The two legendary guitarists Ace Frehley called “sloppy”
Many people think that when aliens eventually come to Earth, their best means of communicating with us will be through some sort of music. It makes sense when you think about it, as while we may not be able to establish a language, peace or war could be easily interpreted through song. Well, decades ago, when people saw Kiss perform for the first time, there was likely a split second when they thought the aliens had finally landed.
Try to imagine it. You are living through a period of musical experimentation when the mere tuning down of guitars feels like a bold move. All of a sudden, you go to a gig, and Kiss comes on stage, the make-up and the outfits and the lights, all thrown at you alongside some stadium-ready rock music to completely overload your senses and provide the backdrop for a gig that could only ever be described as unforgettable.
When you think about the legacy they managed to make for themselves, not only as good musicians but as some of the best performers on the planet, it can hardly be considered a surprise that they have proven to be so timeless. There are still fans worldwide who have houses full of merch dedicated to these rock ‘n’ roll aliens and stadiums full of people who would still pay good money to see them perform.
What made Kiss stand out also proved to be quite divisive. While they’re not short on fans, many people see the make-up and stage presence as a distraction, detracting from the band’s quality and the inauthenticity of their music.
One artist who wasn’t a fan of their image was Sex Pistols frontman John Lydon. He quickly asserted that the band’s exaggerated look was part of the act and that they had very little to offer. “There’s a lot [of artists] that are selling you an image that’s false, deliberately fake, and deliberately commercial,” he said, “I’ve met the Kiss lads. They’re all right. You know, [but] without the makeup, there ain’t much going on”.
This seems like an unfair assessment. Kiss never claimed to be living aliens or demons and have always been relatively upfront about the fact the make-up was added purely to be entertaining. On top of that, their music was a lot of fun to listen to. Granted, there were better and more technically proficient artists out there, but the band have never denied that; even Ace Frehley admitted that he should have practised the guitar more.
“I’m a sloppy fucking guitar player. I’ll be the first to admit that,” said Frehley, “I make mistakes, and shit happens – especially live. I play the songs how they’re meant to be played. I deliver the classic Kiss songs and my solo songs how you remember.”
While admitting to his frequent errors, Frehley also highlighted two other guitar players who shared his style and who he would also call “sloppy.” “I am a sloppy guitar player,” he said, “So is Jimmy Page. So is Keith Richards. Jimmy Page is a sloppy guitar player. So am I. Keith Richards is sloppy. Sometimes they’ll have an off night and Keith is off in the ozone. I wasn’t always on, but most of the time when I played with Kiss, I was on. I’d save the partying for after the show.”
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