Ace Frehley was a roadie for Jimi Hendrix when he was 18 years old. A half century later, he'd sell the Kiss catalog and brand for $300 million | Fortune

"Ace Frehley, the original lead guitarist and founding member of the glam rock band Kiss, who captivated audiences with his elaborate galactic makeup and smoking guitar, died Thursday. He was 74. Frehley died peacefully surrounded by family in Morristown, New Jersey, following a recent fall, according to his agent. Family members said in a statement that they are "completely devastated and heartbroken" but will cherish his laughter and celebrate the kindness he bestowed upon others."

"Kiss, whose hits included "Rock and Roll All Nite" and "I Was Made for Lovin' You," was known for its theatrical stage shows, with fire and fake blood spewing from the mouths of band members dressed in body armor, platform boots, wigs and signature black-and-white face paint. Kiss' original lineup included Frehley, singer-guitarist Paul Stanley, tongue-wagging bassist Gene Simmons and drummer Peter Criss. Frehley's is the first death among the four founding members."

"Band members took on the personas of comic book-style characters - Frehley was known as "Space Ace" and "The Spaceman." The New York-born entertainer and Rock & Roll Hall of Famer often experimented with pyrotechnics, making his guitars glow, emit smoke and shoot rockets from the headstock. "We are devastated by the passing of Ace Frehley," Simmons and Stanley said in a joint statement. "He was an essential and irreplaceable rock soldier during some of the most formative foundational chapters of the band and its history. He is and will always be a part of KISS's legacy.""

Ace Frehley, the founding lead guitarist of Kiss, died at 74 after a recent fall and passed away peacefully surrounded by family in Morristown, New Jersey. Family members described themselves as completely devastated and heartbroken while saying they will cherish his laughter and celebrate his kindness. Kiss achieved major commercial success in the mid-1970s with hits such as "Rock and Roll All Nite," "I Was Made for Lovin' You" and the ballad "Beth," and became known for theatrical stage shows, signature face paint and marketing. Frehley, known as "Space Ace" or "The Spaceman," pioneered pyrotechnic guitar effects and was a Rock & Roll Hall of Famer. His death is the first among the original four founding members.

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