Ace Frehley was the silver-star-painted "Spaceman" of Kiss. But even rock-legends aren’t immune to earthly hazards. During a December 12, 1976 show in Lakeland, Florida, Frehley took a terrifying tumble into reality and nearly died from the experience.
A faulty railing completed an electrical circuit through his guitar.
"I started descending on the railing and it wasn't grounded properly," he recalled in a video shared to his Facebook in September 2024. "I got zapped with 220 volts."
Ironically, falling backward is what saved him from a potentially far worse disaster. Had he fallen forward, he presumes he would have "broken his head open."
"It was a very shocking experience," the guitarist joked.
Despite the electric shock, Frehley went on to play the show with no feeling in his right hand.
"Adrenaline took over at the point," he said.
Frehley went on to define an era of rock with his blazing riffs, theatrical solos and a kind of off-the-planet charm. In fact, the near death experience inspired the hit song "Shock Me" from the Love Gun album.
Farewell to a Rock Icon
Frehley died on October 16, 2025, after complications from a fall and brain bleed. He was 74.
His family’s statement captured the mix of grief and heartfelt celebration of his legendary life:
"We are completely devastated and heartbroken … In his last moments, we were surrounded by loving, caring, peaceful words, thoughts, prayers and intentions as he left this earth."
Bandmates and fellow rockers alike offered stirring tributes. Co-founders Gene Simmons and Paul Stanley called Frehley an "essential and irreplaceable rock soldier," adding how his legacy will forever be part of Kiss’s history. Drummer Peter Criss described him as "my brother Ace Frehley," noting he passed peacefully surrounded by loved ones.
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