Gene Simmons stated that "bad lifestyle decisions" contributed to Ace Frehley . The guitarist and co-founder of KISS died on October 16, 2025, at the age of 74, after suffering a fall in his home studio that resulted in a traumatic brain injury.
During a ceremony at the Kennedy Center last Sunday, the 7th, where Frehley was posthumously honored, Gene Simmons stated in an interview with the New York Times that the tragedy was influenced by a series of "bad choices" made by Frehley.
According to Simmons, the guitarist ignored advice from people close to him, including Simmons himself, to change his lifestyle. “He refused advice from people who cared about him – including me – to try to change his lifestyle. He made bad decisions all the time. Falling down the stairs – I'm not a doctor – doesn't kill you. There may have been other problems, and it breaks my heart. The saddest thing is that, unfortunately, we reap what we sow,” Gene .
Although the toxicology report has not yet been released, Frehley stated last year that he had been sober for 18 years.
Gene Simmons' comments reignited old conflicts between him and Ace , particularly regarding his history of substance abuse and the tension over professionalism and trustworthiness within the group. In 2019, Ace had stated that he was sober and had left KISS of his own accord, accusing Simmons and fellow founder Paul Stanley of being "control freaks" and "untrustworthy."
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