Original Kiss guitarist Ace Frehley has a serious problem with his former band’s frontman Gene Simmons, taking to Facebook Tuesday to air his grievances.
Frehley’s Simmons-bashing was seemingly inspired by a recent interview with Simmons, in which the 69-year-old rocker dispelled the rumors that Kiss’ former members would join the band’s current lineup for their upcoming “End of the Road” farewell tour, saying, “Could we depend on (Frehley) to do a full set night after night? Not on your (expletive) life.”
Frehley fired back in his Facebook post, accusing Simmons of everything from slander to sexual assault, including a claim that Simmons inappropriately touched Frehley’s wife.
“The icing on the cake was when you groped my wife and propositioned her in Los Angeles at the Capitol Records building behind my back, when I was trying to help you out at one of your (shows) which I only found out about several weeks later,” he wrote. “She was planning on pursuing a suit against you, but I told her to call it off!!!”
Frehley also disputed Simmons’ comments in the interview that Frehley’s drug and alcohol issues would keep Kiss from inviting him back to the band.
“Your slanderous remarks about my bad habits over the years has cost me millions of dollars and now that I’m over 12-years sober you’re still saying I can’t be trusted to play a whole nights show!” he wrote. “Well that’s exactly what I’ve been doing for the last 12-years with different configurations of ‘The Ace Frehley Band’ to you and (Kiss guitarist and singer Paul Stanley’s) dismay!
“I’m also the most successful solo artist to come out of the original KISS lineup, and proud of it!” he continued. “You and Paul have tried to derail my solo career multiple times over the years unsuccessfully… today’s comments have made me realize you’re just an (expletive) and a sex addict who’s being sued by multiple Women, and you’re just trying to sweep it all under the carpet!”
Simmons settled a lawsuit in June 2018 after a female radio presenter accused him of sexual battery, gender violence, battery and assault.
A female reporter for Australia’s Daily Telegraph also accused Simmons last year of making sexist remarks while she was attempting to interview him in the ’90s, claiming she “put him on my list of banned musicians about 15 years ago” after he kept repeating the line, “I love coming to Australia because all the women have big (breasts) and big (behinds).”
USA TODAY has reached out to Simmons’ representatives for comment.
Maeve McDermott, USA TODAY
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