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Gene Simmons Next Sunday, the founding members of the band KISS will be honored by Donald Trump at the Kennedy Center Honors. However, one will be missing. KISS guitarist Ace Frehley is honored posthumously. The musician died in October after falling at his New Jersey residence. Before Donald Trump honored him, bandmate Gene Simmons gave an interview to the New York Post in which he also spoke about Frehley’s death.
“Bad decisions”
According to the bassist, “bad decisions” made by Ace Frehley himself led to the guitarist’s downfall, which would cost him his life. These statements could indicate that alcohol or substance abuse played a role in the October accident. In the interview, Gene Simmons said: “He always rejected advice from people who cared about him when it came to changing his lifestyle.”
He continued: “Bad decisions throughout. Falling down the stairs – I’m not a doctor – won’t kill you. There may have been other problems and it breaks my heart.” The 76-year-old ended his description of Ace Frehley’s death with the words “The saddest thing about it is: You reap what you sow.”
Ace Frehley died in the hospital
After the guitarist’s fall, a forensic doctor diagnosed a skull fracture and a subdural hematoma. There was also a stroke. After the musician was hospitalized, he died on October 16, 2025. In 2024, Ace Frehley stated that he had been drug-free for 18 years.