A sequence of “unhealthy choices” by KISS guitarist Ace Frehley contributed to his loss of life, band frontman Gene Simmons informed The Put up.
Simmons condemned the substance abuse he recommended contributed to Frehley’s deadly fall down the steps in his Morristown, NJ residence studio, resulting in a mind bleed that killed him days afterward Oct. 16 at age 74.
“He refused [advice] from people who cared about him – together with yours actually – to attempt to change his life-style. Out and in of unhealthy choices. Falling down the steps — I’m not a health care provider — doesn’t kill you. There might have been different points, and it breaks my coronary heart,” mentioned Simmons.
The Morris County medical expert report lists the reason for loss of life as a blunt trauma damage of the pinnacle as a result of a fall. It mentioned a separate toxicology report on Frehley’s blood could be issued.
“The saddest factor – you reap what you shall sow sadly,” mentioned the outspoken Simmons, 76, the co-lead singer and bassist for the band.
Simmons, who’s in DC to gather a Kennedy Middle Honor with surviving band members and to testify within the Senate to advertise laws to require giant radio stations pay royalties to performers, described attending Frehley’s personal funeral service on Oct. 22.
“It breaks my coronary heart. Peter Criss, our founding drummer, Paul [Stanley] and myself went to the funeral, open casket.
“It was simply heartbreaking. Saddest of all maybe is that Ace simply couldn’t keep alive lengthy sufficient to sit down there proudly on the Kennedy Middle and hearken to – I can’t even inform you who’s going to return out … actually spectacular individuals, simply to say how a lot KISS meant to them.
“What are you able to say – unhappy.”
Simmons beforehand spoke to Folks concerning the pressures that will have stored fellow band members from intervening with Frehley.
“Let’s simply proceed doing the tour since you wish to get by means of it for egocentric causes as a result of it’s working, and the chicks, and the cash, and also you don’t wish to destroy something,” he informed the journal. “Meantime, any individual who may be your brother is ruining their life by unhealthy choices.”
Frehley revealed a searing on-line submit in 2019 blasting Simmons for feedback on the time admonishing him for his consuming and alleged unreliability.
“Your slanderous remarks about my unhealthy habits through the years has price me thousands and thousands of {dollars} and now that I’m over 12-years sober you’re nonetheless saying I can’t be trusted to play an entire nights present! Nicely that’s precisely what I’ve been doing for the final 12-years with completely different configurations of ‘The Ace Frehley Band’ to you and Paul’s dismay!” he wrote.
He warned on the time that with out an apology that “the s*** will hit the fan and so they’ll [sic] be no stopping it. It’s on!” Rolling Stone reported on the time.
Frehley was charged with driving underneath the affect, reckless driving, and leaving the scene after a 1983 automotive chase on the Bronx River Parkway in his 1981 DeLorean. He was required to spend two weeks in a hospital detox and to attend AA conferences.
After serving to discovered the band in 1973, Frehley left KISS in 1982, rejoined for a reunion tour in 1996 and remained within the band till 2002. The bandmates put a coda on any previous feuds as Simmons and Paul Stanley, each from Queens, joined Peter Criss, from Brooklyn, to honor Frehley, from the Bronx.
