BLACKIE LAWLESS Rips GENE SIMMONS For Suggesting ACE FREHLEY's Death Was Result Of 'Bad Decisions': 'That Was Totally Uncalled For'

During an appearance on the February 13 episode of SiriusXM's "Trunk Nation With Eddie Trunk", W.A.S.P. leader Blackie Lawless ripped Gene Simmons for suggesting the death of Gene's KISS bandmate guitarist Ace Frehley was the result of the guitarist's "bad decisions". "That upset me greatly because, hey, I understand that Ace aggravated him over the years," Blackie, who was Ace's longtime friend, said (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET). "I get that. I was there and I saw both sides of the fence. But at the same time, if he wants to do a commercial for drug abuse, wait six months. Drugs are still gonna be a problem six months down the road. My friend's body is still — [Ace's] body's not even cold yet and [Gene is] saying the things that he's saying."

Lawless continued: "I got great respect for Gene, but that was totally uncalled for. He did not need to do that. Like I said, drugs are still gonna be a problem six months down the road. If you wanna make a a comment about it then, do it, but don't do it about this. That was totally uncalled for."

After host Eddie Trunk noted that Ace always had balance issues, Blackie concurred. "We'd be walking down the street sometimes, and he would literally just crash right into me," Lawless said. "We would be in restaurants, go to get up from the table, he'd crash into me. One time we were at Trader Vic's [restaurant] here in Beverly Hills, and we went to stand up, and I could tell he was, you know, he was losing it. And I went to grab him, and when I did, I hit the table. He ends on top of me, food flies up in the air and there's these four little blue-haired ladies sitting next to us. There's food — it looked like something out of a bad sitcom. He's laying on top of me. He goes, 'What are you doing?' I go, 'I'm trying to help you.' But that was life with him, because, like I said, he had that problem with his equilibrium in his left ear."

Blackie continued: "When I would see him, the first question that I would ask him when they would come back from the tour, 'How many times did you fall down on this tour?' Because he would do this thing where he would lean back, like he's doing a limbo and he's playing guitar, and Gene would come lean over the top of him. His equilibrium would go out, and when that did, his legs would shoot out and it would kick Gene. Gene would fall on top of him, but they would keep on playing. And people just thought, over a period of time, it was part of the show. Gene knew all of this. So to say that for someone who had been as clean as long as [Ace] had been, to blame it on that, that was uncalled for."

Last December, Gene apologized for suggesting Ace's death was the result of the guitarist's "bad decisions". Simmons took to his social media at the time to write: "On reflection, I was wrong for using the words I used. I humbly apologize. My hand to God I didn't intended to hurt Ace or his legacy but upon rereading my words, I see how it hurt everyone. Again, I apologize. I've always loved Ace. Always."

The founding KISS guitarist died of blunt-trauma injuries to his head due to a fall, the Morris County Medical Examiner confirmed in a report. The manner of death was ruled an accident.

According to the report, a CT scan of Frehley's head revealed multiple contusions, bone fractures to the back of his skull, hemorrhages, and a subdural hematoma (the type of bleeding that occurs in a person's brain after a head injury). Additional bruises were found on the musician's hip, thigh, and abdomen. The report also noted that Frehley had suffered a stroke.

A separate toxicology report on Frehley's blood at the time of his death has not yet been released.

Just days prior to Simmons's apology, Gene told the New York Post about Ace: "He refused [advice] from people that cared about him — including yours truly — to try to change his lifestyle. In and out of bad decisions. Falling down the stairs — I'm not a doctor — doesn't kill you. There may have been other issues, and it breaks my heart. The saddest thing — you reap what you shall sow, unfortunately. It breaks my heart," Simmons continued, before describing Frehley's private funeral service on October 22. "Peter Criss, our founding drummer, Paul [Stanley] and myself went to the funeral, open casket. "It was just heartbreaking. Saddest of all perhaps is that Ace just couldn't stay alive long enough to sit there proudly at the Kennedy Center and listen to … really impressive people … say how much KISS meant to them. What can you say — sad," Simmons concluded.

During last November's "KISS Kruise: Landlocked In Vegas" event, Gene talked about Ace and Peter while answering a question about what he would have done differently in his career if given the opportunity. He said: "If I have any regrets, it's that I sometimes — and I think we all go through this — wish we were smarter and better at trying to help Ace and Peter have better lives. All of us are guilty of it, and so am I — 'I don't want to start an argument. Let's just continue doing the tour,' because you want to get through it for selfish reasons because it's working and the chicks and the money and [so on], and you don't want to ruin anything. [In the] meantime, somebody who might be your brother is ruining their life by bad decisions. I think this goes to your friends, your lovers, your family members — I wish I would have practiced more tough love and been more in the face of people that we cared about… Tough love is a good idea in my opinion with your children, with the people you love, with the people you care about, with the people you work with. It's not going to be a popular thing — you're going to argue about it — but in the long run, you're going to be helping that person hopefully change their life."

Frehley's longtime manager John Ostrosky confirmed to the New York Post that the late KISS icon was laid to rest at Woodlawn Cemetery in Bronx, New York.

The legendary musician was buried on October 22 following a private memorial on October 21 at Sinatra Memorial Home in Yonkers, New York.

Frehley, whose real name was Paul Daniel Frehley, passed away peacefully surrounded by family in Morristown, New Jersey. He reportedly died nearly two weeks after a second fall at his home, which led to him being placed on life support after a brain bleed. The musician's family made the heartbreaking decision to take him off the ventilator.

Frehley's family confirmed his death, writing in a statement: "We are completely devastated and heartbroken. In his last moments, we were fortunate enough to have been able to surround him with loving, caring, peaceful words, thoughts, prayers and intentions as he left this earth.

"We cherish all of his finest memories, his laughter, and celebrate his strengths and kindness that he bestowed upon others. The magnitude of his passing is of epic proportions, and beyond comprehension. Reflecting on all of his incredible life achievements, Ace's memory will continue to live on forever!"

The day of Ace's death, Stanley and Simmons issued a statement in which they said: "We are devastated by the passing of Ace Frehley. He was an essential and irreplaceable rock soldier during some of the most formative foundational chapters of the band and its history. He is and will always be a part of KISS's legacy. Our thoughts are with Jeanette, Monique and all those who loved him, including our fans around the world."

Simmons also wrote on X: "Our hearts are broken. Ace has passed on. No one can touch Ace's legacy. I know he loved the fans. He told me many times. Sadder still, Ace didn't live long enough to be honored at the Kennedy Ctr Honors event in Dec. Ace was the eternal rock soldier. Long may his legacy live on!"

Ace co-founded KISS with Paul, Gene and Peter in New York City in 1973. Frehley appeared on KISS's first nine albums, and returned for the band's 1998 reunion album, "Psycho Circus", only to leave again. He was inducted into the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame with the rest of KISS's original lineup in 2014.

Frehley first left KISS in 1982. He rejoined in 1996 and parted ways with the band once again in 2002 after the conclusion of KISS's first "farewell tour." Since his departure, guitarist Tommy Thayer had assumed the role of the Spaceman.

Earlier in October, Frehley scrapped the remainder of his previously announced 2025 tour dates due to unspecified "medical issues".

The legendary rocker announced the cancelation two weeks after he pulled out of the Antelope Valley Fair in Lancaster, California after sustaining minor injuries in a fall at his home.

Frehley had a rocky relationship with Simmons and Stanley whom he blamed for exacerbating his abuse of drugs and alcohol because they allegedly minimized his contributions to KISS.

In 2019, Simmons told Guitar World that Frehley and Criss had exited KISS three times, in part because they "weren't carrying their load" and weren't dependable onstage. In response, Frehley called Simmons and Stanley "control freaks, untrustworthy and… too difficult to work with."

Ace said in a 2024 interview that he got sober in 2006 after "10 car accidents" and credited his daughter Monique with inspiring him to give up drinking in 2006.

"My daughter calls me up and goes, 'Dad, I'm not hearing good things about you.' I looked in the mirror and just said, 'Shit — she's right,'" he said. "That evening, I called my sponsor and he took me to an AA meeting, and I've been sober ever since."

Frehley married Jeanette Trerotola in 1978 before they legally separated seven years later but remained married. She survives him, along with their daughter Monique, brother Charles, sister Nancy Salvner, and a number of nieces, nephews and extended family members.