Rage Against the Machine guitarist Tom Morello has paid a powerful and deeply personal tribute to the late Ace Frehley, calling the legendary KISS guitarist his “first guitar hero” and stating: “Without him, I don’t know whether I would’ve ever wanted to play guitar.” His emotional reflection underscores the profound, foundational impact Frehley had on his own revolutionary career.
Speaking on SiriusXM’s “Trunk Nation With Eddie Trunk” during a special episode dedicated to Frehley, who passed away on October 16 at the age of 74, Morello explained the “formative” role KISS and Frehley played in his life.
“Ace was my first guitar hero. KISS was the band that made me love rock and roll, and he was the lead guitar player of that band. I mean, without him, I don’t know whether I would’ve ever wanted to play guitar. It was totally formative.” Morello said. “KISS was the supernova that made me light up and think, ‘Oh, this is something I might wanna do for the rest of my life.’ And the lead guitarist of that band, a crucial part of that band, an indispensable part of that band’s original chemistry, was Ace Frehley. So I owe not just a artistic debt to him, but just a life debt to him. Every riff that has ever come, every guitar solo that’s ever been a part of my life has its origins, the DNA imprint of Ace Frehley.”
He added: “Ace was the coolest axe-slinging, Les Paul smoke-belching guitar hero for all of us.”
Morello also praised Frehley‘s unique playing style, which valued feel and melody over technical perfection.
“He’s got that kind of gun-slinging free way of playing that sometimes is beautifully messy,” Morello said. He recounted listening to the classic KISS Alive! album after hearing the news of Frehley’s death. “I just was really kind of overwhelmed with it reminded me of what originally lit my fire and made me love the band and made me love him as a guitar player.”
Morello‘s deep reverence for KISS and Frehley was famously on display in 2014 when he inducted the band into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. In his passionate induction speech, he declared: “What Elvis and The Beatles were to previous generations, KISS were to us.” He specifically highlighted Frehley‘s contribution, calling him “my first guitar hero” and praising the “unforgettable, timeless licks” he blazed across their greatest records.
Ace Frehley passed away after being hospitalized following a fall in his studio that reportedly resulted in a brain bleed. Tributes have poured in from across the globe, including from his three original KISS bandmates.
