KISS CONVENTION OSLO 1995 Rockefeller Music Hall the 13th of June

Ace Frehley interview
- on the stage at the norwegian Kiss convention in Oslo.

ACE: Good afternoon!!

Interviewer: Hello Ace! And welcome to Norway and the Norwegian Kiss convention.
ACE: Thank you. its a pleasure to be here.

Interviewer: You haven't been in Norway since 1980 on the Unmasked tour with Kiss. do you have any good memories from back then?
ACE: I think we did a good show! Can you fix the left monitor a little bit louder, thank you! Testing 1. 2.

Interviewer: So what have you been up to lately, any records in sight?
ACE: Oh, I've been working on an album for the past 2 years and right now I'm negotiating with 3 or 4 different labels. The CD should be released in the end of the year in USA. and probably be out in Europe in 1996.

Interviewer: Any new band members?
ACE: I'm still working with Richie Scarlet on guitar. Steve Werner play drums. My bass player is Karl Cochran.

Interviewer: You've had some great tours in USA. but are you planing any European tour?
ACE: Yes! l will probably tour after I have released the new album next year. Interviewer: (Asking The fans) Would you guys like to have Ace back here next year?
The crowd scream loudly.... Yeah!!!

Interviewer: What about your hobby. computergraphics. What is that all about?
ACE: I got involved In computergraphics in the mid-seventies and more recently after the last album. I have made some piece of art, and I think that they are selling some of'em at my stand.

Interviewer: What kind of computer do you use?
ACE: Maclntosh.

Interviewer: You have worked with a tots of great musicians. have all of them been friends of yours or are these guys Iike hired guns?
ACE: The guys In my band were good friends on and off the stage. The band members that I have sampled now is probably the best band that I have ever had. Finding a goad band is Iike finding a good wife. You got to keep trying till you find the right one.

Interviewer: You worked a long time with Anton Fig. Tell us more about him.
ACE: Anton and me are still very good friends, but unfortunately Anton can't tour with me because he have to be in New York every week to do that talk show: The David Letterman show. He's not famous though. America is huge.

Interviewer: I don't know if you have seen the new Kisstory book. Have you?
ACE: I Just got a copy last week.

Interviewer: What do you think about It?
ACE: I think Its pretty good. I can't wait to get my royalty check (laughing). Ironically Paul and Gene never sent me a book. I had to get one from a fan.

Interviewer: Did you get a signed copy?'
ACE: They are all signed.

Interviewer: Did you have any contributions for the book, like photos, stories etc.?
ACE: I had nothing to do with the book. Paul and Gene never consulted me. They just did the book, and aah, actually legality they supposed to ccheck filth me when they use my photo. But I let It slide. Maybe one day I will do my own hook.

Interviewer: Have you any contact with Paul and Gene these days?
ACE: You know the communication between me. Paul and Gene are open. We went out for dinner last year. Obviously me and Peter have always stayed in contact with each other. I played a few guitar solos on his new CD. The last time I were in California. about 6 months ago. I did a concert at The 'House of Blues'. I invited Paul and Gene but they couldn't make it because they were gearing up for their Japanese tour. They apologized. They wanted to come. They said next time. You know we're talking. were not enemies anymore.

Interviewer: We talked to Peter Criss last year on the Danish Kiss convention, he told us that you were playing on his record but he couldn't remember all the songs that you were on. Can you give us an update on that?
ACE: I don't remember either (laughin'). I know that ...of them was something about Brooklyn (KAN: Blue Moon Over Brooklyn).

Interviewer: To me it seems like you and Peter was the wild men of Kiss. While Paul and Gene was always serious. Was it always like that?
ACE: Yeah!! (laughin'). I got a lot of great stories about the old days with has. Sometimes Paul were getting wild. Gene were always getting laid. (laughin') And he have pictures prove It.

Interviewer: Have you seen Gene Simmons scrap book? ACE: Oh sure! (Iaughin') He was very proud of it.
Interviewer) You have Inspired a Iot of guitarists throughout the years. do you have any tip for the upcoming musician?
ACE: If you're interested in becoming a professional musician. you really have put that before everything else in your lire. Before your girlfriend. your parents. your carrier. A lot of people are playing bands on weekends and then have a normal Job. but if you're serious about becoming a professional musician you really have to give It a 100% every day.

Interviewer: A lot of great guitarists have released guitar-lessons videos. Have you had any thoughts about doing that?
ACE: I have thought about It. But you know I can't even read notes. Ironically I was on the cover of Guitar World (Guitar magazine) last year. but you know ....I can teach, someone how to make a guitar smoke (laughin').

Interviewer: What do you think about the new music today. like thrash, speed. Seattle and grunsh?
ACE: I think It's good because If the music stays the same. It would become very stagnant. Sn the music has to continue to grow. A lot of the great music that I hear today sound Just like the music 20 years ago. It's basically the same shit 3 chords (laughin').

Interviewer: What kind of musk, do you listen to these days? What kind of bands?
ACE: I'm very busy these days so I don't have much time to pick up a CD and listen. I have some good friends to the states that I listen to. like Skid Row. Pantera... Rolling Stones.

Interviewer: Have you heard the new Kiss My Ass CD? if m what do you think about it?
ACE: I think it sucks!'! (people laughin') Actually the album is not that bad. but I just didn't expect a acoustic version of Rock'n'Roll All Nite.

Interviewer: How come your make-up was Changed for the album?
ACE: Well actually every time Paul and Gene, uses my make- up they have to pay me a royalty check. So I think they changed the make-up so they didn't had to pay me.

Interviewer: What do you think about the tribute bands like Para site from Norway and Alive Iron Canada?
ACE: Actually the best one that I have seen are Alive from Canada . but I'm sum that there is a lot's of good coverbands around. There s one in Los Angeles called Cold Gin. There's one in the Mid West called Strutter. And there's one in Chicago called Mr Speed. I'm very flattered you know because they keep the myth alive. I legally can not wear the make-up anymore. if I took the make-up on today Paul and Gene would sue me and put me in jail. So I choose not to do that. (laughing')

Interviewer: Do you miss the old days Are?
ACE: Do I miss the old days? Actually the early days was much more fun than the more resent
days. without like The Elder and Unmasked. You know... in the beginning came with a concept. We use to wear black leather and the albums were not over produced. And the group was very raw and very hungry and he you know.. all of a sudden we all became millionaires and starting to go out with moviestars. Gene wanted to be an actor. That didn't work...did it? (laughin') Basically all I wanna do is to play guitar. My new band is fantastic. I
can't wait to bring it over here to Norway. (Big applause!!!!)

Interviewer: I know there's some people out there, that want to ask Ace some questions.

Fan: Do you remember a song called Rock Your Mind?
ACE: That song was written by me and Eric Carr. It was never really complete finished. And he passed away before we had a chance to finish it. Hopefully I try to finish it with my band and put it on my new CD and dedicate all his records Roalyties to the Eric Carr cancer fond.

Fan: Which song do you like best from the old Kiss albums?
ACE: Deuce!!

Interviewer: That was also the first song that you played or jammed with Kiss?
ACE: Yeah! This means yes, and this means no. (showing thumbs up and down)

Fan: Did you ever play on Creatures Of The Night?
ACE: I don't think so (laughin'). I had a car accident right before the album so I think Vinnie Vincent and Bob Kulick or whoever did the guitar on Creatures... I was on a painkiller so 1 don t remember to much.

Fan: Was Peter Criss fired from the band or did he quit?
ACE: Basically he was asked to leave in a nice way, but I quit. And make no mistake about it!! Last year Gene said that I was fired. that's a lot of crap. And later on he admitted that I did leave on my own choice.

Fan: Do you like the New York Dolls?
ACE: Good band, but unfortunately half of the band is dead right now.

Fan: Didn't you play on the song Flaming Youth?
ACE: Sweet Pain was the only song that I didn't t do the guitar solo on. The guy that used to play solos for Alice Copper. Nick Wagner did that solo.

Fan: Tell us about the song called "I Got The Touch".
ACE: I wrote that one with my old keyboard player in the early days with Frehley"s Comet. But we still haven't released it.

Interviewer: So you will release it?
ACE: You know we have so many songs, maybe better songs? The new album is a lot heavier than that song. That song is a little poppy.

Fan: Do you see yourself as a superhero guitarist?
ACE: No. I m just a kid from Bronx who got lucky. Interviewer: So what do you guys think about Ace Frehley? (BIG APPLAUSE!!!!!!)

Fan: Do you know Eric Singer?
ACE: I met him once. He actually came to the Los Angeles show. He happen to be a very good friend of my new bass player. They used to live together. NOT sexually!!!

Fan: Do Gene wear a wig?
ACE: You have to ask Gene about that. But it doesn't look very real to me (laughin'). This is real (Pointing at his hair). It's hot in here isn't it... I got a new tattoo.

Fan: I've heard that you didn't play on the album Rock'n'Roll Over.
ACE: You don t know what you're talking about. I played on all the songs. 1 don't remember if I wrote any of those songs.

Fan: Will you play a song with the coverband tonight?
ACE: No, I'm not here to perform. I'm here to sign autographs. You have to wait till I come back with my own hand.

Interviewer: I know you will wait for Ace Frehley to come back next year? (BIG APPLAUSE AGAIN!!!)!

Interviewer: Thank you Ace for being with us tonight you've been lovely. Welcome back next year!!
ACE: Thank you very much and thank you for all your questions. I'll take a little break now and then Ill sign some autographs for all of you.

Ace left the stage and we guided him backstage. When we came backstage Ace went over to Parasites Gene and hit him on the shoulder and said: "What's up Gene." He wasn't even in his make-up or in costume but Ace seemed to know the type." As we followed Ace to his VIP room I could here him say to George: I want to play. Can I play George. And George was answering: No Ace you ain't gone play. When I heard that I suddenly understood that it was Ace who were in town. The guitar legend who was just into this for the rock n'roll. He wanted to play. After some minutes of discussion we decided to bring Ace on stage with the cover band instead of having him on stage for the make-up contest. So we had a deal. Lars and I went back on stage for the look-alike contest. It was a success. A lot's of crazy Kiss tans had put make-up on for the event. It was not easy to choose a winner but the crowd was the judges. The person that got the biggest applause when we pointed at his/her head was the winner. The winner was given a sign computer-graphic that Ace had made. Frank Tøndel was the lucky one that got away with the first price. Flaming Youth T-shirts and posters was given to the rest. We had then a draw for some giveaways. A Kisstory book and two Kiss jackets. We tried to auction away a signed tour jacket from the Unmasked Lour but nobody was going higher than the 3500 Norwegian crowns that the bids started on.

It was now time for the autograph session that was expected to take a couple of hours. Ace was signing albums, magazines. photos and even a couple of Norwegian tits. After one and a half hour of signing Ace had to have a break. He and George went backstage for a dinner that we had arranged for them. It was now time for us to tell the people in the hall the big surprise. Ace was going Lo play with the cover band. The fans were
going nuts. The convention were complete. After 40 minutes of waiting Ace were coming back for the last part of the signing session. Even more fans got to meet Ace and get his autograph and handshake.

The second part of the signing session took about one hour and Ace was quite tired. When he came backstage he started to talk with the coverband Parasite about which songs they were going to play and which guitar he was going to use. The coverband looked great and Ace was impressed about the look. It was a very excited Parasite that entering the stage with a lots of pyro to the chords of Detroit Rock City. Ace asked for a nap. He laid down on the sofa in the VIP room for a ten minutes sleep. 10 minutes later and he was ready to play. When he put the guitar on we recognized the light in his eyes. We knew that the things that we had heard about Ace were true. He was not into this for the money or the fame. it was only rock ii roll for him. He seemed hungry for playing. After Parasite finished King Of The Night Time World and Deuce it was time to have the guitar legend on stage for the songs Cold Gin and Rock'n'Roll All Nite. It was a magic moment when Ace was standing there together with the fake Kiss figures doing improvised solos and even taking the lead vocal on Rock n Roll All Nite. The crowd was hysterical. Ace was leaving the stage for good and the fans was begging for more. Parasite finished the show alone with classic Kiss songs like Strutter, Rip it Out. Almost Human, Shout it out Loud and Black Diamond. The stage effects was great. The pyro-technics was amazing! The show was a success.

Off-stage report part II >>