Ace Frehley Talks Solo on Kiss’ “Shock Me” & Talks EVH, Gear + More! | Shred with Shifty
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- Опубликовано: 22 авг 2024
- Ace Frehley is the reason Chris Shiflett picked up a guitar in the first place, so it’s only natural that Shifty invites his original tone teacher onto the pod to recap one his iconic solos. Frehley, saddled with a classic black-and-cream triple-humbucker Les Paul, shares that “Shock Me” was the first KISS track on which he took lead vocal duty. The first time he sang it live, he remembers, was in front of 18,000 screaming fans at Madison Square Garden. As Frehley explains, that was quite a step up from how he recorded the vocals in the studio for Love Gun: lying flat on the floor on his back, racked with stage fright.
Frehley recalls that he ripped most of his solos through a dimed Marshall stack, and always on the bridge pickup. Turns out, he never went for pedals or boards because he’d trip over them onstage. “Wearing those boots?” he snorts. “Forget about it. It’s like a minefield!” His signature sauce, he says, is in the way he picks the strings: He holds his picks loose, but plucks in such a way that his thumb often hits the string at the same time, producing a sound just shy of a pinched squeal, but more spunky than a regular strike.
Frehley drops tons of golden bits of KISS history: the engineering behind his famous “smoke bomb” effect, the time he woke up in Paris with his eyes swollen shut from makeup, how he accidentally roadied for Hendrix, the shared genealogy between his technique and Eddie Van Halen’s, and which KISS member smelled the worst after shows.
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Special thanks to Chris Peterson, Greg Nacron, and the entire Volume.com crew.
People want to hate on Ace these days (he's lucky just to be alive and still playing) but he was one of the greats back in the day and few could touch him. Ace inspired more people to pick up the guitar than just about anyone else, myself included. Thanks for this!
love ace! he might have some kind of health related thing causing him to forget how to play some of his stuff or then it's just the drugs he has taken all those years catching up to him.
Few could touch a guy who plays nothing but pentatonic scales? Are you kidding me? 😂
Ace is a solid player of basic rock guitar. He just happened to be part of a band that was a trendsetter. Musically there was nothing amazing about what they were doing. They’re clearly influential, but virtually everyone they influenced are more gifted than they are when it comes to musicianship. Ace had some timeless riffs, but just about anyone who’s been playing guitar for more than a couple years can play anything he’s done.
He's very cool - and creative. I think you put it well. Lucky to be alive absolutely.
C'mon, was NOT one of the greats back in the day. Serviceable, yes, great, no.
ACE has lived & rocked HARD, and here he is, still alive & well.
That, in itself, is a miracle.
The guy has nothing left to prove, because he paved the way for us back in the
glorious 70's.
A total legend.
Ace was my first guitar hero at age 12. I’m 59 now and still love the Spaceman!
Exactly same here!
Me too
I remember when I was 12 or 13 I had a Ace Frehley T-shirt with just his picture and He was always my hero and I have a DiMarzio pickup in my Les Paul just like his. I am 57 now.
No matter what, Ace spawned a generation of guitarists. Tasty solos which always served the song. We all age and aren't what we were in our prime, but the man was a huge influence and definitely lived the rock-n-roll lifestyle!
Ace was definitely the reason why I started playing!
Ace has always had a slopped style but I don’t care. It’s real and he has a vibe that works.
You must suck if that guy influenced you.
Chris you did a great job. You honored one of your guitar hero’s with a ton of respect. Obviously you are on a different level but you got there by initially listing to people like Ace. He is a gem and you paid respect to that!
Bootlicker 😅
ACE is a True Original. A Legend
To the haters, let's get something straight: Ace Frehley has nothing to prove to anyone. The number of arena shows this man has played to screaming fans for decades, the fact that he is still releasing original music and performing it in his seventies, the amount of influence he has had on young guitar players for decades, the distinct sound he brought to Kiss songs with his solos, the effortless authenticity he displayed with his solo album (including a hit that is still played at New York sporting events today), the fact that he designed one of the most iconic and most merchandised band logos ever created with a magic marker and a sheet of graph paper (look at his first take - despite what Paul Stanley would like to suggest, all of the essential characteristics of the current logo are right there), designed one of the most recognized character faces in the world with his makeup, one that is being propelled into the future in the form of a state of the art digital "avatar" show by a band that apparently can't thrive without it, AND DID ALL OF THIS WHILE HE WAS DRUNK... I think he can just do what he wants now.
If you have any commensurate achievements, feel free to weigh in on Ace Frehley.
he seems like an awesome guy but his guitar playing is...not good. When he says: "When you use your finger and pick at the same time you get harmonics" then produces a bunch of horrible noise, but no harmonics...lol.
Maybe he should start using again
I think he has plenty to.prove to the US Government to the tune of two hundred thousand dollars and some change 😂
@@fromalongtimeagoI'd say maybe he should just stay backstage and let his band play the gigs 😅
He's still putting out music that's way better than decent.
Ace Frehley's man cave is the ultimate man cave
Ace is an unpretentious open honest old dude that still likes the same sounds he was making in the 70’s. Many many rock guitarists stand on his shoulders for licks. He’s not a clean technical player, but a lick master and showman. Happy that he’s sober and has survived the addictions. I wish him the best.
Com’n guys - Give Ace a break. If I can make ANY noise at his age and with the mind-altering abuse Ace has lived through I’d die happy.
Thx Shifty for being respectful and treating Ace the way you did.
One of my biggest influences - Ace Frehley was an absolut legend, bought so many Gibsons from the 70s just because of him.
Love the questions you ask Chris! Great video! Thanks for this
This one is right up there with the Alex Lifeson episode for me!! How can you not love Ace?! He's a no bullshit kinda guy and it comes through in his playing! He's never been worried about being the fastest or flashiest guitarist. He just plays whatever feels right for the song and puts his stamp on it!
Those two really did it for me, too. Iconic players. Kind. Hilarious, too.
Are you kidding he's a all bullshit kinda guy.
He admitted he doesn't remember 3/4 of his life. He's surrounded by yes men,he's broke again for the 100th time. And sober? Now there's some bullshit.
If he went clean it would kill him. He was great in the 70s now he's just a washed up lush but I bet you would pay to see that train wreck.
??????????????? He's all B.S
@@stephenlandry9343....FACTS
@@poppiethestable1090 yep from 86 to now all bulshit. Hell kiss has always been full of shit liars. Especially paul.
You can always tell an Ace fan by how much their face lights up watching Ace play the Shock Me solo. Chris had the same excitement level Matt Sweeney had when he interviewed Ace.
If you’re a certain age. Shifty and I are in the same range. 45-60 Ace is a hero to most of us.
50-60
You nailed it, I'm 60 been a fan since I'm 12. First saw Kiss live at 13.
First album KISS alive 2. Still have it. First 30 seconds of this interview, why I need to remain sober. Thank you ACE.
People forget how good Ace was back in the day , he got me into playing guitar , the sound and the absolute magic those guys had ,drew me in hook line and sinker !
It's called witchcraft lol
Niice, Ace is undoubtedly the reason i finally picked up a guitar. I saw KISS in Detroit at Olympia Stadium the end of January 1978. I was barely 15 and that was an eye opening experience. I also saw Frehleys Comet the day after my wife and I were married on December 6th 1987 in Saginaw MI at Wendler arena, they opened for Aerosmith. Keep rockin' Ace Frehley!
All I will say here after seeing this (and the Sambora episode which was removed altogether) Chris is beyond professional and beyond respectful consistently cheering and putting his guests in the best possible light possible when things are going sideways…
If you’ve never been shocked between a mic and your guitar, you have some work to do. It is, after all, a rock and roll right of passage. Ace was a massive influence on so many of us. Cheers, Ace! And thanks Shifty!
Ace played that whole show where he was electrocuted by the stairs railing without any feeling in that hand.
Ace was doing Les Paul weight relief (smoke bomb carving) before it was cool. Great interview Chris! Thanks
This is hitting home!! Ace was definitely my first guitar hero!! I loved Kiss more than life itself back in the 70s
Out of the 1000s of interviews I've listened to Ace is the number one player cited as the reason they started playing guitar. Even more so than the Beatles on ed Sullivan. So who cares if he isn't a perfect player anymore he is still the king of rock lead guitar.
That’s just absurd.
He was never perfect to begin with but he had the balls to rock and he hasn't lost it at all.
Not really
I saw Ace live recently, and he might not be what he used to, be he still rocked, and his band was tight!
You know Chris was cursing the lag when Ace asked him to play rhythm 😄 fun episode!
I think he made that up...If you know what I mean
@@poppiethestable1090 eh I don’t think so, Chris did a premiere chat about this episode when it came out, he and his producers seemed genuinely thrilled about this whole episode.
Ace is a legend and he was definitely my first influence who inspired me to play guitar, great interview.
I love these raw, uncut, imperfect videos. Ace was one of the reasons I had to have a Les Paul as a kid in 1980. Ace, Mick Jones (Foreigner), Gary Ritchrath (REO Speedwagon), Joe Walsh (during his Eagles days), and so many great players who wielded that behemoth on stage. Still playing them to this day!
I WAS 9 YEARS OLD IN 1977 AND WALKED INTO A GIBSON'S STORE IN VIDALIA, GEORGIA AND I SAW KISS ALIVE 2 👉 😲. I'M LIKE WHO ARE THESE GUYS? 🤔 MY MOM BOUGHT ME THE ALBUM, AND NOW I'M 55 YEARS YOUNG AND HAVE BEEN A HUGE KISS AND ACE FREHLEY FAN ALL OF MY LIFE. ACE WILL ALWAYS BE MY ALL-TIME FAVORITE GUITARIST 🎸🎸🎸 🔥🔥🔥🔥😲😲😲😲😲😲🙋🏻♂️
Ace is a legend and a massive influence! Great interview, Shiflett. Keep 'em coming.. Rock on! 🤘
Hearing the solo from Firehouse was worth the price of admission for me. The old Ace is still in there... 🤣🤣🤣
I just purchased Dynasty in Caldor when this guy walks buy and says "That's a great album" When I went to pay for it, the sales clerk said "He was just in here" .... I ran outside screaming "Paul, Paul Frehley - Will you sign this album?" BTW, the house in Wilton IS INCREDIBLE! A few years later, we met again at a Halloween party - some friends and I are jamming when he comes in dressed as _The Spaceman_ asks quietly if he can join ... then starts in with Rock and Roll All Nite - we all look at one another and question whether it was really him or not ... What a Party that was that Nite!
That's why we love Ace. Not only has he provided my life with his ass kicking guitar play but he's hilarious 😂. Ace the luthier. Takes a drill and a chisel to a vintage les Paul. 😂
The most influential guitar player who is still alive. This Ace is like a living Hendrix. Ace couldn't remember what album Shock Me was on. This is Ace Frehley humour. Ace would never forget Shock Me on Love Gun .
I'm almost 20 years younger than Ace and I can't remember what song on on what albums sometimes. 😆
Ummmmmmmm...yes he would. He thinks Eddie Kramer produced "Strange Ways" 😂
If you say so...
It’s so nice of Chris to teach Ace’s solo to Ace.
Ace would have kick this guy ass anytime back when he was younger and problem free
@@sega62s😂😅 Ace never got any better after the first KISS record. He relies on the same, boring pentatonic licks
@@JokersWild70 like David Gilmour?
@@sega62s I really dont know anything about Gilmour. I'm not a PF fan. Their music is just a bit TOO cerebral for my liking. Rush is about as thematic as I like to get
@@JokersWild70 who is Rush?
I’ve been playing guitar for 30 years because of Ace even wrote a song about it ! Shock Me is one of may all time favorites! Kiss alive and alive 2 so freaking good
my reason I play guitar. good to see him healthy and still playing
Thanks Chris for bringing Ace on the show!!
Love the WASP sign!! 🤠
Ace was the first guitarist I would love to listen, he had some great chops, always inspired solos that fits the song, lots of contrast and energy.
Thanks for the interview, it’s been 50 years he made those albums, It’s hard to remember anything from the past.Kiss on the road back with Rush must have been the best times 🙏🏼🎼🙏🏼
Er, yeah, but he got back in Kiss and toured with them all through the 90s and up to the 2000s.
96-2000, not "all" through the 90s@@Metal_Horror
Great Show, Chris!🤘👍
Ace Frehley is my Rock-God!🤘🤘I can`t wait to hear his new album "10000 Volts"! It comes out end of this month.
Keep on rocking and greetings from Germany!🤟👍🎸
Ace was my first guitar hero.
I love this kind of interview - Ace is the real deal. He was crutial to what made KISS the thing. One of the last rock stars still kicking.
Ace sounds like me when i leave the pub at 1am with the lads after a heavy night and we go back to mine for a few night caps and i say "let me show you this solo".....
One of the best Ace interviews I've seen
ACE not only inspired a lot of guitar players but he also has a great sense of humor!
He's also bitter
yes, one of my all time favorite Idols ACE baby!!!!!
Shifty, you are the best for bringing us all this sonic goodness! Thanks bro!
Super enjoyable interview. I am more of a casual Kiss fan but really loved the Ace solo album with "New York Groove". Great job Chris keeping this one moving and bringing out some great Ace Frehley stories. Well done!!
I got to be a one time roadie for Ace and Peter in 1995 at California’s in Windsor. It was surreal. I was in the sound booth with the sound guy and Ace(on a wireless)during Strange Ways soundcheck. I was face to face with Ace in a tiny box watching him play the Strange Ways solo. 🤘😃
Kick ass 🤘
Yes! Originals was my first exposure to Kiss, too. Changed my life forever.
Man I would love to just have a chance to sit an talk to Ace for hours
Kiss Double Platinum was the first album I ever owned. I was 8 years old and it was a Christmas present from my parents. It changed my life. I was determined to play guitar because of Ace. As I advanced in age and in skill I discovered Hendrix, Gibbons, Van Halen, Larry Carlton, etc. I get that the music of Kiss is not intricate or super challenging but that wasn’t who they were trying to be. I’ll never say negative things about Kiss or Ace because their role in rock music history was so important. Are they the Beatles? We all know the answer. Was it fun as hell? No question.
I was 12 when Kiss alive came out. I Loved that record, but i was a drummer, so Peter's drum solo on that record was all i would listen to. I'm a guitar player now 33 years, still play the drums but it's an electronic kit. Ace is Awesome! Good Score. That Bronx accent is soo strong.
Ace is so awesome. Some of his playing might be rough but that laugh of his , the snarly voice, the slight arrogance , and just his entire demeanor is so damn fun and funny .
My first guitar hero, way back in the 70’s!!!
I remember learning the solo to Shock Me for my guitar lesson back in 2021 during my second year of college, definitely a fun one to learn and it’s one of (if not) Ace’s best solos for a reason. Dude is just ripping it and it’s fucking awesome, still one of my favourite KISS songs
Ace is so damm Cool!! And down to earth!!! What a cool rock bro!! It so Awesome to listen to him talk about his gear!!!
“ the platonic scale” lol 😂
Great interview Chris
Even when Ace is bad, Ace is good! You can't help but love Ace!
I saw KISS when Ace got shocked in Lakeland Florida.
lmao, Ace is just classic and this interview is nothing short of a viral moment in time i was lucky enough to come across. Thanks Chris, greetings from San Diego.
Ace solo's are so much much to play. I love playing this song. Also Strange Ways and Parasite. Even the Kissco music. Just wish the I Was Made For Lov'n You solo was longer.
This went exactly how I thought a guitar hang with Ace Frehley would go.
And I’m grateful for it.
That solo from 100,000 years is pretty special too! Thanks for the content! Love this series!
Newer fan, but I love Ace. Awesome interview.
What a great interview!! Thank you! Please get Ace to play a Foo Fighters show in Los Angeles this summer!! My two favorite guitarists on stage... Ace and Shifty!
You can't see...ACE CAN'T PLAY
Great interview Chris, i love Ace a lot. Very humble
What a treat! How can there ever be a better episode than this one?! And yeah the new album sounds great. Production wise it kind of reminds me of the last Ozzy record Patient Number 9 which I also really like.
Ace = Legend
"aren't they putting together a hologram tour?" 😂😂 Almost spit out my drink when he said that 😂 also....Chris...how could you not bring up the Ovation Breadwinner?!
Kiss was my gateway band
One of the great solos from the 70s.
Great player.
Awesome interview. Ace is the reason I picked up a guitar! My Uncle had a room covered in KISS and Judas Priest posters, and I dug through his record collection, found his electric guitar in his closet, and learned to play by picking along to Ace’s ‘78 solo album. His new album kicks ass too! Love that he’s still making music 🤘
Ace is da man!! Love the new stuff!
Great job Chris! Ace is why I play as well and it was great to see this long form interview. Well done!
One of the things Ace does still have is command of his unique wide vibrato, It;s the thing that made Ace sound like Ace,
Great episode!!
I love Ace’s playing, no one plays or sounds like him. Even his vocal phrasing is unique to him.
To be instantly recognizable is a rare gift.
Somebody call Dave Grohl and tell him to let Shifty take solos!
I don't think anyone can play or sound like him here
Who wants to tell them what it is Chris does in Foo Fighters?
Shifty rules, Ace rules. Ack!
Best one yet! IMO
Ace had always been my favorite from Kiss. I think he says what he feels. First saw Kiss in 1976 at Nassau Colisium in N.Y. the Destroyer tour. He might not play like he used to, but he still plays better then most.
I love Ace.
Saw Ace in 1976 Birmingham, ALABAMA. It was magical for a kid like me. Made me want to play guitar, and I still do until this day!!!!
Thankyou so much for this interview, luved it.
Luv seeing Ace, and all you people going on about what he looks like, just remember, are you going to look the way you did, when you're your later year's. Personally considering everything he's done and been through, and he's still here, and still playing, hey, im bloody proud of him.
Thanks again for this interview, from Melbourne Australia
I'm just happy that Ace is still with us and not another dead guitar hero
One of the best interviews I have seen of him ......thanks Chris .....no bs interview
Had just moved from Jamaica to Canada (was 6 yrs old). Saw snow for the 1st time and then saw KISS for the 1st time while watching some show. ACE BLEW MY MIND!!! I stood up, mesmerized, pointed at the Spaceman's smoking during a solo, and said to my mom, "I want to do that!" LOL
Thank for sharing this video. So Cool! Ace is mr Rock n Roll and kicks ass harder than ever! Ace forever!
22:09 "Pantonic and Platonic! I don't know WTF" - Ace Frehley
That is great! He doesn't know theory for sure, doesn't mean you shouldn't. He said it: He's blues based, playing from the heart, we could learn a lot from him even if he's not Steve Vai!
back then I was getting high. killed me. Ace has such an iconic approach to playing...his classic sound is really identifiable!
Ace's phrasing, riffs, and tone are instantly recognizable. He doesn't have a large bag of tricks, but the ones he has are priceless.
That's a nice way of putting it 😂
This is a little long winded but bear with me...
It is 1976 and the coolest guy on the bus gets aboard with the KISS Destroyer album. WHAT? KISS? I finally get to see the album cover and am instantly captivated. In the next few days I come to learn about The Starchild, The Demon, The SpaceMan and The Cat. But living in an extremely isolated town in Northeast Canada brings long time periods, before it catches up with the rest of the world. But finally I get the KISS Alive II album and when I open it up there is a vision that enthralls me still to this day. And with all the action on that stage is one individual, slightly leaning, right arm extended and pointing at the audience...and playing that gorgeous guitar, a Cherry Sunburst Gibson Les Paul. Mr, Ace Frehley!
Christmas comes and mom asks what I want for Christmas...and in the Sears Christmas Wishbook is a Cherry Sunburst Les Paul copy for $100.00...just like Ace's!!! HAHA!!! That is alotta money I know but mom makes it happen. XOXO
Now, The possibilities of seeing any concert, let alone KISS, is far reaching in the town I once lived in. Then Peter and Ace were gone followed by the makeup...for me KISS was no more.
Fast forward to 1996, I am watching the Grammys, when at the end, KISS in full costume with original members appear. I am flabbergasted...jaw hanging out of my head and leaping about in front of the TV...my wife seriously thought I was losing my mind. I said "KISS is back together again?!?!" "Touring?"
The very next day I went to the only travel agency in my little town and said to the lady..."KISS...Grammy's...touring? Blah blah blah...get me a ticket as close to the stage, hotel, anything...money is no object." She calls back the next day...KISS, Montreal, and all the details. I am booked to see KISS for the first time and I am seriously numb. The concert is everything and more than I could have ever imagined. Finally after decades, I got to see KISS, I got to see and hear Ace Frehley..LIVE!!
And here we are today, the internet is abound, and I get the honor of watching Shifty, interview my first guitar hero and I see the heartfelt excitement in his eyes and voice. Well done Shifty...Bravo Zulu sir. And thank you Ace Frehley for getting me started on the guitar. Bless you both.
ACE is a living legend, and is the reason millions of kids and teens picked up an electric guitar 'back in the day'! He played from the heart, and his hard rock style spawned some memorable riffs and lead work!
Loved this! Ace is who made me want to play guitar. I figure I'm in good company with Chris, Dime, Slash, McCready, Dave Sabo, and so many more. Just nowhere near as successful. LOL I remember being about 14 having my uncle's Aria Diamond Pro II and figuring out "2000 Man" on "Dynasty" by myself on my Dad's Fisher stereo system, and I was so stoked when I figured out "Fractured Mirror" off his solo album.
I know some people think his playing is suffering because of age (which is probably true to some extent) but having listened to the album and seen some recent concert footage, his playing is still there. It seems to me he's not used to playing seated. He's also not the first player being interviewed who has issues trying to play and explain their own music because they're not warmed up, and their not used to thinking and explaining how to play it vs just playing it standing on stage. His interviews have always been, um, very "Ace". lol
Ace's solos were always the exact right thing for the song and not a bunch of stunts strung together.
The Ace meeting Jimi and Mitch Mitchel story was awesome!
Thank you for this, Chris and Ace! 🤘🎸🔥
Ace is a legend.
Great interview but dang it's hard to watch Ace play.
Even harder to listen to.
yeh hes quite rough around the edges his vices did him in sadly.
saw him get shocked in Lakeland Fl 1977
FL southern grad here!
Will always love Ace but its hard watching one of your guitar heros lose his mojo and get old.
Excellent interview! I really dug the respect and patience you had with Ace.The dude has done it all and continues to influence young guitarists.Aside from my own father Ace is the reason I play guitar (Even though I’m a Bassist).
I can’t wait for “10,000 Volts”
🤘🏻💀👍🏻
A legend, long may he live......great interview bro...
Ace is why I picked up guitar! Chris I'll be seeing you at the gig in Glasgow! 🤟🏻