12 Picks

Now that Ace Frehley is reunited with the original line-up of Kiss, it's easy to forget or discount his solo career of the late '80s. Spanning four a ...

12 Picks
Provided By:The Daily Vault

12 Picks
Ace Frehley
Megaforce Records, 1997
REVIEW BY: Christopher Thelen
ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED: 06/05/1999
Now that Ace Frehley is reunited with the original line-up ofKiss, it's easy to forget or discount his solo career of the late'80s. Spanning four albums (including one EP), Frehley - first as"Frehley's Comet" and then under his own name - never quite reachedthe level of superstardom that he did as the lead guitarist forKiss, but he did prove that he was by no means a washout.
But to discount Frehley's solo career is to do the man a greatinjustice, as the best-of disc 12 Picks proves. Taking six tracks from his solo output andadding six live tracks from a 1989 show in London, Frehley showsoften not only that he had the talent to succeed as a solo artist,but that his sound was as much Kiss as the other three members.
Just the track "Hide Your Heart" - featuring members of Skid Rowon background vocals and one Peter Criss on percussion - shows howmuch Frehley brought to the table in Kiss; this track could easilyhave been on one of their albums. Frehley's level of confidencenever sounded higher than on this track, as if he was finallycomfortable with what he was doing as a solo artist. (Too bad thealbum it came off, Trouble Walkin', was commercially ignored.)
I'll always have a fond spot in my heart for the tracks "RockSoldiers" and "Into The Night" from the Frehley's Comet album, two tracks that are certain to lockyou in with their addictive beats and guitar fretwork. "RockSoldiers", a tale about Frehley's confronting the demon of alcoholabuse he fought (and almost lost his life to) is still a powerfultrack, and has lost none of its edge even 12 years after the albumcame out.

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