’d have weekly band meetings and get the stuff off our chest that was bothering us.”

As for the moment he believed was the beginning of the end, Frehley pointed to the downside of fame. “Once we became rich, we all became millionaires, everybody started going their own way. Everybody had their own limo. Everybody had their own bodyguard. So, you know, nothing can last forever.”

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Ace Frehley Recalls Holding Down Jobs To Make Ends Meet

In another interview, Frehley recalled how the band needed to hold down day jobs to make ends meet during the early days. “Paul [Stanley] worked in a sandwich shop. I delivered liquor. I was a postman for six months. We did all sorts of jobs before we started making the big bucks. In the early days, me and Gene [Simmons] used to room together in a Holiday Inn. And then after ‘Alive’ hit we each had our own suites. That’s when the band started, you know, everybody was going in their own direction. And it was kind of the beginning of the end.”

While no longer taking the stage, KISS continues to prepare for a new era of music as the band hopes to create a concert featuring digital versions of themselves. With some fans questioning the move, only time will tell if KISS made the right decision.

(Photo by Michael Ochs Archives/Getty Images)