KISS’s Gene Simmons Says Bad Decisions Caused Ace Frehley’s Death

KISS bassist Gene Simmons speaks out about the death of founding guitarist Ace Frehley: “There may have been other issues, and it breaks my heart”

Gene Simmons has spoken about the death of fellow founding member Ace Frehley‘s recent death, saying that “bad decisions” were the cause and hinting that he believed substance abuse was involved.

Frehley died on October 16 at the age of 74 following a fall at his home studio in Morristown, New Jersey. The Morris County Medical Examiner ruled that the cause of death was blunt force trauma to the head, but has said that a separate toxicology report would be issued in the future.

However, speaking to the New York Post while in Washington D.C. to collect a Kennedy Center Honor along with KISS singer Paul Stanley, Simmons, 76, suggested that Frehley’s history of drug and alcohol abuse were contributing factors.

“He refused [advice] from people that cared about him – including yours truly – to try to change his lifestyle. In and out of bad decisions. Falling down the stairs – I’m not a doctor – doesn’t kill you. There may have been other issues, and it breaks my heart,” Simmons said, oblivious to the fact that falls are the leading cause of injury-related death in adults over 65 in the US.

Never one to miss an opportunity to stick the boot in, Simmons continued, “The saddest thing – you reap what you shall sow unfortunately.”

Prior to his death, Frehley had lambasted Simmons online, writing in 2019, “Your slanderous remarks about my bad habits over the years has cost me millions of dollars and now that I’m over 12-years sober you’re still saying I can’t be trusted to play a whole nights show! Well that’s exactly what I’ve been doing for the last 12-years with different configurations of ‘The Ace Frehley Band’ to you and Paul’s dismay!”

Simmons also spoke about Frehley’s private funeral on October 22, which the surviving founding members of the band attended.

“It breaks my heart. Peter Criss, our founding drummer, Paul and myself went to the funeral, open casket,” he said.

“It was just heartbreaking. Saddest of all perhaps is that Ace just couldn’t stay alive long enough to sit there proudly at the Kennedy Center and listen to – I can’t even tell you who’s going to come out … really impressive people, just to say how much KISS meant to them.

“What can you say – sad.”

On so many, levels, Gene. So many levels.