What do you think of when you think of Ace Frehley? Do you think of modern day haggard Ace? Early days haggard Ace? Or do you just think pockmarks and let it go? Do you wonder why he was assigned to be the "funny" one in KISS Meets The Phantom Of The Park? Do you wonder if he has ever adjusted to the gravity on Earth? Or do you think of the only one of the 1978 KISS solo albums that you need?
The Ace Frehley album could be proof that he was an untapped talent. All of the songs were written (or co-written) by Ace, with the exception of New York Groove. Compare Ace's best tunes to any of the KISS hit singles. Compare any of Ace's worst tunes to any of the KISS hit singles. Ace outperforms every time. Sure, some of his lyrics are stupid, but no worse than anything found in Christine Sixteen or Strutter.
And his voice! Ace has got a much better voice than anyone else in KISS. Peter Criss is fake Rod Stewart, Paul Stanley is kind of shrill, and Gene Simmons just sucks. (I am sick of that barking growl thing he has happening. Gene, we done heard it before. Plus we saw you make an ass of yourself on Conan O'Brien, so now we like you even less.) Ace's voice is much smoother than any other member of KISS.
Anyway, I say that the Ace Frehley album could be proof that his talent was untapped. I am not positive. All I know is, I was enjoying the record the other night, and it made me wonder why Ace never did more of the writing for KISS. Was it the fact that he was often too drunk to play on the records, therefore, why bother to use any of his songs? Was he too drunk to write good songs? Or did he not feel like putting forth his best effort for KISS?
What I would like to know, is Ace Frehley a fluke? Did Ace use up all of his potential that he ever had and just put out one really, really good rock and roll record? Or could he have gone further in a different environment? Frehley's Comet did some interesting stuff in the late '80s. No, I'm being too generous. Frehley's Comet was just okay. But, far superior to anything KISS was releasing at the time. So, I ask again, was Ace Frehley a fluke? You tell me, because I can't figure it out.