Kiss original lead guitarist and founding member Ace Frehley dies at 74

Ace Frehley, the original lead guitarist and founding member of the rock band Kiss who captivated audiences with his elaborate makeup and smoke-filled guitar, has died aged 74.

Frehley died peacefully surrounded by family in Morristown, New Jersey, on Thursday following a recent fall, according to his agent.

Family members said in a statement that they are “completely devastated and heartbroken” but will cherish his laughter and celebrate the kindness he bestowed upon others.

Paul Stanley, right, and Ace Frehley of the rock band Kiss performing in 1998 (Chris Pizzello/AP). PA Media

Kiss, whose hits include Rock and Roll All Nite and Detroit Rock City, were known for their intense stage shows, which included fireworks, smoke and eruptions of fake blood performed by band members with black-and-white painted faces, platform boots and black wigs.

Band members took on the personas of comic book-style characters — Frehley was known as “Space Ace” and the “Spaceman”.

The band was popular, especially in the mid-1970s, selling tens of millions of albums and licensing its iconic look to sell numerous products.

Frehley and his bandmates were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2014.

Frehley’s is the first death among the four founding members, a group that also includes singer-guitarist Paul Stanley, bassist Gene Simmons and drummer Peter Criss.

In a statement, fellow founding members Stanley and Simmons said they were “devastated” by Frehley’s death.

“He was an essential and irreplaceable rock soldier during some of the most formative foundational chapters of the band and its history,” they said. “He is and will always be a part of KISS’s legacy.”