Ace Frehley’s Covers Album Will Include a Paul Stanley Reunion
Ace Frehley has revealed an April 15 release date and the track listing for his upcoming covers album, Origins Vol. 1. Frehley's version of Cream's "White Room" from the record can be heard below.
A very special name stands out among Origins Vol. 1's guest stars: former Kiss bandmate Paul Stanley, who contributes vocals to a cover of Free's 1970 gem "Fire and Water."
This will mark the first time Stanley and Frehley have collaborated since Kiss' 1998 original lineup "reunion" album Psycho Circus. Ace tells Rolling Stone that "Paul did a fabulous vocal on it ... He jumped at the chance to do this because it's something that's outside of Kiss and his character in Kiss, and it gave him a chance to, you know, sing. With Paul, you usually think of him singing in a slightly higher register and on 'Fire and Water,' he's singing deep from his diaphragm, and it's a real cool vocal."
Stanley said he was thrilled to chip in. "For all of the bickering, and stuff we may say about each other, we go back to a very magical time," he tells KBAD. "We started this together. In spite of what we may say from time to time, or things that get blown up, we are a family – a dysfunctional one, but nonetheless a family."
Frehley echoed those sentiments, insisting the two have always been friends: "The press seems to amplify negativity. I guess it makes good copy." In fact, Frehley earlier mentioned the possibility of approaching another founding Kiss star, Gene Simmons, to appear on this album as well, but that doesn't seem to have happened.
Listen to Paul Stanley Talk About Working with Ace Frehley
Frehley will also be reclaiming a bit of his Kiss legacy with Origins, covering a pair of songs ("Cold Gin," "Parasite") that he wrote but didn't sing due to nervousness about his vocal ability during the band's early days. Somewhat surprisingly, he also covers the group's Creatures of the Night song "Rock and Roll Hell." Despite his face being on the cover, Frehley reportedly did not play on that 1982 Kiss album, and is not officially credited as a songwriter on that track. (It's excellent, though – it's going to be fun to both hear it and learn why he covered it. Also: Where the heck is "Strange Ways?")
Other guest stars include Guns N' Roses guitarist Slash (on a cover of Thin Lizzy's "Emerald," reportedly cut as the duo were playing live together in the studio), Pearl Jam's Mike McCready ("Cold Gin"), Lita Ford and Rob Zombie guitarist John 5. Frehley will be supporting Origins Vol. 1's release with a tour; you can get the complete dates on his official website.
Ace Frehley Performs Cream's "White Room"
Ace Frehley, 'Origins Vol. 1' Track Listing
1. "White Room" (Originally by Cream)
2. "Street Fighting Man" (The Rolling Stones)
3. "Spanish Castle Magic," featuring John 5 (The Jimi Hendrix Experience)
4. "Fire and Water," featuring Paul Stanley (Free)
5. "Emerald," featuring Slash (Thin Lizzy)
6. "Bring It on Home" (Led Zeppelin)
7. "Wild Thing," featuring Lita Ford (The Troggs)
8. "Parasite," featuring John 5 (Kiss)
9. "Magic Carpet Ride" (Steppenwolf)
10. "Cold Gin," featuring Mike McCready (Kiss)
11. "Till the End of the Day" (The Kinks)
12. "Rock and Roll Hell" (Kiss)