Gene Simmons has issued an official apology after suggesting that a series of “bad decisions” led to Ace Frehley's death in an interview with The New York Post.
“He refused [advice] from people that cared about him – including yours truly – to try to change his lifestyle,” Simmons said.
“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.
“Peter Criss, our founding drummer, Paul [Stanley] and myself went to the funeral, open casket,” he continued.
“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.”
After his comment went viral – with many fans saying his take was insensitive considering Frehley has just passed away – Simmons took a step back and apologized in a social media statement.
“On reflection, I was wrong for using the words I used,” Simmons wrote on X (on December 10). “I humbly apologize. My hand to God, I didn’t intend to hurt Ace or his legacy, but upon rereading my words, I see how it hurt everyone. Again, I apologize. I’ve always loved Ace. Always.”
Frehley passed away on October 16, with an autopsy report revealing the 74-year-old died from blunt force injuries to the head he suffered in the fatal fall at his home studio in Morristown, New Jersey.
His death caused an outpouring of love from the guitar community, with his former Kiss bandmates, Tom Morello, Nuno Bettencourt, Steve Vai, and Slash (among many others) all paying their respects.
