ALBUM OF THE WEEK # 57 ACE FREHLEY - ACE FREHLEY (1978)

[RJhog (Admin)]

Artist: Ace Frehley 

Album: Ace Frehley

Producer: Eddie Kramer and Ace Frehley

Band Members: Ace Frehley with various session musicians including Anton Fig (drums)

Favorite Single: New York Groove

Favorite Album Cut: Rip It Out/What's On Your Mind/I'm In Need Of Love/Fractured Mirror (can't pick)

Most Likely To Skip: Wiped Out

 

This week I'm offering up Ace Frehley up for your listening pleasure.  On September 18th, 1978, Kiss did something that I don't think had been done before and I'm pretty sure it hasn't been done since.  All four members of the band released solo album simultaneously.  I guess the thought was that it would be like getting four Kiss albums all at one time.  Well, it didn't quite work out that way, but we got two damn good albums from Ace and Paul Stanley.  To this day, Ace's album probably gets the most votes for "which one is best" (my favorite is Paul's album, but Ace's is very close behind it).  

 

Ace's album was the highest charting of the four, reaching number 26 on the Billboard Albums chart.  Ace also provided us with the only "hit" in New York Grove.  It reached number 13.  Not to bad for the Spaceman.  Ace really delivered some great tunes during his time in Kiss, and eight of them are from this album.  The only clunker to me is Wiped Out.  It always made me thing of that song Wipe Out from the 50's or 60's.  Everything else I like.  The album contains my all-time favorite instrumental as well.  That of course is the final track, Fracturred Mirror.

 

You can still find this on CD pretty easily.  Hell, you can probably get your hands on an unopened album from '78 if you tried, since the record stores sent back more copies than they sold.  And did I mention how outstanding the artwork is?  Believe me, it is.

 

Side One:

 

1. Rip It Out

2. Speedin' Back To My Baby

3. Snowblind

4. Ozone

5. What's On Your Mind?

 

Side Two:

 

6. New York Groove

7. I'm In Need Of Love

8. Wiped Out

9. Fracturred Mirror

[Niels (Mod)]

I agree very much, in what you say about this album. My favorite solo-album is also Paul's, but Ace's very closely behind. I DO like "Wiped out". I think "Ozone" is the weakest track on the album. And yes, the artwork for the 4 albums really are outstanding. I could'nt afford all 4 albums, when they were released in '78, so I had to choose, and even before, I'd heard one song, I chose very wisely, because I got Ace's and Paul's first, and Gene's and Peter's a couple of months later, in fact for christmas '78. Ahhh, those memories. The drumming on "Rip It Out" AND the drumming on Paul's "Take Me Away (Together As One)" are my favorite drumming on ANY KISS-track, except for Peter's drumming on "KISS Alive". 

Speaking of drummers, I remember that Eric Carr was supposed to make a solo-album in '80-'81, is'nt that right. The cover was made,but was it the same artist, that did that cover?

[Scott]

Was hoping someone had the answer to your Eric Carr question. Bummer

[RJhog (Admin)]

I've never heard the Eric Carr story.  Bruce Kulick finished up some tracks that Eric had submitted to Kiss throughout the years that were rejected, from the best I can tell.  That was released as Rockology.

You can click the link to see the CD for sale on Amazon. 

 

It would really make no since that he would have made a solo album in '80 or '81 because he had just joined the band.  As tight as Gene and Paul are, why would they have ever allowed this?  My best guess is that it's a total rumour.

[Niels (Mod)]

I can't remember, where I heard it, but I think it was either Gene or Paul, who said, that they were THINKING about, that Carr should make a solo-album right away, so it could "fit in" with the other 4 solo-albums. But Ace also said, that the album after Unmasked would be Heavy Metal, and they ended up doing "Music From The Eleder".

 

[RJhog (Admin)]

I've seen that artwork before, I think it's just bootleg stuff.  You can tell the second photo is a bootleg DVD cover.  Also, all of the second label is referring to Eric after his death, which was 1991, so nowhere near 1980.

[RJhog (Admin)]

From Kissfaq.com

 

Because Eric was a drummer there is not too much of a separate discography for him. As a tribute to him I will attempt to detail his carreer here and his notable recordings and songs. NOTE: The solo album graphic presented here is a combination of two currently available on the net. The pseudo album cover is available at KISS Asylum, and the painting, commissioned by Eric himself, by Eraldo Carugati, the artist who did the original solo album covers, comes from a poster currently available from the KISS Freaks site (www.kissfreaks.com). I have combined the two for use here.

 

 

I can't find either of these two pieces of artwork on these sites, but I think it's the same as what you already posted.  But again, no mention of a solo album from that time frame on kissfaq.com, and you can pretty much find out anything about Kiss there.

 

Maybe a rumour started because of the release of the song "Carr Jam 1981" on the Revenge CD.  However, I don't think that title has anything to do with a purported Eric Carr solo album in 1981.  It was just a drum solo he recorded at the time.

[Niels (Mod)]

He-he-hey, I'm not stupid, and I know, you know, I'm not. I just posted the pictures, because I found them. Anyone can see the last picture is from a memorial Tribute-DVD .

I DID read an interview AROUND 1980-81, with either Gene or Paul, who said they were considering it. Maybe it was an interview to a danish magazine, when they gave a concert in Copenhagen in 1980? Maybe it was just for a second or two, they were considering it??

[RJhog (Admin)]

Dude, I can tell from all of your tatoos that you are not stoopid!

[Scott]

I too prefer Paul Stanleys solo album, but that appreciation took some time because this album was so good right out of the gate.  Stanley didnt get a chance to share time on the turntable because this one wouldnt come off!  Rip It Out did exactly that!  Tore it up!  Love all of this album, the drumming is killer and the production sound if stellar!  Still fresh...

 

Perfect choice!  In fact I would suggest you do all 4 now....

[Jon]

I have this on CD. Yes, I really do. And I kind of like it.

 

Saying that, please DO NOT post the rest of their '78 solo albums. Thanks!

[RJhog (Admin)]

Well, knowing you, I would figure the only one you might like would be the Peter Criss album.  Since you are all different and everything.

[Jon]

Isn't that the one that sucks the mostest?