In 1982 Ace Frehley Walked Away From A Huge Kiss Contract Because He Knew Staying In The Band Would Kill Him

Ace Frehley, the original lead guitarist and founding member of Kiss, died today, October 16, 2025, at the age of 74. Known to millions of fans as "The Spaceman," Frehley was a defining presence in one of the biggest and most theatrical rock bands in history. For those who don't know, Ace was part of Kiss from the very beginning, helping shape the band's look, sound, and swagger during its meteoric rise through the 1970s. He was there at the absolute zenith of their success, from 1973 until his departure in 1982, when Kiss was one of the most famous—and profitable—bands in the world.

In 1978, when all four Kiss members released solo albums simultaneously, Frehley's record turned out to be the surprise hit. His self-titled album "Ace Frehley" outsold the others and produced the Top 20 single "New York Groove," which remains a stadium anthem at New York sporting events nearly fifty years later.

But it wasn't all good times. For every sold-out arena and platinum record, there were equally destructive doses of sex, drugs, and rock and roll—and perhaps too much of all three for Ace in particular. By the early 1980s, the fun had curdled. Behind the silver makeup and explosive guitar solos was a man falling apart. The partying had stopped being a reward and started becoming a problem, and the pressure within Kiss was reaching a breaking point. Frehley later admitted that he was so miserable and self-destructive during that period that he believed staying in the band would kill him.

As 1982 approached, Kiss was still a global empire. Band co-founders (and de facto leaders) Gene Simmons and Paul Stanley were ready to cash in on another round of tours and albums. They just needed their lead guitarist to sign on. What they didn't know was that Ace Frehley had already reached his breaking point—and no dollar amount could convince him to stay.

(Photo by Tim Mosenfelder/Getty Images)

Turning Down a Fortune

Frehley later described that period as one of total chaos — a blur of exhaustion, paranoia, and addiction that left him questioning everything. The fame, the fortune, the excess — none of it mattered anymore. Kiss had gone from being a band of hungry outsiders to a billion-dollar enterprise powered by managers, merchandising deals, and endless touring. To the outside world, they were still gods of rock. Inside, Ace felt trapped. As he later recalled:

"I was mixed up. I believed that if I stayed in that group I would have committed suicide. I'd be driving home from the studio, and I'd want to drive my car into a tree."

Put yourself in Ace's shoes at that time. You're in one of the biggest bands on earth. You're flying on private jets, staying in five-star hotels, and surrounded by fans and groupies everywhere you go. Life is an endless buffet of sex, drugs, rock and roll, and general debauchery.

Would you have signed up for another round?

Ace walked away. And as he revealed in an interview decades later, he left a ton of money on the table:

"I mean, I walked out on a $15 million contract. That would be like $100 million today. And my attorney was looking at me like, 'What are you, crazy?'"

FYI, $15 million in 1982 is actually more like $50 million today. Still, it was a staggering sum of money and a stunning decision. And that likely doesn't include his share of future royalties, tour profits, and merchandise revenue. Over the decades that ultimately passed, Ace would have earned hundreds of millions of dollars had he stayed in Kiss. But not if it killed him first!

Frehley left not just the fame and fortune, but the toxic environment that had nearly consumed him. In interviews later in life, he said he felt an overwhelming sense of relief once he finally stepped away. The pressure was gone. The chaos was gone. He could finally breathe again.

Life After Kiss

After leaving Kiss in 1982, Ace Frehley took a step back from the chaos of fame and began rebuilding both his life and career. A few years later, he returned to music with a new project called Frehley's Comet, signing with Megaforce Records and releasing a self-titled album in 1987. The record sold nearly half a million copies and produced the rock radio hit "Rock Soldiers." Two more albums followed — "Second Sighting" and "Trouble Walkin'" — cementing his reputation as a respected solo artist with a loyal fan base.

The 1990s brought both redemption and reconciliation. In 1996, Kiss staged one of the most successful reunion tours in rock history, with all four original members — Frehley, Gene Simmons, Paul Stanley, and Peter Criss — back in full makeup for the first time in nearly two decades. The tour grossed over $140 million and led to the 1998 album "Psycho Circus." Though tensions resurfaced and Frehley left again in 2002, his place in rock history was secure.

Over the following two decades, Frehley maintained a steady solo career. Albums like "Anomaly" (2009), "Space Invader" (2014), and "Spaceman" (2018) earned solid reviews and reconnected him with a new generation of fans. He toured relentlessly, performing a mix of solo material and Kiss classics well into his seventies.

But the road wasn't always smooth. Frehley's battles with addiction continued intermittently, as did his financial troubles. He lost his home to foreclosure in 2013 and was often candid about the money he'd blown through during his wilder years. He also remained embroiled in an on-again, off-again feud with Simmons and Stanley, trading barbs in interviews about his place in the Kiss legacy. Still, there was mutual respect beneath the rivalry — a shared recognition that Kiss never would have become Kiss without Ace Frehley.

Even after decades apart, fans continued to hope for one last reunion. Frehley often hinted that he was open to it, but the stars never aligned. Instead, he carried on doing what he loved — playing loud, fast, and free.

The Final Encore

Had he taken another path, Ace Frehley might have instead died on October 16, 1982. He would have been a 31-year-old rock god with a huge unspent fortune collecting dust in the bank. Instead, he lived another 40+ years. He may have walked away from a huge fortune, but you can't take your money with you to the afterlife!

Ace Frehley will forever be remembered as the heart and soul of Kiss's classic sound — the swaggering guitarist who made space cool and turned arena rock into a spectacle. His fiery solos, signature "Spaceman" persona, and raw charisma inspired generations of musicians to pick up a guitar. Whether blazing through "Shock Me" or lighting up the stage with his smoke-belching Les Paul, Frehley embodied the reckless, joyful spirit of rock and roll. Decades after his debut, his influence still echoes every time a kid cranks up an amp and dreams of the stars.