Ace Frehley might not be your usual kind of shredder, but for John 5, the former Kiss guitarist stands out in a wholly different way – and when it comes to one particular aspect of his guitar solos, Mötley Crüe’s newest recruit says he’s entirely unmatched.
Despite his Kiss audition in a rat-infested loft in New York nearly ending with Gene Simmons punching his lights out, Frehley's playing has always impacted his listeners. Simmons was ready to throw fists that day, but after Frehley plugged in, all was forgotten.
For John 5, whose packed resume includes stints with Rob Zombie and David Lee Roth, a solo you can sing along to is more moving than one that solely relies on deadly virtuosity. Frehley, he says, has mastered that practice, and it turned him onto learning the instrument.
“It’s just when you’re little and you see something, it could be a sports figure, it could be a race car driver or a hockey player, baseball or basketball. But mine was Kiss, and that’s what inspired me to do what I’m doing today,” he tells Ultimate Guitar.
“And I’m glad because I think inspiration is one of the most important things in the world. Because it stays with you forever, and it can change your life forever, as well.”
He acknowledges that his playing style is a world away from Frehley’s melody-first approach. In a way, that only heightens his appreciation for the guitarist.
“I always liked things 'to the limit,'” he explains. “To the pinnacle, to the absolute most. Like, the fastest race car driver, the best this, the best that. And with guitar, I wanted to take it to the absolute top, top, top. And that’s why I like all the crazy shredding.
“But I love Ace and I love all that stuff with the melodic solos. No one does it better than him. I’m just so happy I got to be inspired by all these great players.”
There’s an interesting parallel with Wolfgang Van Halen here. His father, Eddie Van Halen, was a shredder like no other, but he taught him one crucial lesson when it came to soloing.
“A solo should be melodically memorable,” Wolfgang said. “You can play a solo that's one note that can be way more impressive than a solo that's 2000 notes. It's not really the speed at which you play.”
John 5 may have decided to shred where Frehley took a more humble approach, but that didn't stop him from listing the guitarist as one of the most important players in shaping his sound.
Expanding on his love for the Space Ace with Guitar World back in 2023, he said: “He was like my Superman or Spider-Man. The whole vibe of Ace was something really special to me. I was so small, and Ace was just like this larger-than-life figure… I didn't even think he was a real person.”
Ace, meanwhile, has hit out at his former bandmates, claiming Kiss lied about him being fired from the band, and insists his side of the story is the only one that should be believed.
He may have his fans, but he has confessed to being “a sloppy guitarist” as his age catches up with him. Nevertheless, as he tells Guitar World, he’s been making a concerted effort to regain his form as he prepares to tour in support of his latest solo album.
You must confirm your public display name before commenting
Please logout and then login again, you will then be prompted to enter your display name.
“I heard the Money solo and thought, ‘This is amazing!’ So I sent David a telegram saying, ‘Remember me? I'm in a band now called Roxy Music’”: Phil Manzanera on his friendship with David Gilmour, and the key to the Pink Floyd man's unmistakable tone
“It’s really quite genius, but also hard to learn – it sounds insane, but sometimes the easiest songs still get me nervous”: Kiki Wong reveals the Smashing Pumpkins song she had the most trouble with
